Is this true about pumping?

Question

I was pumping and got good 7 oz last ngith after doing it for an hour, 4 0z just a 1/2 hr well 2 day not as lucky! 2 0z after 45 min and then I tryed again later and nothing! my bf said it was bc I "pumped everything out". I mostly nurse my daughter who is a month old but have decided to start pumping as well. well I a so frustrated right now bc it seems my milk is drying up. or is it possible that you can pump out evrything and then the milk will come back in a couple of hours when it needs to?

Answer 1

The more you pump and/or nurse, the more milk you will produce. But you also need to be drinking enough. It is very important to stay hydrated. If you aren't, it will affect milk production. You must also make sure you're eating enough. If you are trying to get more milk production, you should nurse or pump every 2-3 hours, around the clock for a few days. That *should* increase your milk.  

Answer 2

Yes, you can pump everything "out" and more will still come back. The more you pump (or, nurse) the more you'll have.  The best way to boost your supply by pumping is to do shorter, more frequent sessions. You don't need to pump for an hour. Do it for 15 minutes, but do it every 1 1/2 hour.  You will only get a small amount but you will soon get a lot more.  If you really REALLY need to boost your supply do it every hour for 10 minutes. (side note:  I'm not sure what the best schedule would be if you're pumping and nursing. I pumped exclusively).

Have you decided to start pumping because you're returning to work?  Keep nursing if you can -- it's waaaay easier than pumping!!!  Also, people say that babies are more efficient at getting milk out than a pump, so it's likely that your baby is getting more than you may think.  

Make sure you have a good pump too. It makes the difference between getting milk and struggling to get milk. I had the Medela Symphony, which I rented from the hospital. The Medela In Style brands are also excellent.  

good luck!

Answer 3

You should be drinking at least 2Liters a day to keep your milk flow at peak,  if you dont drink water you will dry up or have to little milk to feed your child.  Happened to me on a hot day 3 mths ago....  

Answer 4

Even if you do pump until your b*****s seem empty, the milk should be there again in a few hours when your daughter wants to nurse again. I assume that you're pumping after your daughter nurses so that she gets "first crack" at whatever milk you have.

At least in my experience, milk production is definitely different at different times in the day--more in the morning and less in the afternoon.  Your b*****s will adjust to the demand that you and your daughter create, so the more you nurse/pump the more you'll produce.  That also means that if she has a time of day when she usually has a big feeding, you'll tend to have more milk at that time.

Also don't forget that a baby is almost always more efficient at getting the milk out than a pump is!  So even if you're not getting much from pumping, as long as your daughter is gaining weight and having plenty of wet and dirty diapers, milk supply shouldn't be something to worry about.