https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:41:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-566955 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:43:42 +0000 sunny 566955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@katyh: I get my second let down at about 15 min-19 min. I pretty much get nothing between minutes 10 and 15... so give it a try and see if you get that second one! I also do breast compressions to encourage more milk too.</p> <p>ETA - I also realized that hand expressing will get more milk out too, even after the pump won't. I get only 2-3 oz at work each time (pumping 2x) and so I need to pump one more time at home. After that session, I hand express for a good 10 min and I can get another 15mL usually. For me, that's a lot since my supply seems to be low. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-566937 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:35:48 +0000 lindseykaye 566937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@katyh: I would try to pump for a little while longer to see if you can get a second let down. I can't remember where but I read that it's good to pump for 5-10 minutes beyond when you stop getting milk to encourage that. My pump manual also recommends turning the suction down and the speed all the way up to help with this. I don't do it because I know mine will come without adjusting anything but it's worth a try! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-563736 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:56:47 +0000 LulaBee 563736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I must be doing something wrong... I pump for about 10 minutes and stop because my milk is not coming out anymore. I'm only getting about 1 oz each side per session (except one day last week I got 2 oz each side). Should I be waiting for a second let down? How long does that typically take? I work every other day so I've been pumping when I'm at home with LO. Do I just have a low supply? Been taking More Milk Plus for a month now. I usually leave work with 6 - 10 oz, which is not enough for LO on the days that I'm gone. Help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-563701 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:43:58 +0000 Periwinkle 563701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It takes me about 25 minutes or so. I have to unpack/pack up my pump pieces each time and it's a long process. I only pump about 2x a day at work because I just have not had the time... I think I need to add in a third session to keep my supply up. It has been decreasing lately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-563601 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:07:07 +0000 pregnantbee 563601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: Oh, my! I'm envious. I pump for 20-25 min. 3x/day and get anywhere from 3 to 7 oz. each time depending on time of day and how recently I fed LO before work. If I don't pump that long, I won't get enough for the next day's daycare bottles. As it is, I have to add a 9p pump session at home, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-563495 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:26:05 +0000 SleepyMonkey 563495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i feel like it takes me forever too. anywhere from 25-40 minutes depending on what the session goes like. sometimes my 2nd let down will come at 15 minutes, so i'll sit there until it finishes. i find that i have to completely relax, or else my milk won't let down. during the 2x i pump at work, i get about 10 oz. before i leave for work, my morning pump can be anywhere from 5-10 oz depending on how much she eats and whether i'm stressed out or not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-563376 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:41:15 +0000 lindseykaye 563376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: I don't stay extra but that's because I pump in my own office at my desk and it's understood that I am working while I am pumping. I takes a few minutes to set up and break down everything but the actual time spent sitting there I use to do real work.</p> <p>@NovBaby1112: I wouldn't pump as long if I got that much! I only wait for the second let down to make sure I can keep up with what LO is eating and still have a little extra just in case. Typically with pumping 3x at 15-25 minutes a session I will get about 16 oz in the day. Always gradually less per session. Most days I will get 7/5/4 ounces.<br /> At 13.5 weeks LO eats somewhere between 13.5 and 16 ounces at daycare depending on the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562462 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:17:24 +0000 littlebittyhouse 562462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pump 3x at about 15 min each. I don't work later but I usually eat lunch at my desk. Legally you get unpaid pumping breaks but I have not heard of anyone enforcing that... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562455 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:13:48 +0000 blackbird 562455@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So...question...if you guys are pumping and it takes 30 minutes each time (let's say), how many times a day do you pump? 3 times? So you do stay at work an extra hour to make up for it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562373 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:33:30 +0000 NovBaby1112 562373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlebittyhouse: ok good to know, wanted to make sure it was normal!</p> <p>@hellobeeboston: thanks! I wasn't sure what were normal times/amounts and I want to make sure I pump long enough to maintain my supply but I usually just stop after I get over 3-4 ounces on each side </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562323 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:05:54 +0000 hellobeeboston 562323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: wow that is great! I don't wait for second let down, it just takes me about 15-20 min to get 4-6oz... Baby is 14 weeks, it is getting faster as he gets older! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562321 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:03:58 +0000 hellobeeboston 562321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: 25 minutes or so for me too, maybe 20 on occasion... Doing it 3x a day - would like to maybe add one more so I have extra but it's a lot of time to be missing work!! I work on a laptop though so a few times I have brought it in with me and kept on working, but usually I just try to look at us as "me time" and do something not stressful and fun. Like now - pumping and hellobee-ing :) yesterday I was watching downton abbey on the PBS app, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562312 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:57:41 +0000 purrpletulips 562312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>25-30 min (20 of which is actual pumping) but I pump in my office and work while pumping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562292 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:51:28 +0000 cascademom 562292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>25-30 minutes. I try to clean my pump parts before my next pump. I also use the Medela pump wipes at my last pump of the day, so I can leave soon after. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562288 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:51:12 +0000 littlebittyhouse 562288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: Same here. 12 minutes is a super long session for me. I am usually 8-10 minutes. I pump 3x for total of about 18oz per day. I've never waited for 2nd let down... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562237 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:21:37 +0000 NovBaby1112 562237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm I wonder if I am not pumping long enough or doing something wrong...it only takes me about 10 mins tops...I don't wait for every last drop tho but maybe I should? I pump 3x and get about 21oz total for the day. Does everyone wait for 2nd letdown? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562170 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:49:45 +0000 lindseykaye 562170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same - takes me 20-30 minutes depending on how long I actually pump. Typically though I end up pumping for 20 minutes to that I can catch a second let down and get more with each session. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562129 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:27:45 +0000 mamabolt 562129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About 15-20 minutes. Luckily I work through most of it, so it really just takes me a few minutes to set up/break down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562087 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:03:53 +0000 mrskc 562087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok. I'm glad it's not just me. I thought I was slow. I only pump once at work right now since I'm part time so I don't bother washing the parts. I just do it when I get home. But I'm glad 25 minutes is typical. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562070 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:56:25 +0000 littlebittyhouse 562070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>about 20 min. </p> <p>I pre assemble but only have 1 set of flanges. The night before I have the flanges on empty bottles for my first session., after my first session I pull out two new bottles and screw those on the just used flanges and store the whole thing in a ziplock in my cooler bag (I don't wash in between sessions). </p> <p>My routine looks like this:<br /> Get out bottles, bra and pump<br /> Strap on bra<br /> Insert bottles<br /> Hook up to pump<br /> Pump 10-12 minutes<br /> Combine milk if it is less than 5oz total<br /> Put empty bottles on flanges<br /> Pack everything away </p> <p>If I have a 10 min pumping session I can do it all in 15 min.</p> <p>Also, I pump 3x per day. Any less than that and my supply starts to suffer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562069 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:56:24 +0000 autumnlove 562069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It took about 20 minutes. I didn't wash my pump parts and I stored them in a ziplock that I would put inside an opaque wetbag before throwing it in the fridge. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562055 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:47:33 +0000 plantains 562055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take 30 mins. I throw them in the fridge in between sessions to save time on washing parts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562051 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:46:50 +0000 MsLipGloss 562051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depending on actual pump time (15 or 20 minutes), it usually takes me 20 or 25 minutes. To help streamline things, I pre-assemble all my parts the night before so that all I have to do is *suit up* with my pumping bra and attach all the gadgets (I have a Medela Freestyle), and I am up and running. I have extra sets of pump parts (10 sets, which is a little overkill), so I don't clean the parts in between sessions. . . I either change out the parts completely, or leave the pump parts in my cooler so that it stays cool and ready for the next pump (an excellent tip from @MrsBee!). What really helps is keeping as many things pre-assembled as possible.</p> <p>ETA: I have come to the conclusion that it is time consuming, and there isn't much I can do about that. I do what I can, but at the end of the day, it is a huge time commitment while at work.</p> <p>ETA: 15 is an unrealistic time frame (unless you are only pumping for 10 minutes). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562049 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:46:13 +0000 Tidybee 562049@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About 1/2 hour start to finish. It's so annoying. Maybe you could buy an extra set of parts so you dont have to wash them thoroughly after each session. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562047 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:45:51 +0000 kiddosc 562047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It still takes me about 20-25 minutes, and I've been back to work for 7 months. I deduct time from my lunch hour and sometimes take work with me to the pumping room. You'll get in a groove, and figure out what works for you, but with set-up and clean-up I think it will be hard to get it down to 15 min. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-does-it-take-you-to-pump-at-work#post-562039 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:42:20 +0000 mrskc 562039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just started back at work last week and I'm trying to be as efficient as I can with pumping, but it takes me forever! </p> <p>With set up, 15-20 mins of pumping and clean up, it takes me 25 minutes! I only get a 15 minute break, so I try to come in 10 min early. I can't seem to cut it down. I guess I would have to pump less time, but I like to squeeze every last drop out. </p> <p>How long does it take you to pump at work with set up, pumping and clean up? </p>