https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 16:06:14 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-24058 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:35:14 +0000 Green Thumb 24058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandsandmore: I'm peeing out my ears I'm drinking so much... about 120-150 oz a day... maybe I'll try pumping with blank bottles so I'm not stressing about the amount. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-23816 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:48:11 +0000 sandsandmore 23816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How much water are you drinking? Have you been eating oatmeal (the real stuff, not the instant)?</p> <p>I quit keeping track of how much I was pumping each session and focused on a daily total. It took me several weeks to get up to a full supply.....I eventually had to wean because I got upwards of 40 ounces. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-23776 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:56:15 +0000 mommacommaphd 23776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in the exact same situation. I just wound up getting the single-use packets of formula and sending them with my daughter to daycare. If what I pumped wasn't enough, they would just make her a bottle of formula.</p> <p>I tried Fenugreek and pumping more often, but come on- pumping for 20 min every 2 to 3 hours made it impossible to get anything done at work!</p> <p>For me, it wasn't a matter of supply, it was just an issue that the pump was not efficient at getting the milk out of my breasts. As it was, they were never totally empty with pumping. The engorgement would have been worse if I upped my supply and still couldn't get the milk out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-23420 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:57:31 +0000 geekinheels 23420@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mother's Milk Tea worked wonders for me with both babies. With Claire, it doubled my supply within a week and with Aerin, I started drinking it as soon as I was discharged from the hospital and within 3 days I was pumping 12 ounces! I got the Traditional Medicinals kind and drank it 3-5x a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-23372 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:07:52 +0000 brownie 23372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2 oz per side per pump is a fantastic day for me. I pump twice and get 6 oz if I'm lucky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-23371 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:05:04 +0000 T.H.O.U. 23371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the tips in this thread, I am just starting to pump now that I'm back at work and I"m barely keeping up with demand (even though I have a small stash to pull from as needed). Each session I get about 2 ounces per side, sometimes a bit more if it has been 3-4 hours since the last empty. </p> <p>I really want to make it to at least 6 months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22355 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:39:28 +0000 Green Thumb 22355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm definitely going to start a middle-of-the-night pump session, thanks everyone for your help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22304 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:36:59 +0000 Mrs. Bee 22304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>mmp has fenugreek and blessed thistle in it, but when i didn't see results on mmp alone, i added fenugree, blessed thistle and mother's milk tea on the advice of livsmom.</p> <p>since you're not pumping at night though, that will make a big difference because that's when you'll get the most milk. before you try any more supplements, maybe try adding one middle of the night pumping session and see if that helps?</p> <p>i also try to pump after i nurse to make sure that i get every last drop and my body makes more milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22287 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:01:30 +0000 brownie 22287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Firstly, I would make sure that the daycare isn't overfeeding her. She should be eating between 1 1/2 and 2 oz for every hour she is away from you (from la leche league). Many daycares are used to formula in which the ounces go up. And may want more milk because that is what they are used to. That is not how breastmilk works. After about 3 months old, the supply should be fairly stable.</p> <p>My LO is 7 months old and he eats at 4:30 am before I go to work, 6 oz at 7:00 am, I nurse him during lunch at 11:00 am, he eats 2 or 3 oz (depending on what I pump) at 1:00p, then I nurse him at 4 pm. If I didn't go home at lunch and pick him up so early I would send 8 more oz to daycare. That has pretty much been what he has been on since day one.</p> <p>If you need to increase supply, try pumping more often during the day. The few times I have had problems even one more pumping session for 3 or 4 days has resolved the issue. Work has to make the accomodation (though you have to put in all your time) Also makes sure you nurse whenever possible after that and all weekend long. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22277 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:28:38 +0000 Green Thumb 22277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pelikila: Thank you so much. I just ordered some fenugreek and MMT, and I'm going to try everything LivsMom suggested. Thanks for your help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22263 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:20:11 +0000 pelikila 22263@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Green Thumb: Sometimes if MMP alone isn't doing it adding additional fenugreek and sometimes even additional blessed thistle can help. I'd suggest talking to a LC before self-administering too much (fenugreek can have side effects other than increased milk production). @Livsmom had to work really hard at increasing her supply and can give you all kinds of advice. Perhaps leave a message on her wall? Things like oatmeal (particularly steel cut oats) and brewer's yeast (found in dark lagers like guiness) can help increase milk production too. And if you haven't been pumping at night, definitely a good thing to do to keep milk up. I had to for sure. Not everyone does but if you are struggling, it certainly wouldn't hurt to help even out what your baby is drinking during the day compared to what you pump during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22262 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:10:41 +0000 Green Thumb 22262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: MMP has fenugreek in it already, should I take additional capsules as well? She does sleep through the night, so pumping at night is an option.</p> <p>@808love: What does the oatmeal do?</p> <p>@pelikila: Great suggestions! Thank you </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22234 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:03:42 +0000 pelikila 22234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was drinking over 200 oz a day and I caution you not to drink too much water. I ended up overdrinking on water and all the fenugreek I took ended up getting purged from my system due to the amount of water I was drinking before it had a chance to do any good. My LC told me to just drink to thirst, which was more like 100 oz for me so I just want to say there is a possibility of overdoing it. :)<br /> When you are pumping are you looking at pics of your baby? How about having a video to watch of your baby? Sometimes the addition of audio can help if pictures alone aren't enough. I had to really work on clearing my head of everything but my son before pumping and really relaxing and concentrating on him. Also, how long are you pumping at each session? I ask because when away from my son I had extremely poor letdown and pumping sessions for me could be upwards of 45 minutes to get good letdown. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22231 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:57:05 +0000 808love 22231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually pump about 6 oz. ---3 oz per boob. Some days more, some less. When I went back to work, my supply dipped to 2 oz. (total) I drank plenty of water, rest, skin on skin cuddles, nursing and pumped a few extra times. Also, 2 packets of oatmeal a day. I took Fenugreek for a few days too. My baby doesn't sleep well so she nurses every three hours. No sleeping through the night for us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22222 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:05:45 +0000 Mrs. Bee 22222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>well you're definitely doing the right things! i would say to give it a little more time. 2 weeks wasn't enough time for me to see results both times i tried to increase my supply. </p> <p>what about adding fenugreek and mother's milk tea? </p> <p>i found that if i pumped in the middle of the night after my first stretch of decent sleep (around 3 hours), and in the morning, i produced so much that it didn't matter if i didn't get that much during the day. is that an option? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22220 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:59:10 +0000 Green Thumb 22220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: I started taking MMP about 2 weeks ago and I've tried pumping religiously every 2 hours. I've also upped my water intake a ridiculous amount. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22203 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:00:49 +0000 Mrs. Bee 22203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>have you tried any supplements yet? the most effective thing for most people is increasing pumping sessions and taking supplements like more milk plus, fenugreek, etc. i've tried a bunch of different things... let me know what you've tried so i can advise best. </p> <p>i used to pump around 2 oz. it really depends on the time of day how much i get -- middle of the night is by far the most. i can get 7 ounces then. It gets less as the day goes on, but even at the end of the day I can usually get 3 oz. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-can-you-pump-per-session#post-22190 Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:49:14 +0000 Green Thumb 22190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is almost 7 weeks. She started daycare last Monday when I went back to work but she's eating more than I can pump! For every 2 ounces I pump at work she eats 4oz at daycare! I've tried increasing my supply but I can't seem to get anymore than 2 oz per pump session... help? </p>