https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:33:25 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693300 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 19:18:22 +0000 MrsSRS 2693300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another vote for giving power pumping a solid week. Also I needed a gallon of water plus 20oz of gatorade. I know gatorade is junk but I swear it upped my output like nothing else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693192 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:25:10 +0000 agold 2693192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: You impressed me with your 60 oz water intake! Challenge accepted! :silly: And yes to replacing pump parts! I was hanging on to some pretty flimsy medela membranes. They are so cheap; I don't know why I didn't think to replace them sooner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693171 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:53:06 +0000 JenGirl 2693171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had the most success with adding a before bed pump and making that a power pump when I need to increase. Along with increasing water and calories. Usually takes a week or so to see an increase.</p> <p>As for a second let down, I only get one when I use the Symphony at work, never with my Spectra at home. and it usually isn't very much, but I feel like it keeps my supply up. However, over time I've really lost ability to use any pump. It just doesn't seem to work the same any more. So now I do it all by hand expressing (but I only do it once per day as my son is 16 months). So, if you can't get a second let down, try hand expressing at the end. Can't hurt and you might get some more out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693166 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:45:59 +0000 BlueWolverine 2693166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, nothing ever worked for me. I was never an awesome producer with the pump though. For a few months, I could keep up with her and manage to freeze some. However, as of today, I probably get 4-5oz in two sessions (pumping 3 times for 6 oz was just pissing me off, so I dropped one). She's 10 months old and I'll probably pump until 12 months, but then I shall bid the pump adieu. Finally. Taking fenugreek, eating oatmeal, extra pumping....none of it worked for LO1 or LO2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693161 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:37:47 +0000 avivoca 2693161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: I definitely need to up my food intake too, I just realized that. Second breakfast is going to become a thing! </p> <p>@mrsjd: I feel your pain, I was getting 16-20 oz. per day and today I got maybe 12. She is only eating 12-16 right now depending on when she eats in the morning so I'm usually a couple of ounces ahead of what she eats and I haven't had to dip into my frozen milk yet, but if this doesn't work I'm going to have to do that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693150 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:27:45 +0000 mrsjd 2693150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks all! I'm going to power pump for 5-7 days and see if that helps. I have only gotten a second let down maybe 1-2 ever, even when I was getting 5-6 oz per session. I have a super quick letdown (I feel it). So bizarre. I'm not ready to throw in the towel but the decrease is really discouraging. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693143 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:18:42 +0000 kiddosc 2693143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only thing that has every worked for me is to add pumping sessions... and never drop them. :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693141 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:16:34 +0000 agold 2693141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, dear. 20 ounces in three session sounds amazing! I can only imagine how sad it is to drop down to 9 ounces. My baby is 5 months, too, and I feel like recently my supply has gone up a tad - like an ounce or two - a day. But I only still get about 15 or 16 ounces. I think I can attribute the days of increased pumping to days when I ate like big "hungry man" breakfasts, as I call them. Or just eat a ton of food in general. My lactation consultant told me she tells all of her nursing mamas to try to eat one in-n-out hamburger a day! So I really think high calorie intake is a must. Same with high water intake. I keep ordering these lactation granola bars: <a href="https://www.oatmama.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.oatmama.com/</a>. High calorie and I keep one on me at all times in case I realize I haven't eaten in a while. </p> <p>Also - I see the girls who said they added a pumping session. I have done a night time pumping session here and there and find that I get a good amount pumped so I can make an extra bottle or top off the bottles made from the day time. Also, my chunky mama girl is nursing twice a night now. (Oy vey... different topic..) But maybe the increased nursing overall increases supply. Best of luck to you!! Keep it up!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693133 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:11:06 +0000 avivoca 2693133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My supply is currently dropping but I've also been sick for two weeks and am having to force myself to eat and drink. So since I feel better, I'm really committing to 60 oz. of water while I'm at work, waiting for that second letdown, and also replacing all of my pump parts since they are getting old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693129 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 15:08:28 +0000 edelweiss 2693129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i added a pumping session before my bedtime, and also waited for the second letdown, as @peachykeen: mentioned. it probably took at least a week to feel like my input increased--but of course it did, because i was pumping more! i mean, at least it didn't drop, but it was a lot of pumping. in retrospect i'm not sure i should have put myself through it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693013 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 12:45:23 +0000 peachykeen 2693013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The other thing that helped long term was continuing to pump beyond when the milk stopped. I would often get a second letdown up to 10 min later (not always that long, but don't be discouraged if it doesn't come right away). Even if I didn't get another letdown, the longer pumping time would seem to give my body the cue to make more milk after several days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693012 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 12:42:45 +0000 peachykeen 2693012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Power pumping was what worked best for me and I would see an increase within a week. Replacing membranes can also help if you haven't changed them in a while. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2693009 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 12:37:57 +0000 gingerbebe 2693009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually a solid week for me whenever it dipped. I have to make sure I'm drinking and eating a lot, Gatorade and beef really help, and I had to get really hands on in my pump sessions. A lot of massaging and compressing and squeezing especially the ducts by my armpits. After pumping I also hand express near my nipples to really get it all out to stimulate more milk. I pump first thing in the morning and right before bed because I just get the most out that way and take my supplements (lecithin, brewers yeast, fenugreek, blessed thistle) at night before bed. Between those two pumps I can get 12-13oz. </p> <p>You can add a power pump session starting on a Thursday or Friday night and hope the production kicks in by Monday.</p> <p>Also don't know what pump you have but my Freestyle parts warped from the microwave sterilizer so I bought new ones and hand wash them. 3-4 months PP is also when my engorgement calmed down and so my flanges had to go down a size and I had to get a snugger fit on the pumping bra. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/increasing-pumping-output-if-successful-how-long-did-it-take#post-2692962 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 11:43:41 +0000 mrsjd 2692962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are a million posts on pumping and how to increase supply, but my question for everyone is - if you were able to successfully increase your supply, how long did it take using whatever method worked for you?</p> <p>I'm 5 month into nursing my daughter. I work full time and pump 3x a day while she is at daycare. I used to get 17-20 ounces per day when I went back and she was around 12 weeks old. It started to decease when I was super unlucky to get my period back at 4 months PP (still EBF at the time, UGH). It's never recovered. Now, I struggle to get 9 ounces a day. She's a 90th percentile baby and will easily eat 16 oz BM in the 9 hours we're apart.</p> <p>I've tried a lot of different things (pumping more, fenugreek, MM tea), but I wonder if I need to keep it up for longer before seeing results. Help! </p>