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I always tried to pump for 30 minutes (after nursing) in the first 6 weeks. I didn't see a lot of milk until after 20 minutes.

@pmrlady: have you tried a different size breast flange (or whatever they are called), I have the medela pisa and was using the ones that came with it (24mm), only getting 1 oz or less per side, then I got a smaller size (21 mm) and get about 2 oz per side. I also tried different times of day to pump and try to wait about an hour in between feeding my little guy.. Hang in there, anytime you pump even if you don't get much it should help your supply

@pmrlady: In the beginning, you won't get much per session (especially if you are pumping in addition to feeding).

I suggest pumping after the first nursing session of the day and pump for 15 minutes. This way you will train your body to produce more and you can build up a freezer stash (if you want). I felt so much better going back to work with a sizable freezer stash. I knew that if my output dropped because of stress, illness, or whatever, I wouldn't have to worry about making enough that day for LO.

I agree with @magnolia: check your parts to make sure you are using the right size flange (this will also make a difference in output).

@pmrlady: I agree with the other posters recommendations and also when your milk flow slows down and you go back to stim mode try to take deep breaths and relax as much as you can. If you are tense at all or worried about the output that can slow down your flow. Also warmth can help with milk flow so use a warm pack before or while pumping (I like the long microwavable neck warm packs because you can sort of drape them over your breasts).

I would try to 2 letdowns per pump, so my entire pump session would last about 30 minutes. Usually the second one produced more than the first. But you're only 3 weeks in, so I think more than anything how often you're pumping is key. My milk didn't come in until about 5 days after and even then I was pumping maybe 1.5 oz per session until about 2 weeks later. Gradually I produced more but I was pumping every 2-3 hours. So factoring in bf'ing I would try to do it so that you're bf'ing or pumping every 3 hours. If' youre already bf'ing every 3 hours and you're pumping on top of that, I would just extend the duration of pump time to about 30 minutes.

That sounds like really great output for 3 weeks postpartum. That's probably all your LO is drinking right now, but it should increase in the coming weeks/months. I used to always pump past my 2nd letdown and for at least 30 minutes each time to stimulate supply. Ended up with oversupply.

I would recommend pumping for 15 minutes, you already are set up - so just let it do its thing a bit longer just in case there is more milk.

I also recommend trying to relax and not watching, the more I watched the more anxious I became, which affects output.

Since you are doing both, 1.5 ounces is actually really good! Hang in there and good luck!

Also adding that your prolactin levels are highest in the early morning, so make sure you pump in the AM.

So you said that LO eats 2.5-3 oz in a feeding and you are pumping 1-1.5 oz per breast, that makes total sense. Your breasts produce as much as your baby eats. I wouldn't stress too much about this. When I pumped when LO #1 was 4 weeks old, I got about the same amount. By 4 months, one pump session would yield around 5 oz, which was how much my LO was eating too.