If you pump at work (or some place where you don't have unlimited time) do you pump for a certain amount of time or until you stop producing?
Usually I can get everything out in 20 minutes, but if the pump is still getting milk to come out I like to wait until it is done. But I don't have all the time in the world. Do you just cut it off at a certain time?
bananas / 9357 posts
If milk is coming out, I don't like to stop. I've noticed now it seems like I can pump quicker now. My first week back it took me 20 minutes to pump 5 ounces and now it only takes about 10 minutes. I still pump for 15 minutes tho.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@mrskc: Yeah maybe things will get faster as time goes on. I got into the habit of letting LO nurse for an hour towards the end of the maternity leave. That was 1) probably a terrible idea and 2) probably why it takes me so long to pump.
honeydew / 7235 posts
I pump until milk stops coming out! But it's usually only around 15 minutes... Also hoping it gets faster for me!
pomegranate / 3008 posts
I pumped until milk stopped readily coming out and then finished with hand expression to get the rest.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@pelikila: I just watched a video on the importance of hand expression! I experimented a bit with it at home last night, but it was kind of messy so I didn't want to mess with it at work today.
pomegranate / 3008 posts
@highwire: The more you practice the better you'll get. I usually would leave the flange on the bottle and just hand express into there over a burp cloth laid in my lap so I had a bit of a "splatter shield".
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@pelikila: Smart! Yeah I really want to cover myself with a blanket while I pump either way. I keep splashing milk on my clothes at the end of the pumping sessions.
apricot / 319 posts
I could never pump to empty, mostly because I could never be empty. I ended up with an oversupply because I thought I was supposed to pump until nothing came out, but that never really happened for me.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I stop at 20 minutes. I don't think your boobs are ever "empty." I was told by a lactation consultant that you can do more harm that good by pumping for long periods of time so, I stop at 20.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@mediagirl: Yeah, that's what I've heard from the LCs I've talked to as well. Probably just cut it off as close to 20 mins as possible. Especially since I've already had a case of mastitis that came up when I was working on building a freezer stash and pumping a lot more frequently than before.
pear / 1698 posts
I stop at 20 minutes when I'm in the office. The lactation room is shared and is booked in half hour increments so I don't want to monopolize it.
coffee bean / 43 posts
I was using the Medela Freestyle, and would pump about 20-23 minutes since I didn't feel empty and was trying to get as much milk as possible. I was pumping 3x/day at work and only producing 12 oz total, so wanted to get as much as I could and my LC said to pump after the last drop to stimulate production.
I now switched to the Medela Symphony, and it only takes 15-18 minutes to produce as much or more than before. I can now pump only 2x/day and get over 12 oz. The Symphony doesn't have a timer on it, so I just watch the clock and the flow to see when it slows down and when I feel like I've pumped enough for that time.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@ellybecks: I have the Symphony as well. Hopefully I'll get more efficient as time goes on.
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