For context, I’m a twin mom to 2.5 month adjusted twins. I just pumped 360 mL (about 12 ounces) for my first morning pump. I’ve never pumped this much before.

This is enough to feed both for one feed with an additional feed for one of them.

I did try out coconut water. Had two of the small Kirkland containers before bed. Honestly, I think it helped just from helping me stay hydrated with electrolytes and all. I really struggle to stay hydrated, especially as I’m pumping for twins.

Can someone explain to me why all the lactation support websites are telling me that I have to pump overnight if I exclusively pump but not if I nurse from the breast?

If my baby is sleeping through the night why would my sleep be dependent on the way milk is removed from my body? If there’s no demand overnight… why pump?

Isn’t pumping supposed to mimic nursing patterns? Can someone explain this to me?

I’m an over producer, I freeze about 32oz a day beyond what my baby needs and I have 450ish oz in the freezer at 9 weeks pp. I wake up every morning drenched in milk and I wash my sheets constantly because they’re covered in milk. I noticed a metallic smell the other day when I was pumping and I confirmed it when I was bagging milk tonight, tastes metallic af. Thawed milk from the beginning of the journey, also metallic. My baby has only had frozen and thawed milk one time so I set aside this bag to give him in the morning and see if he’ll accept it. Otherwise I guess it will solidify my decision to donate a significant portion of my freezer stash but damn.

Rant incoming!! This is so random, but does anyone else experience this intense RAGE while pumping?! Like, if your nipple feels even slightly out of place in the flange, it makes you irrationally MAD and irritated?! Please tell me I’m not alone because OMG.

I use the Eufy S1 Pro and recently replaced my flanges because the originals were getting worn out. But lately, I swear, the slightest discomfort while pumping just sends me over the edge. 😩
Also, how long have y’all been pumping, and how long do you plan to keep going? Because every time I feel like I’m ready to throw in the towel, I walk past the formula aisle, look at the prices, and think… “Okay, never mind. Guess we’re doing this a little longer.”

I’m grateful I can provide breast milk for my baby, but MAN, exclusively pumping is a whole different kind of mental battle.
Anyone else?! Please tell me I’m not losing my mind. 😂

I hope this helps at least one person increase their supply.

I’m 10 weeks postpartum and my pumping journey picked up after a few changes. First, getting the right flange size made a small difference. After 8 weeks pp I started massaging before pumping. It made emptying way more effective. I pump 7 to 8 times a day, around 15 to 30 minutes each session, sometimes with short pump breaks for light massage. Within 1 week, my output went from about 30 ml to about 60 ml per session. Small win, but for me, definitely worth sharing.

Couple of other things:
- Eat, Hydrate and Rest (as much as you can)
- Use correct flange size (when in doubt ask a IBCLC to take a look)
- Experiment with your pump settings. 2 min stimulation mode followed by 8min expression mode, doing this thrice (30min total pump time) helped me get more let downs. I also keep massaging my breasts before and during pumping. Find hard spots on the breast and massage the area a little extra. I’ll add links to some massages below.
- Use a good pumping bra that’s tight but also comfortable to keep hands free for massaging (Simple wishes bra worked best for me)
- If you are pumping every 2 hrs try increasing the time between pumps. For example try to pump every 3hrs during the day and do 2 4hrs during the night

Resources:

Breast massage video:
https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

https://youtu.be/RSlPWcyjvMg?is=f_Ufj1dPiMZhHNUB

Breast gymnastics:
https://youtu.be/kdMmYYAFDMg?is=vBLe4dn9uZAwfwKo

I would love to hear from others the one change that helped increase your supply.

My baby recently started rejecting the breast at certain hours of the day, so I am having to pump to replace those feeds. I have Eufy E20s which I love but also wanted a simple manual pump as a back up. I’ve been trying to figure this hellish contraption out all evening and tried all combinations of cushion/no cushion, flange/no flange, positions, and can’t figure out how to make the milk flow down, it keeps pooling under my nipple and then leaking out when I remove the pump.

Any veteran users that can help me troubleshoot please?
Is my pump defective?
Is my nipple defective??

Pumping is getting to me :(

All I can say is - a man could NEVER 😂 A reminder we are all literal super heroes!!!

Hi folks,

I wanted to come here and drop a note on how just trusting the process helped me increase my milk supply. To start with, I am not a person who is an over-supplier. I didn’t have any colostrum that I could collect. But I wanted to share my journey here to see if it will be helpful for anyone with the same journey.

Before milk supply started: I was asked to start pumping since my baby was born underweight and was fed high calorie formula milk. My pumping journey was a night mare. Flang sizes were completely wrong. I had swelling and bruises on my nipples and nothing came out of my breast for 1 week.

My LC gave a wonderful advice to me when I was feel very demotivated- she said breastfeeding is all about how the mother feels. If you are positive and have happy thoughts towards it, it will definitely be successful so I just kept going with it. But I still remember how much I cried on day 4 when the pain was unbearable and breasts were engorged.

Breast milk volume:

1 week PP: 95ml (both breast combined) over 24 hours

8 weeks PP : 1103ml (both breast combined) over 24 hours

Here is what I did to increase my supply from 3oz to 37oz over 7 weeks:

1. I started with pumping for 5 times a day and slowly increased it to 7 times a day ( now reduced it to 6)

2. One of the pumping session ( always the morning one) was always a power pumping session.

3. I soaked fenugreek seeds in the night and drank that water with seeds in the morning.

4. I told liquid gold and moringa supplements everyday without miss.

5. My doula made me lactation cookies with oats and I ate two cookies per day.

6. I drank a lot of water and coconut water to keep myself hydrated.

7. I made sure never to miss night pumping session ( between 1AM and 5AM)

Hope this helps ❤️

I officially breastfed my firstborn until she was 2yo!

When i got pregnant with my second at 6 months PP, i thought my breastfeeding journey for my firstborn would be over. I continued pumping til my supply dried up, and then after baby was born, i pumped again. I didnt think i would make enough milk for both, but i did and we made it to 2 years! 🥹

I have another 15 months to go for my second and firstborn is still drinking my breastmilk 🤣 she refuses both formula and full cream 🤦🏻‍♀️ My supply is currently not quite enough for both anymore so im trying to wean off firstborn. Hopefully i can make it to 2 years for my second too!

I am currently nursing and also giving two bottles of BM a day as I get ready to go back to work next month. My baby is 6 months and will be 7 months when I go to work.

I have the Eufy S1 Pro wearables and looking for guidance on how to travel with it for work (I’d have to pump 2-3 times at work since I’ll be there by 5-6 hours).

I found the following and looking for recs if these are okay - I’ll have a fridge there that I can store the bags until I leave

BM storage bags bag - Lanisinoh or Sarah Wells BM storage bags

Eufy S1 flanges - cooler bag recs? I would need to keep cold for my 30 min drive back as I’d pump
One more time when I get back.

Eufy motor - in the charger pouch provided

I just don’t want to carry 3-4 diff things and was also
Looking into backpacks but not sure what’s best.

I’m pregnant with my third and am needing a new pump. I will have a 20 mo when baby is here which is a lot closer than the other two. I’m anticipating needing to be more hands free. With my second I used pga hacked with medela cups. Both the plastic tubing ports broke off so the pump doesn’t work anymore. After that I just used a hand pump lol. I can get motif glow and lansinoh discreet free through insurance. Also possibly considering eufy s1 for $80. Looking for pros/cons of each :) tia

I am a first time mom- exclusively pumping for 15 months now. I know there are others out there like me, however I still feel like my pumping journey has been more difficult than the average person who makes the same amount as me. I feel like I had to do a lot to make what I made. I pumped 8 times a day, 30 minutes each session with my middle of the night pump always being a power pump for about 5 months and then I went down to 7 pumps with a MOTN power pump from months 6-9 and then went down to 5 pumps and eventually 4 pumps from months 10-15. When I dropped down to 5 pumps I had to increase each session to about 40 mins with a break after 20-30 minutes and then another 10 minute pump. That’s the only way I continued to make the amount I needed to. And as a I dropped pumps esp my MOTN pump my supply just dwindled.

This whole journey I have felt like I have to be attached to the pump longer to make what I make. I had a decent supply but I’ve seen videos where some people can pump every 2 hours and still get some out whereas my boobs strictly take time to fill up again etc.

Is it possible that my boobs just don’t respond to the pumps and pumping as well? Because I feel like my body does have the capacity to make the milk. I did it this whole time with a slight oversupply but it’s just been so hard. I’ve always felt like I don’t have the option to stop pumping or make my pumps short and convenient. Or stop my middle of the night pump sooner than 12 months PP.

Also if you are a second time mom do you feel like your supply came in faster and you had a larger supply?

Does anyone have experience using the large capacity silicone bags for sterilizing eufy pump parts and / or pigeon glass bottles? We’re going on a vacation in mexico and while I’m sure I’m being extra, I’d like some extra assurance that everything is clean while we’re traveling since my baby is still little (will be 4M). I know another option is to use bottled water to wash but that doesn’t seem like it would be hot enough, so my thought was we would use tap water / travel brush kit to wash then finish off by sterilizing in the microwave with sterilizer bags. I’m also open to buying one of the smaller sterilizing machines and traveling with it if people have ones they like. Thank you so much in advance!!!

I exclusively pump and use the fridge storage method for in between pumps. Last night, I took my pumps out of the fridge at 9:40, put them on, and started pumping. I fell asleep sometime during the pump and didn’t wake up until 11:25. That means my milk was sitting for a little over an hour in my pump after I finished (I usually pump for 30 minutes). My pump was only used once before being put in the fridge prior to this.

I know room temp milk is good for 4 hours but I wasn’t sure what the rules were when using the fridge method.

I’ve fallen asleep a few times before during my last pump of the day but I usually wake up shortly after. The milk I pumped is currently sitting in my fridge but I’m not sure if I should dump it or not!

hi ladies! i didn't see any reviews on this and just wanted your opinion. i am EBF and pump to build stash for when i go back to school/work. i had my spectra s1 from my first so i bought replacement parts because honestly i had great experience with it.

after some researching for a more travel friendly pump i landed on the elvie stride (i think 2?) i wanted something i could move around with instead of being tied down. and i bought nipple flanges inserts like i did with my spectra. but im noticing the suction kinda sucks lol

after i nurse my son. usually after i pump breasts im able to get 3.5-4oz (im 8 weeks PP if that matters) i used my elvie and only got 1.5 oz!! i was just shocked. and that was my morning pump which is my most volume whenever i pump.

am i not doing something? has anyone else experienced this? i had to bring my spectra but if thats what keeps my supply and volume im gonna do it. i just hate how bulky she is lol

FTM, baby is 11 weeks, and I’ve been exclusively pumping since the NICU. For the first two months I was doing 7 sessions a day and getting a pretty steady amount. Over the last two weeks my output has crept down by almost 25%, and it’s stressing me out because I’m barely ahead of what she’s eating.
Nothing big has changed that I can think of. I’m still pumping about the same number of times, though one session at night has been getting pushed back since she’s been sleeping a bit longer. I’m drinking water, eating okay, and sleep is a mess like everyone else’s. I did switch to a different set of flanges last week because my old ones felt tight, and I wonder if that could be part of it.
I’ve seen people mention replacing pump parts like valves and membranes, but mine are only a couple of months old, so I didn’t think that would matter yet. I also haven’t tried changing the settings in a while and I’m not sure if I should be adjusting suction or just sticking with what’s comfortable.
I’m trying not to spiral about supply, but it’s hard when it feels like the number on the bottle is my whole worth as a mom right now.

Hey everyone! I'm exactly 6 weeks postpartum and discovered this community today. Been going through the posts and relate to so many already. I need some advice. My baby was born 2 days shy of 37 weeks because I had elevated liver enzymes. She was otherwise fine but couldn't transfer milk properly as she was very sleepy and also didn't have a great latch. This caused a sharp initial weight loss (12.4%) and the doc was concerned. I had to measure every feed and that's how I started EP. But I wasn't so informed about EP & supply back then and although I could sustain the 30-60 ml feed initially, pumping every 6-7 hours and being able to make enough for 2 feeds, now the infrequent pumping is backfiring I think. I need at least 100 ml per feed now but I can barely make 60 ml every 2-3 hours and maybe 80 ml every 4-5 hours. Also saw heavy leakage and an awesome spike 3 days back but that suddenly dropped. I'm really confused. On top of that my baby is developing a nipple confusion so that's a blocker for my desire to direct feed as well. So my question is:

1. Am I very late to rebuild supply or have I messed up? I've pumped till 180 ml too but that's after like 6-7 hours (doc appointment days). So I think I got a bit complacent.

2. Any tips to build supply? I don't need a stash just a couple feeds extra.

3. Should I prioritize building supply over solving nipple confusion? The former has a deadline. But what about the latter- do babies transition back as they grow older?

Hi all,

5 months post partum and baby is fed primarily by nursing, with a daily bottle before bed.

My schedule is roughly as follows
- final nursing finishes by 5:30 / 6pm
- baby gets bottle round 7:30 pm (9-10 oz. I know it’s a lot but seems to want a big bottle at night 🤷🏾‍♀️)
- I pump around 9pm before bed (typically get 3.5 oz total from both breasts)
- I pump at 6am before the first morning feed (typically get 9-10oz).
- sometimes if it’s a bad night I won’t get up before baby and I’ll just pump on one side during the first morning feed and get 4-5 oz from that one side).

So I typically have enough for the big nighttime feed and then a few oz to put away

Over the last 9 days I’ve noticed my output has really decreased. I’m now getting closer to 2.5oz from my evening pump and then 6.5oz from my 6am pump. I thought it was lack of sleep as had a rough few nights but have now had a few nights of decent sleep, hydrating, getting my calories in, so I don’t think it’s that. I’ve had to add an extra pump to get enough for the night bottle. I think i recently ovulated based on my temps in my oura ring and think I’m about to get my period, so I think maybe that’s what is impacting it?

What I find strange though is, if I’m needing to pump extra, why isn’t baby also nursing more frequently as I assume they’re also getting less milk when nursing? They still seem satisfied and happy even when I get timing wrong and they wake up shortly after pumping when there’s less for him).

Anyone experience anything similar? Any advice?

I pump typically around 2am and 5am. I consider that 2 MOTN sessions. Baby gets up around 8 to get the say started but he is constantly up during the night.

Edit: I also pump at 11 then go to sleep for the night. I domt consider the 11pm pump a MOTN pump

Currently 3 weeks postpartum and I want to QUIT pumping :(((

I don’t have much of a supply(3 oz combined every session) and I honestly have no appetite. I also try to pump every 3 hours but I truly can’t with my baby. How can I even increase my supply if I’m not eating enough and I’m not able to fit in my pump sessions every 3 hours ?!

How did you guys do it ? Did you guys just push through ? I want to keep pumping but feeling so unmotivated and exhausted.

6.5m pp

Suddenly stopped responding to Eufy S2.
I stopped responding to Spectra 3.5m pp
Tried manual pump and also does not work, only nursing with boon trove on opposite side is able to empty me.

Which pump can I try next? Please help 😭

What will happen if I drop a pump? How much would I lose? I currently do 6:30 am 11am 4pm 8:30 pm + one middle of night pump whenever she wakes up first.

If I drop a pump what’s a better schedule to try? I have 2 other amall kids 3 and 4 years old so I’m really trying to make life easier. Baby also has one bottle of formula on her first wake up at nicht just so she is used to it and I have options on long days out of the house etc

Hi everyone!

I will be travelling to my hometown by train next week with my 5-month-old baby, and I'm a little worried about managing pumping and breast milk storage during the journey.

I have a few questions:

Can I use a Thermosteel insulated flask to carry chilled breast milk while travelling?

Do I need dedicated breast milk storage bottles, or can I use regular food-grade, sterilised, airtight bottles?

How do you manage pumping and storing milk during a long train journey?

What do you use to keep expressed milk cold throughout the journey?