are you a pumping mom chances are you may be making one of these pumping mistakes that could be hindering your breastfeeding Journey I'm Dr Mona Amin a board certified pediatrician lactation consultant and mom who exclusively pumped and we're discussing 10 mistakes that you might be making that are causing difficulties on your pumping Journey let's get to it I was exclusive pumper for my daughter and I learned so much about pumping from actually pumping interestingly we don't learn much about pumping in pediatric training and even in ibclc training so I took it upon myself to learn
on my own and through my own experience to help others let's get to the mistakes you want to avoid when pumping mistake number one you are using the wrong flange size this may be a top mistake I see and I think some Hospital lactation Consultants are at fault as well as pump manufacturers many pediatricians and lactation Educators lack knowledge on pumping and forget to go over sizing for flange sizes and many pump manufacturers put extremely large flanges as the default size and don't put on the packaging in large letters that you should measure your nipples
and how to do it so Moms end up concerned that no milk is coming out when they pump but it's because their flanges or inserts may be too big using a flange that is too big or too small can cause discomfort and reduce milk output Inc correct placement of the flange can hinder milk flow and cause nipple damage these mistakes can cause an extreme amount of pain you can know that your flange is too large if your arola is pulling through the flange and you know that your flange is too small if your nipple is
rubbing against the sides of the flange how can you fix this mistake when using a pump make sure to visit the sizing guidance to measure your nipple not the arola arola nipple and find the proper flange size or insert let's use the example of the Spectra which is a popular pump and as a reminder none of this information is sponsored by any of the pumps I'm talking about today measure your nipple in millimeters after a pumping or breastfeeding session you may use a nipple measuring guide which some companies provide in a printable form to measure
accurately or use a tape measure after measuring add 2 to 3 millimet to find your flange size for example if you measure 16 mm your breast flange size is 19 to 20 mm this is usually the standard way to measure and size but make sure to look at your pump sizing guide on their website to find the right flange it may be an entire flange or it may be an insert like this that you have to buy when you get your size be sure to test the fit by making sure your nipple and not your
areola are pulling through without any discomfort or friction adjust accordingly as needed for any discomfort also remember that you may need to change sizes as you go through your pumping Journey mistake number two two you are not pumping enough or at the right time your timing of pumping is vital to success you may be pumping infrequently or at the wrong times based on your production and your baby's needs improper timing can lead to decreased milk supply as milk production is supply and demand so by pumping INF frequently it can tell your body that your baby
doesn't need as much milk and you can reduce or stop your supply this mistake can be fixed by matching your baby's feeding times simply if you are exclusively pumping match the timings that your baby would feed at the bottle if you are doing a combo of nursing at the breast and pumping you could nurse one side and pump the other side on the rhythm of your child's feeding pattern this is not as easy as it seems but attempt to create a schedule that matches your baby's normal eating patterns most babies eat every 3 to 4
hours and therefore you should pump in these increments and as they get older it can stretch out if your baby is getting a bottle at home you should pump when your baby is eating or shortly after if you are exclusive ly pumping here is a sample of how pumping sessions and timing can look like based on age when deciding whether to go up or down pumping sessions speak to a lactation educator who is well versed in pumping sometimes we may want you to go up in sessions if Supply is low and occasionally you may be
able to drop a session based on your supply your body's physiology and your baby's age and needs for example when I was 8 weeks postpartum I was able to actually drop down to five pumping sessions as an exclusive pumper and keep keep my Supply and for me reducing sessions at night really helped me with production but this is a fine balance to maintain production and not get clogged ducks a topic for another video and is a case-by case basis based on the mom mistake number three you are using too much suction I'm looking at all
of you instant gratification go-getters out there like myself so many moms think that the more suction they are using on their pump the better or faster the output will be but High suction doesn't necessarily mean more milk it can actually be more painful and damage the nipples while gentle comfortable settings can be more effective the best way to handle suction is to start low and gradually increase to your comfort as you learn your pump and your body you will find what works for you using Spectra as an example start pumping in massage mode by hitting
the wave this mode mimics fast shallow sucking of a baby encouraging let down set the cycle and vacuum to what's comfortable without irritating you once milk starts to flow switch to expression mode this mimics slower deeper sucking once your milk starts flowing if milk stops flowing in the 20 minutes pumping session that you have switch back to massage mode to stimulate another let down on this pump for example a cycle speed is how frequently a pump pulls and the vacuum strength is how strong it will pull be careful of going too strong on both to
begin with especially the vacuum as this can really cause nipple trauma if you want more guidance on particular pumps and how they work and the best settings comment below with which ones you want to see on this channel mistake number four not pumping for enough time one of the biggest questions many lactation Educators get is how long should a mom be pumping for is 10 minutes enough 20 30 some moms do not pump for long enough to fully empty their breasts when your breasts are not emptying there's a signal going to your brain that your
breasts don't have to make as much milk which will in turn affect your supply the solution to this issue is to pump for 15 to 20 minutes per session remember if milk flow stops you can go back to massage mode on your pump to stimulate another let down if you are exclusively pumping you can also use the popular 120 minute rule this is where you spend 120 minutes a day pumping so if you have a newborn you may be doing eight 15 minute sessions and if you have a six-month-old you may be doing 4 30
minute sessions this can also depend on your milk flow your pump and the efficiency with your breast and the stage in your pumping Journey but it is a guideline you can follow mistake number five dropping a night pump too early milk production is often highest at night and skipping these sessions can lower Supply or lead to engorgement clogged ducks or mestis which isn't Fun and can impact milk production like I mentioned finding a balance is key I started spacing out my nighttime pumps to four to 5 hours instead of 3 hours as I was recovering
from major double surgery and postpartum complications and for me it actually increased Supply the rest greatly helped as my body was under so much physical stress and the rest helped me heal and ultimately with production however every body is different so it's important to monitor Supply and your breast Comfort levels when adjusting schedules you can consider dropping nighttime pumping sessions once your milk supply is well established usually around 10 to 12 weeks postpartum however in some women it can happen earlier or later established Supply means that your body has generally adjusted to your baby's feeding
needs and your milk supply has regulated to meet their demand during the first few weeks postpartum milk production is primarily controlled by hormones and it may fluctuate as your body learns how much milk to produce but by around 12 weeks Supply is more stable and shifts to a supply and demand process meaning your body produces milk in response to how much milk is being removed through breastfeeding or pumping if your baby is gaining weight well and is starting to sleep for longer stretches 6 to 8 hours typically by 3 months it is often safe to
eliminate the night pump without impacting supply for exclusively pumping moms it's recommended to continue at least one night session until 12 weeks to maintain milk production here's an example of pumping schedules including overnight pumping schedules by age remember this can vary based on your needs gradually reducing pumping time of a pumping session or spacing out sessions can help make the transition smoother and minimize Clogg ducks and engorgement mistake number six not eating enough or staying hydrated don't forget the basics it can be very difficult in the postpartum period for many moms to accept how their
body has changed causing some moms to want to lose weight quickly but when trying to lose weight most people go into a calorie deficit which can actually decrease milk production in a breastfeeding mom your body needs an extra 300 to 400 calories a day to produce enough milk to feed your baby if you are not getting these calories in your body will try to save energy by not producing milk similarly if you are not drinking enough water your body will attempt to save liquid by not producing milk the solution to this is simple make sure
that you eating enough to stay satiated you don't have to worry so much about calorie counting nutrition also matters so make sure you include some of your favorite things but also protein rich foods in your diet which can also help in wound healing and post prum recovery iron rich foods whole grains and hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumbers also make sure to drink to thirst to be sure that your body knows it can continue to produce breast milk you don't need to chug or get ahead of dehydration but if you're thirsty it's simple drink water
mistake number seven not utilizing hands or heat to help if you find yourself having issues with your milk output and you've tried changing flange sizes and some of the other things we have already discussed you may need to use heat your hands or a lactation massager to help with milk output heat is a natural baso dilator meaning that it opens the vessels that bring milk to your nipple heat can therefore encourage more milk to move through these hot packs and warm clots can be used I use something called the bed buddy right before a pumping
session I would lay it on my breast and then I would pump make sure that anything that you use is not too hot to damage your breasts hand massage also helps by stimulating your breast to make more milk simply use Clean Hands to massage around your breast while pumping to encourage more milk let down heat and your hands are best but a lactation massager can be an option too while pumping Place massager on your breast to help stimulate milk flow and improve milk let down mistake number eight skipping pump maintenance it can be easy to
forget to or not have the energy to clean and maintain your pump as an exclusive pumper for my daughter Vera I understand what goes into this but it is so important not doing so can lead to hygiene issues and decrease pump performance which in turn affects your pumping output enlisting the help of your partner hired help or a family member to help with effective cleaning can really help so you're not feeling like you're constantly feeding nursing pumping and settling down your baby you should also replace pieces as recommended by the manufacturer mistake number nine wearing
tight fitting bras and clothes keep it Loose ladies tight fitting bras and tops can have a negative impact on your pumping Journey tight bras and clothing can cause discomfort interfere with milk flow and lead to Clogg ducks or engorgement always aim for loose and supportive bras everybody is different but my favorite was bodily bras and mistake number 10 not prioritizing rest or mental health if you ask any new parent I'm sure they'll tell you that they did not sleep well during the first few weeks or months when their newborn baby arrived as it is a
normal part of having a newborn moms need to prioritize their rest and mental health in order to keep up their milk Supply but pumping can really put a wrench in rest to maintain your mental health rest and pumping goals number one set realistic pumping goals understand that it's okay to adjust your expectations and not be perfect at everything prioritize what's most important for you and your baby's wellbeing number two create a routine establish a flexible routine that includes dedicated times for pumping rest and self-care consistency can help manage your time better and reduce stress three
ask for help don't hesitate to ask for help from your partner family or friends they can assist with baby care household chores or even just offer moral support find a lactation educator that supports you and your goals without shame four prioritize rest try to take naps when your baby sleeps or delegate tasks to others to ensure you're getting rest even short periods of uninterrupted sleep can be rejuvenating five consider spacing pumping sessions at night I say this as someone who spaced out sessions earlier than what may have been recommended more sleep may help your production
to know this start by setting increments 30 minutes more than what you were doing to get longer stretches if you have an alarm every 3 hours try every 3 and 1/2 hours monitor Supply closely to make sure there's no dip and stretch accordingly these sleep stretches can really help have you made any of these pumping mistakes what did I miss please make sure to comment below with any questions or suggestions on future topics regarding breastfeeding or exclusive pumping and be sure to subscribe and share this video and give this video a thumbs up sign I
hope I brought more confidence into your parenting Journey stay informed stay empowered and I'll see you all next time stay well
