Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk for Your Baby

If you believe that breast milk is the best food choice for your child, but you are not able to breastfeed, or you don't want to, what can you do? That's where exclusive pumping comes in. Exclusive pumping is a great way to provide your baby with your breast milk without putting the baby to the breast. 

Exclusive pumping is also called EPing and breast milk feeding. It is the process of removing the breast milk from your breasts at regular times throughout the day. You can then give that milk to your baby either by a bottle, tube feeding, or an alternative feeding method.

But exclusive pumping can be time-consuming and exhausting, especially if you continue to pump exclusively for a long period of time. Of course, the longer you can provide your baby with your breast milk, the better it will be for your child.

Reasons for Exclusive Pumping

You may decide that you'll exclusively pump before you have your child, or you may breastfeed for a while, then move on to exclusive pumping. There are many reasons women choose to pump exclusively. They may:

• Have a premature baby who cannot breastfeed
• Have a baby who has difficulty latching on to the breast
• Need to return to work or school right away
• Be worried about milk supply and prefer to see how much milk their baby is drinking
• Find breastfeeding extremely painful, but tolerate pumping
• Have multiples: twins, triplets, or more
• Simply do not want to breastfeed

How Often to Pump

A newborn will take a bottle of breast milk approximately every 2 to 3 hours. So during the first few weeks, you should try to pump at least every 2 to 3 hours—about 8 to 12 times each day—to stimulate your body to produce a healthy milk supply.

You can stop pumping every three hours when your baby is around 3 months old. As they grow, they will take more at each feeding, but go longer between feedings. As long as your milk supply is plentiful, you may be able to go longer between pumping sessions, as well.

By the time your baby has gained back their birth weight, they may no longer need to be woken at night for a feed. You might want to keep a pumping session right before you go to bed, even if they don't eat at this time.

How Long to Pump at Each Session

At each session, you should pump for at least 15 minutes on each side. It can take a few minutes for your milk to let down, so give yourself enough time. You also want to try to fully empty your breasts, since this is an important part of stimulating the production of more breast milk.

After you drain your breasts and no more milk is flowing out into the collection container, continue to pump for one to five minutes longer. Since breast milk is made based on supply and demand, the extra stimulation will tell your body to make more.

How Much Breast Milk to Pump

Pump as much as you can at each pumping session. Then, put the breast milk into bottles or storage containers in the amount that your child takes at each feeding. Newborns drink less breast milk than older children at each feeding, but they eat more often than an older child will.

During the first few days after the birth of your baby, you will only be able to pump and collect a small amount of colostrum. Colostrum is the first breast milk. It is concentrated and very nutritious, so a tiny amount is all your baby needs.

At one week, you should be able to pump two to three ounces every two to three hours, or about 24 ounces in a 24 hour period. You would need to double this amount if you have twins, triple it for triplets, etc.

After about one month, you will need approximately three to four ounces every three to four hours, or about 24 to 32 ounces a day.

By the time your baby is six months old, they will need about six to eight ounces every four to six hours, so approximately 36 to 48 ounces a day.

It's easier to overfeed your baby when you're bottle-feeding. So be sure you're giving your child what they need every day and in each bottle, but not more than that.

How to Maintain and Increase Your Milk Supply

It can be tough to maintain a healthy milk supply when you're exclusively pumping. It requires a good deal of dedication; you have to pump regularly and, if possible, during the night.

Invest in Your Breast Pump

Moms who pump exclusively spend a lot of time attached to a breast pump. So think about buying or renting a high-quality pump that is designed for long-term, daily use. A double pump will serve you well and save you time and energy since it can collect milk from both breasts at the same time.

Whichever pump you choose, be sure it's comfortable and the pump shields fit you well to prevent pain and damage to your breast tissue. If you maximize your time and comfort, you're more likely to pump regularly to maintain a healthy milk supply.

Pump Frequently

Frequent pumping stimulates the production of breast milk. While your child is a newborn, try to pump every two to three hours. As your child grows, you can usually pump less often. However, if you're struggling with low milk supply, pumping more often can increase milk production.

Try Some Galactagogues

A galactagogue is something that helps a breastfeeding mother make more breast milk. There are breastfeeding superfoods, herbs, and teas that you can add to your daily diet to support and promote lactation.

Exclusive Pumping and Family Planning

When it comes to the prevention of pregnancy, exclusive pumping is not the same as exclusive breastfeeding. The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) of birth control may work during the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding, but it is not considered effective with pumping.

Therefore, if you do not wish to become pregnant again right away, you and your partner should use another form of contraception. Be sure to let your doctor know that you are exclusively pumping, though. Since some forms of birth control contain estrogen, they can cause a decrease in your milk supply. 

A Word From Verywell

Exclusive pumping can be time-consuming and demanding. Fatigue and stress are known to decrease the supply of breast milk. So it's important to take care of yourself. Try to eat well, drink plenty of fluids, rest when you can, and relax while pumping. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your partner, family, and friends. Their support can make all the difference when it comes to how long you pump exclusively.