But does it have to take so long?

[syntaxerror]

Is there any way to, um, expedite pumping?

They tell me to go until the milk stops flowing. That doesn't really happen for...oh, I don't know, about 45 minutes. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. And when they tell you to pump every other hour but every time takes forever...

It's okay for while I'm camping in the NICU (soreness aside) but this is going to drive me nuts when I get home. Is there any way to speed things along? I leave the pump on one of the lower settings (both because higher ones hurt and because milk won't come out on the higher ones, go figure) -- could that be a problem?

 

[austinsmom]

Ermmmm.... my LO in the early days would nurse for 45 mins- an hour... so, it sounds about right. I would pump till your breast have an 'empty' feeling.
Anyway to get your LO on the breast directly?
Warm compresses and massaging before and during pumping can sometimes help.

 

[midori1999]

When my daughter was in NICU I was told to double pump ( both sides at once) for 15-20 mins each time. I had plenty of milk that way. I always had the pump on the highest setting though, which worked best for me.

The pumping last year led to an initial massive oversupply this time and therefore mastitis 3 times, so maybe speak to a BF counsellor again?

 

[Srrme]

Ugh. I remember that. I hand expressed (and occasionally used a pump) for 60 days while my son was in the NICU, and it took FOREVER! I pumped every 2 hours. I don't think there's a way to speed things up.

 

[ashley2pink]

massaging while I nurse my daughter helps the milk flow faster, so I bet its the same with pumping. I usually do it when the flow slows down then it will pick up again.