The Ultimate Breastfeeding and Pumping Schedules to Get the Most Milk
Every mom has asked for the perfect breastfeeding and pumping schedule. Whether you are doing one or both, this is the ultimate guide for everything you will need and the best pumping schedule that actually works.
Finding a pumping schedule, breastfeeding schedule, or a combo schedule looks different for everyone and their output. It can be frustrating and challenging to keep your supply up. This guide will give you all of the information you will need to get a pumping schedule that actually works for you.
How Often to Pump and Breastfeed
When your baby is first born, they will need to feed every two to three hours. This can make getting a pumping session in difficult. If you are breastfeeding and pumping, try to pump at the end of your babies' feed. If you are exclusively pumping, it is easiest to pump right after your baby eats. That way you can have a bottle ready to go when they wake up within the next hour and a half.
If you are doing the first, you can pump every time after a feeding or 2-3x a day. Pumping every time you feed will drastically increase your supply and could cause clogged ducts. If you are looking to get some extra bottles to build up a freezer stash, I would recommend only pumping 2-3x a day.
However, if yout supply is decreasing, I would increase the amount of times you pump to 3-5 times a day.
If Your Baby Is Frustrated
If your baby is getting frustrated on this schedule, you may need to time the sessions so that you aren't pumping too much. If you do this, your baby is having to work extra hard to eat and may be the reason they are getting frustrated. Instead, try to feed and pump for 5-8 minutes. And ensure there is ample time for the next feed.
What Type of Pumping Schedule Should You Have?
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Best Times to Pump
When you are pumping, you may notice that you produce more certain times of the day than others. Typically, moms notice that they pump the most in the morning. Whether you tried to get a little extra sleep or your body is producing more due to the rest you hopefully got, you usually produce the most in the morning.
If you are adding pumping to your breastfeeding schedule, you should aim to have one pumping session in the morning. Additionally, your body produces melatonin at night that helps your baby sleep. So, pumping at night before bed can help you have a stash of milk for nighttime. This will also help ensure your breasts are emptied out before bed so you can get a good night sleep.
Pumping and Breastfeeding Schedule
Creating a perfect pumping and breastfeeding schedule depends mostly on your and your baby. Some moms prefer to have a set schedule they can count on. But the problem with that is that baby is not always on the same schedule as you. However, it can help for peace of mind to set timers to know when you should pump throughout the day. And hope for the best when it comes to baby.
Another schedule you can do is pump right after the baby eats or when baby takes a bottle. In my opinion, this is the easiest and the best option. When I did this, I saw my supply increase and my baby could get fed enough before his next feed.
Lastly, you can pump a certain amount of hours after your last feeding or pumping session. If you are worried about your baby not getting enough milk or you are not pumping enough, this might help increase your supply. And this can also allow your breasts to have enough time to refill.
Creating a Pumping Schedule
Pumping and Breastfeeding
1. Pumping after nursing: After your baby is done breastfeeding, pump for an additional 10-15 minutes. If this is causing too much frustration for your baby when they feed next, cut it down to 5-8 minutes. Consistency is key to keeping your supply up.
2. Frequency: Aim to pump after every feed. In the newborn days, this is 8-12 times a day. Continuing this will significantly build your supply.
Exclusively Pumping
1. Pumping Intervals: If you are exclusively pumping, your pumping schedule should be every 2-3 hours including during the night. Pumping during the night is especially important for prolactin levels which enhance your milk production.
2. Monitor Output: Keep a log of how much you are producing after each pump so that you can tell how many ounces you are making in total. This can help you monitor and identify patterns so that you know if you need to make adjustments.
3. Adjusting as Needed: If you notice during certain times that your output is more or less, you can adjust your length of time pumping and increase or decrease as needed.
If you are looking to build a freezer stash, I would definitely recommend this product for a few reasons. You can lay the milk flat on top so that everything freezes evenly. This makes bagging the milk so much easier. This freezer storage is also better than others because there is a side part that clips on so that the bags don't fall out the side. Once I put the bags in here and freeze them, they fit perfectly in a ziplock bag.
Exclusively Breastfeeding Schedule
Feeding on demand: Feeding on demand is very popular but can come with it's own challenges. Sometimes, baby might wake up and want to feed when you are out and about or right in the middle of something. Once your baby starts to get a little bit older, this method might not work. Some moms decide to do this throughout the entire breastfeeding journey. Keep in mind that baby will grow and eat more which will cause them to stay full longer. So, if it is hard in the beginning, it may just be a phase. Their stomachs will grow.
Waking baby to feed: Surely, by now, you have seen the many newborn feeding schedules and wake window schedules. There are so many different recommendations and schedules that change as your baby gets older. Waking your baby to feed may be a good option to start to get them on a schedule. It is recommended to start getting them on a schedule after the first 6 weeks. During the first 6 weeks, they are still learning and adjusting and need a little bit of extra help.
Breast Pump Recommendations
These are my top reccomendations for pumps:
Wall Pump
The reason this pump is so highly rated is because it is the best. You can visaully see the output, there are so many different types of suctions and strengths, and it is extremely versatile. This is a hospital-grade pump that works extrememly well. The only problem is that you are going to need to be hooked up to it and it is big and heavy. However, I have seen a mom of triplets use this pump to pump for all three of her babies and it worked amazingly.
Wearable
This pump is a very good pump. The containers hold a lot of milk so you won't overflow easily, the battery lasts long, and it is discreet. I love this pump because there are only two parts to clean and the suction is very good.
Wearable Pump - Fully Wireless
This pump is my overall favorite. There are two container size options, so you can store more milk than most pumps. In addition to that, it is fully wearable and nobody can even tell you are pumping. Compared to every pump I tried, this one is the quietest and has amazing suction. It also connect to your phone which doubles as an output tracker and pumping scheduler.
