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Home › Articles › Pumps and Pumping › Breastfeeding Pumping Problems

Breastfeeding Pumping Problems

3 Steps to Stop Pumping Problems

By Lisa A. Goldstein

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Double pumping also increases effectiveness. "Studies have shown that stimulating both breasts at the same time generates more milk," Schmidt says. "Using this technique, a woman produces more milk in half the time with less stress. The entire process should only take 10 to 15 minutes. Because it requires less time, the nursing mother is usually more relaxed, which generally leads to more milk production."

Focusing on relaxation can help. "Listening to music and other relaxation techniques during pumping are helpful for easy letdown," says Lisy Peters, a hospital-based lactation consultant at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago. "Promoting skin-to-skin contact with the baby as much as possible and pumping by the baby's bedside are helpful," she says.

Women should use a pump that mimics what a baby does naturally, Schmidt says. This means it should have a suck and release sequence, not just a vacuum without a pause. This will be more comfortable for the mother also.

Some women prefer hand expression, but this method has its disadvantages. Most women's hands and arms aren't strong enough to comfortably perform hand expression, which requires at least 20 to 30 minutes, Schmidt says. Only being able to pump one breast at a time is another downside.

Surviving the Emotional Stress
Having difficulty pumping can be very emotional, as it was for Missy Acosta, who called it extremely frustrating. "I felt like I was not good enough, like I could not even provide for my own child," says Acosta, of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. She knew it wasn't her fault but still felt like she was letting her family down. It just added to the roller coaster of emotions felt after giving birth.


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