It's helpful to understand a bit about how breast milk is produced before looking into how to know if your boobs are empty after pumping. Your body works on a supply-and-demand basis: the more milk your baby or pump removes, the more your body responds by producing milk to keep up with that need. Here’s how to know empty boobs:
Should I Empty My Breast After Each Pumping?
Yes, it has been advised that the following reasons are necessary to empty the boobs after feeding:
- To maintain steady milk production, if the breasts are drained, the body will produce more milk as a response. This would be one of the best ways to increase or preserve supply.
- Prevents plugged ducts: Fully expressing the breast will prevent conditions such as mastitis and painful plugged ducts from occurring.
- Comfort & Prevention of Engorgement: The draining of the breast avoids uncomfortable fullness or tightness resulting from milk being left in the breast.
How to Know When My Breast is Empty After Pumping or Breastfeeding?
Knowing when your boobs are "empty" does not refer to a real emptiness but rather a slowing down of milk flow, and there is no notable accumulation of milk left. Here are clear signs to look for to empty boobs:
- The first sign is that your breast feels softer and less firm compared to when it was full. After pumping or feeding, check if the breast feels noticeably lighter and looser.
- You'll notice that while pumping, the milk flow changes from a steady stream to merely a few drops or possibly none at all. Generally, this shows that the breast is almost or has been fully drained.
- It is softer and not so full. While remaining drained, it will also be light and flat, meaning this difference in its texture and weight is somewhat a pointer that most milk was extracted.
- Pumping sessions usually take about 15 to 20 minutes. If you have been double-pumping for at least 15 minutes, your breasts are probably empty, even if there isn't much milk in the container. You will usually get around 0.5 to 2 ounces per session, but this amount can vary for many reasons, like your baby's age and when you began pumping.
How to Effectively Empty Your Breasts When Pumping?
To help you derive the best out of each session, here are techniques that will ensure empty boobs:
● Use the Right Pump & Suction Level
Use the right pump so that you will be able to mimic the natural sucking rhythm of your baby by using a customizable suction pump, such as the Momcozy M9. You should begin every session with a lower suction level. Babies use gentle, rapid suckling at the beginning of feeding, which encourages a letdown. Now that milk is flowing. It can be gradually increased to a comfortable but effective suction to ensure that your breast will be fully drained at the end of the session so that milk will not "get stuck" inside, thus helping to get better milk production.
● Use Breast Massage Techniques
Encourage steady milk flow by massaging your breasts as you pump. Begin with light, circular movements at the outer areas of your breast, massaging inward toward the nipple. This loosens the milk, which may be "stuck" in ducts, to make it easier to express when you are pumping. Massage is also great in preventing clogged ducts, which is a painful condition that could even lead to mastitis. Use warmth to enhance efficiency: Prepare a warm compress and place it on your breast before starting your pumping. This will aid in softening the tissue, hence making milk flow better.
● Alternate Breasts
Alternate breasts encourage more let-downs and can prevent frequent interruptions in milk flow between breasts. You pump the left side for five minutes. Then switch to the other side, pump for another five minutes, and switch again until the end. Alternating like this ensures that both breasts are emptied evenly, which is especially helpful if one breast tends to produce more milk than the other. This practice can also be helpful in stimulating milk production in both breasts since it tells your body that there's a high demand for milk from both sides.
● Hands-On Pumping
Hands pumping is a technique whereby one gently massages and compresses his breast in the process of pumping. Many people find this aids in boosting the milk supply. This is because massage works around all parts of the breasts to release milk, but you stimulate the flow while encouraging letdowns in case you gently press around different parts of your breasts using your hands. This approach, apart from enabling you to completely empty your breasts, may increase milk volume over time.
What to Do If Your Breasts Are Not Empty?
There are times when, even with the best efforts on your part, your breasts will not empty fully. You can also do the following:
- Increase the suction strength if you are comfortable with your pump, for example, Momcozy M9. The stronger suction might get milk out of some of the difficult areas that cannot be expressed but do take care to avoid a setting that is too strong.
- Finally, anytime after pumping, use your fingers to massage any area of the breast that still feels firm. A few minutes of purposeful massage can release leftover milk.
- The application of warmth over your breast for several minutes can give you ease in relaxing milk ducts enabling it to drain milk much easier.
- Some mothers will complete a manual pump that can help them get the remaining milk out. A manual pump provides much more control over suction and rhythm, which can encourage additional milk flow.
- Experiment with setting the "letdown" function on the pump you're using if you haven't done so already for a few minutes to see if milk flow picks up with that intervention. You can massage, use warmth or vibration on your breasts, and create another letdown by stimulating release. Many mothers aren't even aware of a letdown, so they don't know if it occurred. It will take around 15 minutes for your breasts to be completely drained after a few letdowns.
- If, after pumping, your breasts are still full, try to hand-express any remaining milk that is left inside. You will want to empty the breast as completely as possible. To hand express effectively, refer to this video from Stanford University:
- If your flange size is too tight, milk flow may be restricted to your breast, so do try a bigger size which will give more room inside. If it is too large, there will be hardly any suction, so consider using a smaller size. Ideally, the flange needs to fit snugly to your breast with some gentle friction. Here is the method of how to size correctly.
- Check for broken tubes or worn-out valves. Cracked parts lead to poor suction. Take out any worn-out components; you can find a comprehensive guide on when to replace a pump part.
- Clogged ducts produce painful lumps or even small blebs on your nipple. If you suspect a mastitis infection, have it checked by your healthcare provider.
FAQs
- How often do breasts need to be emptied?
Ideally, you should pump your breasts every 2-3 hours if you are exclusively pumping or supplementing with breastfeeding. The constant emptying keeps up the milk supply and may avoid issues such as engorgement or clogged ducts.
- What happens if I don't empty my breast?
If milk remains in the breast, then the following could happen:
- Milk in the ducts will harden and act as a blockade of milk flow, causing pain in the affected area.
- Your body will respond to the demand it feels and lower milk supply if the breast is not being emptied.
- Milk that's sitting in the breast can be uncomfortable, cause fullness and engorgement, and worsen milk flow and sometimes mastitis.
- Will the baby unlatch when a breast is empty?
Typically, yes, babies will unlatch much better if the breast dries and milk flow no longer happens. They generally have lost interest or will grow sleepy and release on their own. If the latch remains and they aren't sucking much, there might be comfort nursing taking place.
Conclusion
Knowing when your breast is empty after pumping is important to efficient sessions and a healthy milk supply. Each pumping session can be different, so learn what works for you. Effective and regular pumping leaves the breasts empty and helps encourage your body to make sufficient milk for your baby.
