Understanding Baby's Milk Needs

How much milk does a baby need? By 1 month, baby's milk intake and feeding schedule average about 750 to 800 ml per day. This typically doesn't change much between 1 and 6 months because over time, baby's daily energy requirements begin to decrease. How much milk should you expect to pump if you're nursing? That will vary depending on factors like your baby's age, your breast storage capacity, time since you last nursed or pumped, time of day, breast pump quality, how much practice you've had with your pump, if you use your hands when you pump, and whether you're relaxed or stressed. ⁣

If you're just starting to pump, don't feel discouraged if you get very little milk. More will come with practice. On average, if you are exclusively breastfeeding, expect to pump about half a feeding when you pump between feedings and expect a full feeding when pumping to replace a nursing session. ⁣

How long should you pump for? If you have letdowns early on in a pumping session, you may have removed most of your milk within 10-15 minutes or so. However, if you have many letdowns or experience delayed letdowns, you may want to pump for 15-20 minutes or longer to drain your breasts thoroughly. Aim for at least 2 letdowns in a pump session. Don't stop pumping if the milk is still flowing. To increase supply, you can also try pumping for 2-5 minutes after the milk stops flowing. ⁣

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