What is your magic number?

By: Guest Contributor

1 min

Updated 2023

What’s your “magic number” of milk removals needed to maintain or increase your milk production? Check the breast milk production chart above. Your breast storage capacity may be the best indicator of your “magic number.”⁣
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Storage capacity is NOT related to breast size. Your breast size is primarily determined by the amount of fatty tissue in your breasts. Your storage capacity is primarily determined by the amount of glandular tissue in your breasts. ⁣
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From Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC—⁣⁣
Question: “I have a 6-week-old and just returned to work. I pump once every 3 hours and am pumping more than enough milk for my baby. But I am fearful of pumping less. Given my son’s eating routine is still getting established and will likely change still, how do I determine my ‘magic number?’”⁣⁣
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Answer: “I suggest you begin by thinking back to your maternity leave, assuming you were breastfeeding exclusively and your baby was thriving. On average, how many times every 24 hours did your baby breastfeed? As a starting point, consider this your “magic number.” For example, if the answer is 8 (which seems to be average), assume that to keep your milk production steady long-term you will need to continue to drain your breasts well at least 8 times each day. If you’re pumping 3 times each workday, this means you’ll need to breastfeed 5 times when you and your baby are together. (This will be much easier if 2 of these breastfeedings include one just before leaving your baby for work and another as soon as you and your baby are reunited again.)⁣⁣
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Keep your eye on the number of breastfeedings outside your work hours. Many of the employed breastfeeding mothers I talk to pump often enough at work, but as the months pass, the number of breastfeedings outside of work gradually decreases. It’s not just how many times you pump at work that determines your milk production. More important is the number of breast drainings every 24 hours and how this total compares to your “magic number.”⁣

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Comments

Currently 12w PP and getting ready to go back to work. Right now I nurse and pump but not on a schedule. How do I start a schedule to keep my supply? Also, my baby sleeps 4-6hrs at night and wake up between 2-4 every night. But normally I’m almost engorged – what should I do about night time?
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Legendairy Milk replied:
Great question! You can continue to nurse on demand when you are with the baby while keeping an eye on the time between feedings. Most of us need the benefit of at least 8-10 milk removals through nursing or pumping for the duration of our breastfeeding journey regardless of the age of our baby in order to maintain supply. During the day we don’t recommend going any more than 3 hours between pumping or nursing sessions and no more than 5 hours in the middle of the night.

I’ve been smallest capacity , currently 6 weeks postpartum – the suggested # of pumps is 12+ . I am not sure how realistic it will be to achieve 12 pumps but will give it a shot. How many days typically do we need to do pump at that recommended number to see an increase in supply ?
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Legendairy Milk replied:
Hi! We have sent you an email with more information, make sure to check your spam/promotions folder✨

I am 6+ weeks post partum my baby started sleeping through the night and at times 6-9 hours at one time. He eats a lot during the day but should I be concerned about my milk supply at night? I know he likely won’t do this all the time. Thank you
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Legendairy Milk replied:
Great question! It’s my least favorite thing to tell overworked and sleep-deprived parents, but I recommend waking up at least once between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. to pump or dreamfeed when baby starts sleeping in longer stretches. Although milk supply is hormonally driven during the first few weeks postpartum, over the long term, milk removal is what signals the “milk-making factory” to keep up production. After the first few weeks, production switches to supply and demand: When milk is removed, the hormone prolactin <https://kellymom.com/bf/normal/prolactin-levels/> is released and tells the body to make more milk. Prolactin also has its very own circadian rhythm that is highest at night <https://bit.ly/3Jtoco0>. Nursing or pumping overnight when prolactin is highest is critical for signaling our bodies to continue to make more milk and maintain milk supply. Nighttime removal of milk helps drive your daytime milk supply so you don’t want to go more than 5 hours at a stretch between milk removals (through pumping or nursing).

Hi! I’m 4 weeks postpartum and would like to consider myself an under supplier. I’m not meeting my baby’s needs so I’m currently supplementing with formula. I express 2-3oz from both breasts every 3 hours. I was pumping every 2 hours but was advised by my lactation consultants to pump every 3 instead since I’m also breastfeeding. I’m really trying to increase my supply. I feel like I can never catch up to my baby. I recently started expressing closer to 3oz every 3 hours but feel like I’ll never be able to pump what he’s actually drinking every feed (4-5oz). Do you suggest I go back to pumping every 2 hrs?
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Legendairy Milk replied:
Hi! 3 oz is solid! Typical output between both breasts combined is 3-5 oz so 3 oz may be your storage capacity. You are doing great! If you want to add another pumping session or two you can. I would definitely make sure that you get at least one pumping session overnight between 1-5 AM.

Here are additional resources: 📑This blog post has tips for increasing supply – How To Increase Supply While Supplementing: https://www.legendairymilk.com/blogs/news/how-to-increase-supply-while-supplementing 📑This blog post may help you get the most out of your pumping sessions – Maximizing Milk Production With Hands-On Pumping: https://www.legendairymilk.com/blogs/news/maximizing-milk-production-with-hands-on-pumping

I am making 60-65 oz a day at 4 weeks pp. I am pumping 7 times a day and would love to space my day time or even drop a day time one. Is it too early to drop to 6 pumps per day?
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Legendairy Milk replied:
Hi! If you are experiencing an oversupply, you can certainly spread out your pumping sessions or drop one in order to get more in line with the output that you need to feed your baby.

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