How to Pump more Breastmilk with Less Stress?

After a lot of frustration and trial-and-error, one method that often works well is pumping while the baby is nursing. By placing the baby on a pillow for support and holding the pump on the other side, the act of nursing helps release oxytocin in the body—which can trigger letdown and help the milk flow more easily into the pump. It might take some setup, but it can make a big difference.

Using a noisy pump can be frustrating, and manual ones sometimes feel like a full-on engineering challenge. But thankfully, there’s a smart, simple solution—a brilliant hands-free manual pump that’s both effective and affordable. And no, you don’t need to be leaking milk to use it successfully. With the right attachment technique, it can be a total game-changer for expressing milk with ease.

There are several brands out there, but we love Haakaa from New Zealand. They invented the original cup, and to this day, it’s still the highest quality option on the market. It’s microwave-sterilizable and built to last. We loved it so much, we decided it would be the only pump we offer on our site – you can get it right here.

The Haakaa manual silicone breast pump attaches to the breast using simple suction. It’s small, completely silent (since it doesn’t require electricity), and makes it easy to pump comfortably while breastfeeding—saving lots of precious time.

And if you already have one but feel like it’s not working for you, chances are the suction just isn’t strong enough. Don’t worry – we’ve got a simple guide right here (add link) to show you how to get that perfect vacuum seal.

Okay, so what else cam we do to make pumping a little easier and more efficient?

1. Pump the fuller breast – contrary to common instinct, when one breast feels significantly fuller than the other, it can be helpful to pump from the full one and nurse your baby from the other at the same time. This often happens in the morning for many moms – especially if one breast wasn’t nursed from during the night for five hours or more.  During that first morning feed, one side may feel heavier – that’s the one to attach the pump to while your baby nurses from the softer side.

   Why do this? Because your baby already knows how to suck milk effectively, while the pump tends to work better on a very full breast. After pumping, offer your baby the breast you just pumped from – they’ll usually manage to extract even more, which is key to preventing blocked ducts or mastitis. This approach also works if you’ve missed a feeding for any reason – always pump the fuller side, nurse from the softer one, then switch and let the baby finish on the pumped breast.

2. Learn how to effectively perform hand expression during pumping – it boosts milk supply and helps prevent mastitis by fully emptying the breast. Here are two videos that demonstrate and teach how to massage the breast for best results:
   A. How to hand express
   B. How to combine massage and hand expression during pumping

To summarize:

During pumping or separately, start with a breast massage without expecting milk. Then, for hand expression, place your fingers in a "C" shape about 2 cm above the areola. Press gently upward into the breast, then inward, squeezing the fingers together. Repeat these two motions: press up, then inward, keeping a steady rhythm. Avoid squeezing the areola, and occasionally return to massage, especially on stiff spots.

Note: When using the Haakaa manual silicone breast pump during hand expression, be careful not to break the vacuum. Hold the cup with one hand or use an old bra with holes to keep it in place while massaging (Take an old bra and make holes the size of the cup, so you don’t have to hold the cup with your hand. This frees up your hands so you can do hand expression and massage while pumping).

What else can help make pumping more efficient?

1. Set a regular time – For example, pump at the same time every day. If you consistently pump in the morning, your body will gradually learn to produce more milk at that time.

2. Drink water! 💧 Just like with breastfeeding, hydration is key. The more hydrated you are, the more milk you can produce – for both your baby and the pump. Quick note: don’t overdo it. Drink when you're thirsty and keep a glass of water nearby as a reminder.

3. Breath – Right before you start pumping, take three slow, deep breaths and exhale as slowly as you can. This calms the body and helps release milk more easily.

4. Warm the breast – A great time to pump is right after a warm shower – you might be surprised how much easier the milk flows! You can also warm your breasts with a hot towel or use a heated pad.

5. Manual pump tip – Start by gently pumping with small, fast compressions. It should feel like a light tickle. Once drops start to appear, then switch to deeper, slower pumps. The same applies to electric pumps: start on a low setting until you see milk, then increase the suction to a comfortable level. Remember – pumping shouldn't hurt!

6. Turn your pump into a double pump – If you're using an electric pump, you can attach a Haakaa pump (or similar product) on the other side. You might even get more milk from the manual side! While pumping, gently massage both breasts to encourage milk flow. Just make sure to support the Haakaa pump so it doesn’t lose suction. The DIY cut out pumping bra works great for this!

And most importantly – try not to stress about how much milk you get. Whatever comes out is great! We totally understand how tough this can be. And you’re definitely not alone. Many moms struggle with pumping and it doesn’t mean you don’t have milk. It just means it might be hard to release it. We’re in this together, and it does get easier with time.

So – which tip do you feel like trying out first?
Wishing you lots of milk 💛