If you are pumping for 30 minutes and 'nothing is coming' out, you are not getting a letdown and you are not doing yourself any favours. Use hand expression before and after (google 'Marmet hand expression') and prepare the breasts with warm compresses and massage if you can.
In cases where you aren't missing a feed at the breast, I wouldn't pump unless you need to build up a stash for bottle feedings. Otherwise, you could end up increasing your supply too much, which could lead to more discomfort and engorgement.
Not breastfeeding or pumping enough: The more milk you express, the more milk your body will make. If you're not pumping between breastfeeding sessions or allowing your baby to go more than 2-3 hours without breastfeeding, this can affect your supply.
The fact you are not responding to the pump doesn't necessarily mean you have a low supply. Some women don't respond to a pump. That's not what boobs have evolved to respond to. Baby sucking is a different process than the pump.
You do not have low milk supply because your breasts feel softer than they used to. The excessive fullness we experience in the early days of breastfeeding is about vascular engorgement (blood and lymph) and it's about the body inefficiently storing unnecessary amounts of milk between feeds.
Most mothers produce enough milk for their babies. Your milk supply is considered low when there is not enough breast milk being produced to meet your baby's growth needs.
Water is the best thing to drink, but milk (regular or fortified plant milk alternative) and juice are also good options. They're both hydrating and will provide important vitamins and minerals that your body needs. And caffeine-free iced or hot herbal teas can contribute to your daily fluid goal.
All About Formula Feeding
So if you don't breastfeed your baby, it's important to use only commercially prepared formula and not try to make your own. Besides medical concerns that may prevent breastfeeding, for some women, breastfeeding may be too difficult or stressful.
Low milk production often can be reversed. But any amount of milk you produce is valuable for your baby.
Begin with stimulating your breasts before you pump by massaging the entire breast to encourage the milk flow. If it is possible, try to pump milk at the same time as your baby is feeding on the other side, or use a double breast pump to increase the milk ejection reflex.
Low milk supply is when you produce less milk than your baby needs. Possible signs include that your baby isn't swallowing while nursing or gaining weight. A lactation support provider can help you find the cause and get treatment.
It often helps to place cool compresses on the area. Massage very gently above and then over the affected area when breastfeeding or pumping as well. Hard or excessive massage can make the problem worse. If you are pumping often, it is important that you are using the correct flange size.
Excess fluid intake does not improve milk supply.
Stress is the No. 1 killer of breastmilk supply, especially in the first few weeks after delivery. Between lack of sleep and adjusting to the baby's schedule, rising levels of certain hormones such as cortisol can dramatically reduce your milk supply.
Milk is actually produced nonstop—before, during, and after feedings—so there's no need to wait between feedings for your breasts to refill.
The second breastfeeding crisis comes between 6-7 weeks of your baby's life. Again mothers may feel anxious about their baby's behavior, and the comments from surrounding people do not help: your baby refuses the breast, it seems that she doesn't want to nurse, maybe you don't have enough milk…
Studies have shown that if a mom is stressed, she can inadvertently pass that stress on to her baby. Thankfully, the act of breastfeeding and the skin-to-skin contact it provides can help soothe both mom and baby.
For many babies, being close to mom is a comfort and the motion of sucking is soothing, so they may not unlatch when the breast is empty. If they're comfortable, they may even fall asleep. If that happens, mom can put a clean finger gently inside the baby's mouth to break the suction before pulling them away.
Breastfeeding Basics
Breast size, or the amount of fatty tissue your breasts contain, does not affect these hormonal changes and therefore does not factor into milk production. Rest easy knowing that small cup size is no reason for concern. The amount of milk you produce is just a matter of supply and demand.