How to Double Pump: Setting Up Both Sides at Once

Double pumping means running the pump on both breasts at the same time instead of one side then the other — which, mechanically, makes a session take about half as long. The trade-off is that both your hands are occupied holding the flanges, so a hands-free pumping bra is what makes it practical. This is a setup guide: how to get both sides positioned and running, how to go hands-free, and how to switch to single when you want to.

This covers the device setup for double pumping. How often or how long you should pump — and anything about milk output or comfort — depends on your situation and is best guided by a lactation consultant (IBCLC) or your provider, not a setup guide.

1. Assemble both

Both kits

Valves seated, parts snug and dry

2. Bra first

Then tubing

Slip flanges into the bra before attaching parts

3. Connect tubes

Both ports

A tube to each side, both into the motor

4. Start low

Then adjust

Up to a comfortable suction — never to pain

Fit the flanges into the bra before connecting anything — far easier than wrestling a fully built handset into place.

What Double Pumping Is

A double pump expresses from both breasts simultaneously; a single pump (or a double used in single mode) does one side at a time. The practical, mechanical difference is time: because double pumping handles both sides in one go, a session takes roughly half as long as pumping each breast in turn. The catch is you’re holding two flanges at once — hence the hands-free bra — but once it’s set up, the pump does the work while your hands are free.

How to Set Up a Double Pumping Session

The order of operations matters — especially fitting the flanges into your bra before connecting everything. Step by step:

1. Assemble both kits. Put together each side — flange, valve/membrane, and bottle or collection cup — making sure valves are seated and everything is snug and dry.
2. Fit the flanges into your pumping bra first. Slip each flange through the bra’s opening before attaching the rest of the parts; it’s much easier than wrestling a fully built handset into place.
3. Center and seal each side. Position each flange so the nipple is centered in the tunnel with a flush, airtight seal — the full technique is in the positioning guide.
4. Connect the tubing on both sides. Attach a tube to each flange (and backflow protector, if your pump has one) and both tubes to the motor unit’s two ports.
5. Keep flanges and cups upright. Hold or position the handsets vertically so milk flows down into the bottles and doesn’t pool; don’t overfill the cups.
6. Start low, then adjust. Begin on a low or stimulation setting and increase the suction to the highest level that still feels comfortable. (See the settings guide for modes.)

Increase suction only to the highest level that still feels comfortable — never to the point of pain. Pain usually points to a fit or seal issue, not a reason to push the dial higher. Before you settle in, glance down to confirm both sides are centered, sealed, and pulling evenly.

Going Hands-Free

A hands-free pumping bra is the key to comfortable double pumping — it holds both flanges against you so you can use your phone, eat, or work while you pump. Adjust it snug enough to hold the flanges securely and keep the seal, but not so tight that it pinches.

You don’t have to buy one: a common DIY version is a snug sports bra or maternity bra with a small slit cut where each nipple sits, then push the flanges through. Either way, fit the flanges into the bra first, then attach the tubing. The DIY method and bra setup are covered in more detail in the positioning guide.

Single vs. Double Mode

Most double pumps can also run a single side when you want to — handy if you’re only pumping one side or want to keep a hand free for something else. On many pumps you switch to single mode by capping off or removing one of the two tubes so suction stays strong on the connected side; check your manual for the exact method.

	Double mode	Single mode
Ports in use	Both connected	One connected, one capped
Sides pumped	Both at once	One side at a time
Session time	About half	One side, then the other
Good for	Everyday, time-saving	One-sided pumping, a free hand

Choosing between a single and double pump in the first place is covered in the buying guide.

How Often and How Long?

This is the part a setup guide should not answer with a number. How many times a day you pump, and for how long, depends entirely on your own situation — and it’s a plan best made with a lactation consultant (IBCLC) or your provider, not copied from an article.

The only mechanical point worth making: because double pumping works both sides at once, each session is shorter than doing one side and then the other. That’s a time-efficiency feature of the device — not a recommendation about frequency. For anything about supply, output, or what’s right for you and your baby, talk to an IBCLC.

Can You Use a Nipple Shield With a Pump?

This one comes up a lot, usually from a mix-up in terms. A nipple shield is a thin silicone cover worn over the nipple while nursing at the breast — a feeding aid for latch difficulties, used under a lactation consultant’s guidance. It’s a different thing from the flange (sometimes called a breast shield), which is the part you pump with.

A nipple shield isn’t a pumping fit tool. If your issue is fit while pumping — your nipple rubbing the tunnel, or too much tissue pulling in — the right fix is a flange insert or a different flange size, not a nipple shield. The flange sizing guide covers inserts and sizing. (Some parents do pump with a shield in place at an IBCLC’s direction, but that’s a feeding-related call, not a fix for pump fit.) Whether you need a nipple shield for feeding is a clinical question for a lactation consultant, not a pumping-gear decision.

Frequently Asked Questions