Using Milk Collection Cups

Milk collection cups are growing in popularity, particularly for mothers who deal with discomfort, engorgement, oversupply, or confusion about how much milk they actually need to remove. Milk collection cups are an increasingly popular choice among new mothers for their functionality and ease of use. 

According to Dawn E. Maddux, MPH, BSN, RN, IBCLC, CLC, founder of Allied Lactation & Breastfeeding Advocacy and a lactation consultant available through MissPoppins, milk collection cups and pumps are designed for entirely different functions.

“Milk cups are advertised to catch leaking milk and often promote healing of cracked or sore nipples,” Maddux explains. “Pumps are designed to mimic the suction and peristaltic movement of infants at the breasts to build and maintain milk supply.”

Milk cups are normally solely used during the act of breastfeeding to collect leakage. 

Can You Replace Pumping with Lacti Cups?

Milk collection cups rely on milk that is already leaking, often during letdown or while feeding on one breast. They do not actively remove milk in the way pumping or hand expression does.

“While milk cups can be useful for some, they are not a replacement for pumping,” says Maddux.

Parents who overproduce may be drawn to milk collection cups because excessive pumping can sometimes worsen engorgement. In those cases, passively collecting leaked milk can feel like a gentler option. But this only applies when cups are used without suction.

“Milk cups using suction to remove milk by steady suction are not recommended,” Maddux cautions. “Steady pressure to remove milk from the breasts is not consistent with how our bodies are designed to express milk.”

Even mild, sustained suction can stimulate milk removal and unintentionally signal the body to produce more.

How Much Milk Do Milk Collection Cups Collect?

One of the most common questions parents ask is how much milk they can expect to collect using nursing cups. The answer varies significantly from person to person.

“The amount of milk collected in milk cups greatly varies,” Maddux explains. “Many women ‘leak’ milk throughout the day or while breastfeeding on one side, while many women do not produce milk outside of breastfeeding or pumping.”

Because this milk is collected passively rather than expressed intentionally, it should not be treated differently.

“Any milk collected through passive milk expression (‘leaking’) should be combined with pumped milk.”

Milk collection cups are not a reliable method for measuring output or maintaining supply and they should never replace active milk expression when supply needs to be protected.

Who Milk Collection Cups May Be Helpful For

Maddux most often recommends milk collection cups for comfort and healing, not for expression.

“I would first recommend cups, silicone or otherwise to anyone who has sore nipples and is looking for a way to let them heal by not coming in contact with fabric in between breastfeeds.”

They can also be useful for parents who leak frequently and want to save milk instead of absorbing it with nursing pads.

“I might also recommend them to a mother who leaks a lot of milk throughout the day and is looking for a way to catch the extra milk rather than using breast pads to absorb it.”

In these situations, milk collection cups can reduce waste and improve comfort — as long as parents understand their limitations.

Pumping Still Plays a Central Role

For parents who need to maintain or build milk supply, pumping remains essential.

“Double electric breast pumps, manual pumps (when used properly), and hand expression are still considered the best way to express breastmilk to maintain supply,” Maddux says.

Milk collection cups can support certain needs, but they are not designed to replace pumping, particularly for working parents, exclusive pumpers, or those managing supply challenges.

Choosing the Right Tool

Deciding between pumping vs milk collection cups is not about which is better, but about understanding how each tool works and what your body needs at a given time. Completely replacing breast pumping with milk collection cups could result in a supply issue. Although it is a highly efficient passive tool, always ensure you are meeting supply standards.

For individualized guidance, working with a lactation professional can help parents choose the right approach. Dawn E. Maddux, MPH, BSN, RN, IBCLC, CLC, who is available through MissPoppins to support families with evidence-based, realistic lactation care.