Help With Expressing

[manda85]

iam unable to express very much milk,i can be expessing for ages and only get a tiny amount out,can anyone give me some tips to make it easier and for more milk to come down?
also are there some women who are jus unable to express?
thanx

[SuperWoman]

Hi Manda85, i was only able to express for about 2 weeks. My milk supply just wasnt getting better and i was really upset about it. Iv'e read that drinking lots of water, eating well and healthy and expressing regularly at the set time should help, but it didnt work for me:( . Hope you can get more info on this to help u out!!:o

[JnA]

Hi

I was sent to a link not long ago for ABA.. they suggest all the things Bradysmum suggested as well as, relax, try to sit in the same place you breastfeed in, looking at a picture of the baby or listening to baby babble (that one works well for me!) light massage towards the nipple (trying not to lose suction).

Good luck,.

[rynosmum]

A hot shower always helped my milk to come down or even a heat pack or a hot washer. Once it starts and the milk is coming strong, you'll be amazed at how much is there.

At first, I could only get about 20 mls at a time, after 2-3 weeks of practicing, I was getting up to 130mls in the same time.

Relaxing was the hardest thing I found...:)

[xkwzit]

Hi Manda
Some breast pumps work differently too and might suit you better. Maybe borrow one if you can before buying to see if it works for you.

I had the Medela milk collection kit, because I hired and electric pump, but it just didn't work for me in manual mode, I borrowed a friends avent manual pump and it worked so much better.

Hot showers are good, my girls would have their last feed 6 - 7 pm so after a shower at night I could very easily express off 50 mLs by hand (handy for topping up bottles).

Some women never do get the hang of expressing, but it is something that you've got to practise to see what works for you.

Cheers

[poshBecks]

I express usually 1st thing in the morning after dd has slept through. She usually will only want one side (coz it's so full). So I express the other side. I use an avent pump too which helps the let down. But try massaging them first & a warm washer aswell...:rolleyes:

[jacks mum]

I agree with the others, you need to be relaxed. Sit down with a cuppa and maybe watch TV to get your mind off of the job at hand. Looking at a photo of bubs works too. Warm washer and the light massage towards the nipple to get the ducts flowing.

I express 3 nights a week after work, (ds has expressed milk from a bottle) so I always have 3 bottles in the freezer for the unexpected.

I manage to get usually 125ml from each boob.

hope this helps

[poshBecks]

Wow Delaine, you have a great milk supply!!! :D 125ml is HEAPS!!!

[Mel's Belle]

Hi Manda85,

I had the same problem as you - I wasn't getting anything at all and then only about 10ml at a time. I kept persisting and now do a bit of hand expressing to get it going and then put the (electric) pump on. I only express in the morning after my DD's first or second feed for the day and I've gradually increased expressing from about 40ml to 80 and now 150 (and that's from one boob)!

It definitely requires persistence and relaxation. Good luck!

[JATS]

I put the pump one the boob bubs isn't on every second feed, bub feeding triggers the let down, I usually get plenty that way!

[Jamily]

I strugged for ages and 20mls would have been a lot for me at first, but then I did exactly the same as Love My Tommy Bub - I put the pump on one breast, fed bubs from the other and took advantage of the letdown Ems brought with her sucking. It worked like magic! I did this until she was about 5 months and then found I just couldn't get as much off whatever I did. I know my supply was fine but my boobs just didn't respond to the pump anymore.