Expressing problems

[Bridget]

I have just started to try to express milk and am having difficulties getting a decent amount of milk. In the morning the most I have ever got from a side that has not been fed from is 50 mls and I had my baby sitting right in front of me. My baby is 4 months old and I do not have a supply problem.....any suggestions as to what to do?

[madvoice]

Is it a manual or electric pump? I've been having similar problems as well and I have been using a manual pump but have been considering going to electric. My daughter is 3mo.

[RuthK]

I've tried both a manual and electric pump. I found that neither was better than the other, it really depended on my supply at the time. I did like the manual one better (avent was my favourite) as it allowed me to control the amout each time.

Try drinking quite a few glasses of water about 30 minutes beforehand (you can go to the toilet, but the extra water will be in your system), then lean forward and pump away.

If you don't get a lot each time, buy the breastmilk freezer bags and freeze the amount you did get. Some experts say not to mix the freezer bags from different expresses, but I found that as long as you've expressed as much as you were able to get each time (ie: includes foremilk - hindmilk) the overall content of each bag should be of the same consistency.

Also, if you leak from the other breast you're not feeding on, buy a breast cup to catch that milk and freeze it as well.

But don't up your supply too much or you'll regret the engorgement afterwards.

[xkwzit]

No, seriously...

I found that expressing after a shower pretty useful, with DD1 I could express about 50 ml a night by hand after a shower. Some women like expressing by hand the best (but it is an acquired skill!).

Definately try a "trigger" type manual pump (like Avent) if you have only used the "plunger" pumps that require two hands to operate (I found it exhausting). I found the trigger type a lot easier/less tiring. Of course an electric pump takes ALL the effort out (and these can be hired from larger chemists or the ABA).

Your baby is always the most efficient expresser of milk so don't be concerned if you don't seem to be able to express much.

Cheers

[Bridget]

Thanks for the advice and info everyone!
My pump is a manual Ameda. Yesterday I got 100mls out of a breast that hadn't been touched for 12hours (she had a good sleep!). I was so glad to be able to relieve the pressure!
I'll try after my shower.
I thought about giving her a little formula when I haven't enough expressed milk but then worried that I may lose my milk supply if she isn't feeding and I can't express much out......anyone got any advice on this one?

Next is trying her on the bottle - any advice on what teats to use on a bottle?

[xkwzit]

Hi Bridget
My lactation consultant told me that the best time to express to build up your supply is 20 minutes after a feed. So if you think your supply is dropping, that's something that you can do about it.

I don't think its important how much milk you get, but that you go through the exercise of expressing. When I went back to work, she told me to express at normal feeding times and not to worry about how much is expressed, just that you're "reminding" your boobs that they should be doing something at that time.

I don't think (hmm - keep in mind I'm letting you know what I *think* not what I *know* - I've only had two!) that giving your baby the odd formula feed will affect your supply, as long as you don't skip expressing :p . The thing you may find is that she may start to prefer bottle to breast, and that might require some firmness on your part if you are passionate about continued breast feeding.

Hope this helps

[dee dee]

Hi Bridget,

I use Pigeon teats with my dd, they were recommended by the midwives and are supposed to be as close to "the real thing" as you can get. My daughter took to them straight away, and we are still using them 4.5 months down the track.

[illawarramumof2boys]

Hi Bridget :d

I Also Found The Avent Manual Hand Pump The Best. I Think The Most Important Thing With Expressing Is To Be Totally Relaxed. I'm A Nurse And Found Trying To Express Milk Quickly On The Ward In My Break A Waste Of Time, But If I Went Into A Quiet Room And Relaxed It Was No Problem. Also At Home If I Worried About The Amount Being Expressed It Slowed Down And If I Relaxed And Just Let It Happen It Poured Out. Also The Warm Shower Idea Another Member Mentioned Worked For Me Also. Thanks Kylie. :)

[Bridget]

Hi All
Thanks again for the invaluable advice. I think I am stressing myself about the whole thing, so I've decided to just see what happens. Afterall I've got 3years to finish my PhD so a couple of weeks getting me and bub used to expressing/bottles etc is nothing!
I'm about to try the Pigeon teats this arvo - wish me luck!

[Jamily]

Hello

I think I must be having huge problems expressing as I can't even get about 5mls per attempt! I don't think I have a problem with milk supply as bub is putting on lots of weight (she is 5 weeks tomorrow) but whenever I try expressing I get some good "spurts" and then nothing although I can hand express after this so I know there is still milk there. I am using the manual Avent pump.

I am finding a loss of suction as sometimes my milk drips back to the outside horn ( :confused: is that the word?) and I lose the vacuum. I am practically falling forward in an attempt to use gravity to stop this - often it doesn't help!

Sorry if I am rambling but really would appreciate some advice or if anyone is facing such an extreme problem. 5 mls wouldn't satisfy bub for a nanosecond!

Thanks

[xkwzit]

Hi Claret,
I did notice that there would always be one drip when I took the pump off, but never all that much. Do you have the little round valve in the right way? If that's in upside down you won't get any suction. The only other times I lost suction was because I didn't have a good seal around the breast. Your state of mind can have a lot to do with how much milk you can express, for example I couldn't express if I was worried about something or distracted. Some women use pictures of their babies to help (although I've never had to resort to that myself).

Cheers (hope this helps)

[Kerry35]

I've started to express milk today using the manual Avent expresser. Like you, Im also finding some milk leaking back underneath the breast. However, I find that if you press the cup around the breast/nipple area a little firmly then it stops the milk from linking.

I also find moving the suction cup around a little while expressing helps when the milk supply appears to be dwindling.

I've been able to express 60 mls from two feeds, after bubs has finished feeding on the one side only. :D

Good luck! :)

Mum to DS4 and DD9 weeks

[pickles]

I have expressed with both my babies. Usually what I have done is as soon as they drop that 10pm feed I continue to express it off using a manual Avent pump. That way i always have plenty of expressed milk in the freezer and enough to mix with food. I have returned to work part-time when both my babies were 4 months old - they both have only ever taken PUR teats which are shaped like the NUK ones. My baby is now 5 months old and I find the best way to express is sitting in front of the heater where it is nice and warm and your nipples are not frozen.

[Jamily]

Hello ladies

Just an update as I wanted to say thanks for your advice. I can now express like a cow - up to 100mls in 15 mins! Never thought it would happen! I found having bub on the other breast really helped with the let down too :D

[Aprilsmum]

Hi Ladies,

I use a pigeon manual breast pump. I find that my supply at 7pm is very low, so April has a formula feed. All her other feeds are from the breast. I then express whilst her dad is giving her the bottle, so that my supply doesn't drop off. I find that I can only express 70mls - but she is drinking 170 - 200mls of formula. :confused: I express until there isn't any milk left. I use pigeon bottles and teats and find that she is not bothered at all to go from breast to bottle each day.

I do have a question though - I've noticed that during the last couple of days when I give her a feed at 3pm, I don't think that I've got enough milk for her. :confused: She gets very stroppy when she has emptied both breasts and can't get any more out. Soooo today I made a bottle for her after she had emptied both breasts at 3pm cos she was quite upset. She drank 50mls from the bottle. This really worried me. Does this mean that my supply is dropping off??? :( Do you ladies have any ideas of how I can get my supply up? April is 16 wks old.

Any advice would be appreciated. It would be a real shame to have to wean her because I'm drying up. I only just got the hang of it!
Bess

[xkwzit]

Hi
Its quite normal for your supply to be lowest in the afternoon. It doesn't mean that you're drying up. If you are concerned about supply in general, putting your baby on to feed more often will boost your supply as will expressing about 20 minutes after a feed, but supply will always tend to be lower in the afternoon.

Breasts are also never truly "empty", so maybe put her back on the first one when she grizzles. My lact consultant had me feeding 10 min one side, 10 mins the other side and then back on the first side to finish the feed with DD1. Our problem was her poor weight gains and trying to find a more efficient way of feeding and this technique kept her gains acceptable. The first breast has a chance to "rest" and it was easier for DD1 to get more milk when she went back on the second time. It will also provide extra stimulation to boost your supply, which supplementing will not do.

If you have questions, the ABA are a great general resource for BF hints and tips and lactation consultants are worth their weight in gold if you have more serious problems.

Cheers

[Foxymoron]

I'm also a fan of the avent manual pump!
Aprilsmum, your bub may be having a growtrh spurt, let her feed for longer, and at shorter intervals so your supply can catch up. You AREN'T drying up ;) it's easy to feel a bit discouraged when you feel you aren't getting enough milk into your bub.
Don't judge your milk by how much you can express, as this will be different to how much the baby takes at a feed.
Tips for expressing for those having trouble getting milk out: try a nice hot pack on your boobs while you express, the heat can help with your let down. Give your breasts a bit of a massage to encourage as much milk out as you can... As others have mentioned, think baby thoughts! or have your babe close by while you express. I found I expressed more with each subsequent child, as if my breasts 'learned' each time. I used formula top ups with my eldest, and expressed as much as I could (adding that to the next 'top up') and she weaned at 1 year quite a healthy and plump little thing. The aba are wonderful for help and advice.

[Aprilsmum]

Thanks for your advice. As it turns out, I think that April was in fact having a growth spurt. Now she is back to normal with her feedings. I just got myself into a little panic over nothing. Its funny how these growths spurts come and go, and you don't even realise that it is one til its over.

Thanks again
Bess :o