How's pumping going for bf moms out there?

[Kayt]

I have a three week old son who's exclusively breastfed. I have to go back to work in three weeks, and I'm trying to pump to get a stockpile to send him to daycare with. I can't seem to get my pump working well enough to get anything of consequence out. My LC seems to think I'm just not trying hard enough, but I'm fairly sure I should be able to get more than an ounce out after forty minutes of trying. Does anybody have issues like this? Any tips or advice? I don't want to have to spend the money on formula if my supply is good.

[Esther]

My pump wouldn't hardly pump anything out for me either. I tried different shields and different pumps. I even had the Medela dual electric pump. I ended up hand expressing my milk. At first it was a little difficult, but it got easier and easier. Not to long ago we took a long road trip and I was able to hand express a full 4 oz. each time. That was with both breast and it took maybe ten to twenty minutes. If I was engorged or if my milk let down I would alway do it at that time, it just made it easier. Go from the top all the way to the areola. Hope it works for you!

[Jessica Sitterly]

Is this your first child? Have you ever pumped before? What type of pump are you using? I have breastfed 4 children, currently breastfeeding the 4th. I don't pump very often cause I enjoy breastfeeding but when I do I have to wait till I am practically engorged to get enough out. But from previous experience I pump several times between feedings just on one breast leaving the other for the baby if she becomes hungary. After several days of this you should start feel the need to pump between feedings allowing you to quickly build up supply. Great thinkiing on pumping 3 weeks before, you definatly don't want to start last minute than worry yourself.

[Kayt]

This is my first child. I've never pumped before, but I've tried several times. Every time I do, my milk barely comes out at all. I'm using a Playtex electric pump; I'm unsure of the model. I've had decent luck with manually expressing my milk, but it takes too long, and I want to pump while I'm at work once I go back, and I don't have the time to manually express several ounces at work. Thank you so much for the advice. I want to get this right early, so I don't have to freak out right before I go back!

[momolly]

My son had a lot of problems latching at first, so I pumped exclusively for the first three weeks or so. I guess I was lucky, in that I had no problem with supply, but it also could've been because I had a rocking pump. I used the Medela pump in style electric pump. Maybe you could rent a pump from your hospital and see if that helps? That seems kinda harsh that a LC is telling you you're not trying hard enough...obviously you are trying!
I have also heard that eating oatmeal helps increase your supply and that pumping in the late morning will generally yield the most milk. Apparently, as the day wears on a mom's supply lessens. And I'm sure you know this, but drink lots and lots and lots of water and try to relax before you pump/watch something funny while you're pumping.
Good luck to you!

[lucy's mom rocks.]

Yeah, I would love to know what sort of pump you have. I have a Medela Freestyle which I absolutely love. I used the hospital grade rental pump for my first child and I think I like the freestyle better. When I pump it is always at the time I would have fed my son. I was discharged before my son so for the first few nights I pumped every 2 hours and would fill up the bottles. Do you feel a complete suction on your breast when the pump is going? Has the Lactation consultant been able to get it to work? Maybe you should take it by her office and have her help you. I hate to say it but I think a lot of Lactation consultants tend to make a first time breast feeding mom feel bad and insecure about their abilities to breast feed....not knowing they are doing it. They are very passionate people but often have on blinders when it comes to anything else....good luck! It will definitely get easier...and yeah, formula is too expensive....i will never buy it again...

[lucy's mom rocks.]

OH ONE MORE THING!! I recently freaked myself out and thought my milk was drying up so I started drinking that fenugeek tea to help stimulate lactation. It worked incredibly well!! Within a few hours of drinking the first cup I was leaking pretty bad...It turned out I was just being paranoid about loosing my milk but it proved that the tea really works....

[Kayt]

I have a Playtex electric pump. I wanted a Freestyle, but I couldn't swing it. I actually got this pump from my SIL, who ended up never pumping, so I got a free, unused pump from her. I keep feeling like the pump isn't getting a good latch on me. I leak a little bit while I'm hooked up, but once I break the suction, I spray milk all over the place, so it's doing something! My LC didn't seem to want to touch the pump, she said she only dealt with the hospital pumps (she is connected to the hospital I delivered at). Thank you so much for your advice, I'm really hoping I don't have to buy formula. I've been hoarding coupons and samples, but I'm really cheap, and I don't want to give him formula when I can provide free food.

[lucy's mom rocks.]

I feel you with the whole formula thing. Well, it may partly be the pumps fault too. I have tried a few different pumps and just like the Lactation consultant's rave...medelas are great! I figured they just got paid to endorse the medela brand until I tried an avent, playtex and then gave in to the medela. I had some suction issues with the avent and playtex but have had no problems with the freestyle or the medela I rented from the hospital a two years ago....well good luck!!

[Abby]

Hi Kayt!

Try pumping first thing in the morning. For most of us, that's when our milk supply is highest.

If you're using an electric pump, you might want to try setting the vaccuum at the strongest setting and the speed at the slowest setting to start out. Once you see a few drops going into the bottle, then switch it to the opposite - less suction, more speed. (I'm using a Medela ... rats, I can't remember the model!)

If you're using a manual pump, try different hand motions. I have an Avent Isis and the obvious motion doesn't work for me - I have to do shorter, quicker pumps to get anything.

My other best piece of advice? Check the clock and be content with whatever you get during a set period of time. I usually go with 20 minutes. (Actually, that's as long as it takes me to watch an episode of 30 Rock or The Office on Netflix.) If it isn't happening, try again later. It's frustrating, but better to let your body recover than to keep pushing.

[beckettsmom]

At three weeks I had the same thing. It will get better eventually. I started with a mid range electric pump but ended up having a much better time of it with the medela hand pump. I think they are about 20 dollars at target. Since it didn't make any noise, I would nurse the baby on one side and use the pump on the other side at the same time. That helped with the let down reflex and it's a bit of a time saver too, but make sure you are in a really comfy chair, or it's impossible. There is a fenugreek extract you can get at whole foods called "more milk" or "more mother's milk" that you can just mix with water. I hated the taste of the tea, so I just gulp it down and am done with it. Also, start out freezing it in just 1 ounce batches. Once I had some milk to pump I would put it in 3 ounce bags and then be so disappointed when he would pass out after an ounce or so. Good luck!

[Melissa]

I was having as similar problem with not getting much when pumping and I was having a problem with the shields, the part that is against the breast. Mine were 24mm and were too small,this causes the ducts that release the milk to get smashed and they close. If your nipple touches the sides when you are pumping, then the shield is to small. I moved up to 27mm and can now pump with much better results. Maybe that will work for you...

[GabrielsMom24-7]

Congratulations on you bf success! I had to go back to work just 3 weeks after delivery, so I have always pumped and then fed my baby by bottle. Pumping is a labor of love, but it is worth it to make sure baby is getting your best. I have now been pumping for 4 months, here is what I have found:
1. Hot water will help with initial let down. You can do this by getting in the shower and letting hot water run over your breasts or by saturating a washcloth with hot water and placing it over your breast. I would not spend the money on gadgets like hot pads designed for the breasts....they are not worth it.
2. Fenugreek is ofter recommended to increase supply, but I found it helped with let down more than it helped with supply. A $5 bottle may be a good investment. My perspiration did smell like maple syrup though.
3. Compression, compression, compression. Massage your breasts to help with let down and compress to get more milk out faster. I only use hot water if I have a plugged duct and fenugreek on occasion for the same reason.... but I always use compression. I double pump, so I have to use my hand to hold one pump in place and my forearm to support the other. This frees up one hand to use compression. I alternate sides throughout each session.
My results....I pump 24-30oz a day! My baby is now 4 months old and I do have to supplement with formula because of his appetite, but I am convinced that the breastmilk I am able to give him is well worth the effort.
40 minutes is a long time to be pumping, trying turning up the speed and level of suction. I found that I produce an ounce per hour no matter how long I wait (2 hours = 2 oz, 4 hours = 4 oz), so I pump every 4 hours (any longer than that and tend to engorge). I have a medela pump in style and I start off at the slowest setting than increase the speed over the first 10 minutes. The next 10 minutes I turn up the tension to about half-way. My total pump time is 30 minutes. I have 3 periods of distinctive let down (right away, at 15 minutes, and at 25 minutes).
Also, if you are pumping right after a feeding, that my be why you aren't getting much....your baby already got it all! Trying waiting 2 hours after a feeding and see if that helps.