breast feeding my 4 weeks old son. but cant express more than 20 mls? Help please!?
11 July 2010 8 Responses
Question by jaimebabe: my son is putting on weight and feeding normally, but wanting to go out in a weeks and a half but i cant seem to express more then 20 mls in a sitting. i dont do it when im hard as rock. i just want to know why its not working or any tips im using a manual breast pump. are u suppose to use it when your engorged or when the baby is due for a feed help please
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I always found that I had to be really relaxed. Even if I was engorged I couldn’t express much if the letdown didn’t happen. I found that if I read a magazine etc while I was expressing, it took my mind off what I was doing and then the letdown would happen. Manual pumps are quite hard on your arms and shoulders … but not impossible. Maybe a massage or a warm bath before expressing … anything that will make you relaxed.
Good luck.
Try not to stress over it. That will affect your production. Instead, just express what you can and supplement with a pediatrician endorsed formula on those days you have to be away from your baby.
Expressing rarely produces as a good results as nursing. It doesn’t encourage the let down reflex as much as a baby does. Some women find expressing when their baby is crying, when their baby is close to them helps with this. Also massaging the breast before expressing. can help.
Remember that breast milk can be stored in the fridge so if can’t express more then save what you can and express into the bottle again later to produce the amount you need. It can also be frozen for 3 months, so again you can prepare in advance if you need to.
I found the only time I could express was when I was feeding my daughter from the other breast at the same time…if I tried any other time I could only get an ounce or so before I stopped producing milk.
Don’t wait ’till you’re engorged, it could cause mastitis and lead to a decrease in milk production.
Good luck! x
best time is just after your baby feeds, let bub feed from one boob then pump the same boob then pump the other side. morning is always the best time too
Some women just don’t take to the pump. I never did, the only time I got anything was if I was engorged, despite a good milk supply.
im exactly the same. when i need milk so i can go out i pump several times a day, just for 5 minutes or so and just store it all together in 100mL lots. i also use breast compressions while pumping, and basically just try and “squeeze” the milk out of my breast while the pump is on. if i go out and my baby has missed a feed then i can get more, about 120 – 150mLs. also i bought an electric pump which was much easier. i got the medela mini electric, its about the same price as a manual and it can take batteries.
i found the only way i could express more then 20 mls at a time was to express while i was breastfeeding .
i would prop my son on a pillow ( i always fed in the “football” hold ) and use a manual pump to express the other side ..
My son only ever drank from one side each feeding , so this was fine for me .
I could never get relaxed enough for my let down to happen (when i was expressing and not breastfeeding ) so this way , it kinda tricked my brain and boobs . lol
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