expressing nightmare..

[Jaysfirst]

From about 6 weeks i was expressing a bottle for DH to feed to DD in the evening, i would express between 4 -7 ozs each time, in rapid time ( invarably she never drank it all!!) but for the past week ish, i havent been able to express more than 1 - ozs. Tonight it took me three attempts of more than 15 mins a go to get just under 2 ozs. Anyone else had this problem and what can i do about it.....

[Hollyboo]

When I started expressing I found that it was easier in the mornings. I could express 5oz no problems or more if I needed to. Could never express enough in the evenings after about four weeks. I think it was because I was feeling better after having a section and I was doing more around the house when babs was sleeping. The more you rest the more milk you produce, so I was told by my nurse.

[Jaysfirst]

thanks Hollyboo, am goig to try now to express! DD is now 12 wks old BTW. :)

[throckenholt]

expressing is a very mental thing - the more pressure you put on yourself to produce the more it seems to stall and you get nothing.

Try and concentrate on something else while you are doing it - read a book, watch tv, surf the net.

And massage the breasts before and during expressing.

Do you do both sides ? If you do try and do 5 mins on each side, then 3 mins on each side, then 2 mins, then 1 min - 20 mins in total (or stop before that if you have enough already).

Agree you often get most first thing (stored overnight while you were alseep hopefully :)), and I found it was least in the evening - but that may have just been me.

[Jaysfirst]

well, only managed to express 2 ozs again, i did it in the nursery with DD beside me in the cot, i have heard that this can help with the let down...anyway didnt seem to help me :( I do try both boobs but it seems to not want to play. I am trying not to get wound up about it and have even left it for a couple f nights so as to take the pressure off of me, still it wont come. Its just so bizzarre as it used to flow like 'no ones business' mind you i am finding also that i dont have any leakage, and i dont need the breast pads....(TMI) it feels like i am losing my milk ...arggggggghhhh :(

[throckenholt]

I found having the baby around made it worse.

Also maybe you are working up towards periods again and that may be temporarily reducing your supply.

[Hollyboo]

DD, DH and DS. I'm new to this site. I'm presuming daughter, husband and son? Am I a bit thick? I'll blame it on the sharpness not coming back to me yet after having my DD!! My DD is 16 weeks now and has been on formula feed as well as breast since she was 11 weeks. We were doing really well until I couldn't feed her enough, she was getting frutrated at her feeds and when I tried to express it was impossible. I know they say that the more you feed the more milk you get but mine just didn't seem to last so we had to introduce formula feeds as well. She gets all formula now except first thing in the morning when I feed her in bed. I'll miss that when I fully wean her or I might just keep doing it, I don't know. Seems to be enough milk for her just for that feed, my boobs haven't had that very full feeling for a long time. Nurse told me it was just down to hormones.

[throckenholt]

the very full feeling wears off after the first few weeks as your body gets used to what it is doing.

And generally the more often you feed the more milk you make - the vast majority make enough milk to feed their babies - but many doubt it. Once you start formula it is easier for the baby to drink and fills them up for longer because it is harder to digest. So you often end up giving more formula because it seems to satisfy them better and so the breast milk dwindles.

Keep up the morning feed if you like - it will help to give her the immunity benefits of breast feeding.

[Catilla]

AS young as 12 weeks it's very possible your DD is having a growth spurt and your production is catching up. In that case I'd think you just need to keep on doing it and not worry - supply will probably increase again soon. If you stop doing it that lowers the demand and therefore production.

[Jaysfirst]

ta Cat, i am going to persevere...its tough going but i will try!