recommendations for alternative breast pump - medela not working

[Madigan]

I have been using the Medela Swing breast pump, without much success. I know I have quite a lot of milk now (DD is 3.5 weeks old), but when I express very little comes out. A friend has suggested switching pumps - any recommendations for a good alternative electric pump? or are manual pumps better?
many thanks

[lailasmum]

I personally preferred avent isis breast pumps, the simple manual pump. The have a more generous feel to the medela ones, I tried medela too and didn't get on with them.

[Madigan]

how long does it take you to express using a manual pump

[kiskidee]

expressing is a skill and even so, some women never express much.

I have heard v. good things about the Swing so I would persevere with it.

One technique is to 'build' in a feed. That is, to pump at the same time for 30 mins for a few days, even if you just get drops. At around the 4th day, you should start to get appreciable amounts. By day 7, you get as much as you will get at one session. The second technique is to continue pumping for an extra 10 mins (or wait 10 mins and pump again) after the letdown. You can then stimulate your body into having 2 letdowns in quick succession. the second one will be smaller but of quite high fat milk.

[grouchyoscar]

Avent Isis breast pump did me proud. It supposed to be simillar to BFing and worked a treat

[lailasmum]

At first it took ages to get next to nothing but after a few weeks I could pretty much do 6-8 ounces in a few minutes. It is a skill, you need to learn it and I think that is why I preferred the manual pump because you have 100% control over the suction strength whereas my medela electric one was, to put it frankly, pathetic and the suction was contantly the same. I personally used to do a few rapid pumps with the manual pump and then long slow pumps when the milk was flowing. I never felt let down whether feeding or expressing so didn't have that to work from but I could see when the milk appeared.

[Jojay]

Avent Isis worked for me too - manual or electric - no difference in result, but big difference in price!!!