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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask if anyone expressing milk...

49 replies

Anxietyreallyblows · 20/07/2017 22:23

AIBU to ask if anyone who is or has been expressing milk ever feels empty or drained?

I'm not sure there is a right or wrong way to express with a pump (have electric and manual doubles, good ones) but I express and never feel empty. My breasts always still have a full and hard lump inside. Health visitors have said you never express as much as feeding, which is good since I get barely an ounce. But since they still contain milk why won't it bloody come out.

Worst yesterday I accidentally sprayed dh from three points when adjusting my pjamas. So my technique must be flawed somehow?

I try massage, I vary speeds and strength. I sonetimes see women with the same pump on my fb sites pumping five or six ounces at a go! Does anyone have any advice? Aibu to think expressing isn't easy at all?

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Maccapacca88 · 20/07/2017 23:12

Try smelling his worn clothes or looking through pictures while you pump. Also, starting on a low and fast setting until you get a let down then progress to higher suction, but slower.

Babyiwantabump · 20/07/2017 23:17

The only way I could get anything while pumping was to feed them at the same time from the other side. Have you tried that?

LadyLaSnack · 20/07/2017 23:20

I skip the low setting completely and just straight to the one where smoke comes out of your nipples.

When the flow slows a bit of rubbing/lifting/massaging gets the last of it out for me.

I also find the manual pump works completely differently (different and much slower rythm) but that it's just as quick.

However I'm a usually a double pump with expressing bra sort of a lady - leaves hands free for important things, like wine.

Maccapacca88 · 20/07/2017 23:48

LadyLaSnack

I like your style Grin

SpagettiNetty · 21/07/2017 08:37

I used to be a milk donor and I could get 5oz in 15 minutes using a medulla swing.

My tips would be to express in the morning if you can, I used to feed DS at 6.30am, then express just before the 10am feed. You never get as much as baby will expressing, so if you do it just before a feed then baby can empty boob for you, and if baby needs more you'll find it easier to produce.

Also, it helps if you express regularly at the same time so your body gets used to the routine. I could only produce 1 or 2 ozs when I started but it increased quickly when I started doing it regularly.

Make sure you have a big drink too so your not dehydrated.

SpagettiNetty · 21/07/2017 08:37

I used to be a milk donor and I could get 5oz in 15 minutes using a medulla swing.

My tips would be to express in the morning if you can, I used to feed DS at 6.30am, then express just before the 10am feed. You never get as much as baby will expressing, so if you do it just before a feed then baby can empty boob for you, and if baby needs more you'll find it easier to produce.

Also, it helps if you express regularly at the same time so your body gets used to the routine. I could only produce 1 or 2 ozs when I started but it increased quickly when I started doing it regularly.

Make sure you have a big drink too so your not dehydrated.

Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 22/07/2017 09:17

Allthewaves that's an idea thank you. I always worry about running out but never have so it's worth a try.

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 22/07/2017 09:19

Maccapacca88 thank you, I've got some old blankies so hopefully that will help.

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 22/07/2017 09:20

Babyiwantabump I used to be able to when he was tiny but when he hit four months he started grabbing, kicking and screaming if it was attached. One-time my haakaa pump flew across the room Grin

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 22/07/2017 09:21

LadyLaSnack lol I love it. I might invest on one of those bras Grin

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 22/07/2017 09:25

SpagettiNetty thank you. That's amazing being a milk donor Smile. He's asleep on me now so I'm really needing to pump. I may do it now so he can empty it after.

I am awful for keeping hydrated so that's something to think on.

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Whatsername17 · 22/07/2017 09:27

Feeding baby on one side whilst expressing from the other, first thing in a morning always helped me. Using an electric pump. Manuals are a bit crappy.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 22/07/2017 10:08

I made the mistake of buying a manual pump with DS1. I was reluctant to invest in a good electric pump when I didn't know how much I'd need to use it. I never got more than an ounce of the high pressure engorged milk off with it. I found hand expressing better. The problem was that it was so much of a ball ache that it was too much bother to get him accustomed to bottles, and it turned out that he had CMPA so I ended up with a baby who could only take milk direct from source.

Second time I got a Medela which was much better (but still found expressing and feeding back too faffy). It was useful, mainly for my comfort.

Oddly my "good" side was different with each baby and suspect that that was down to latch.

LollyLarkin · 22/07/2017 12:09

Loads of good stuff already about massage, watching videos of the baby and positioning. I used to express while at work and found leaning forwards would help things along. Also, try something warm on your breasts for a few minutes first, a hot water bottle wrapped up well or a microwave heat pack is good.

LollyLarkin · 22/07/2017 12:10

Sometimes I would achieve better results on a lower level too, counterintuitive but maybe more like your baby's suck?

Urubu · 22/07/2017 13:55

My advice is to continue pumping even when no milk comes out anymore and it could start coming out again after a few minutes. Pump everytime you give a bottle.
I used to express with a double hospital grade pump, every 4h or so, and managed to feed my DT exclusively expressed BM and even had some leftover milk to freeze!

Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 08:26

Whatsername17 thanks, I'm currently feeding and there is a fair amount.

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 08:29

SomewhatIdiosyncratic that's really interesting about the good side switching. I figured it was something to do with the breast itself but the latch makes sense. Thanks

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 08:32

LollyLarkin thank you, I'll try varying speeds and I have a hot water bottle.

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FusionChefGeoff · 23/07/2017 08:39

Second the advice to look at pictures or videos of your baby. It used to make a huge difference here.

sadmum2017 · 23/07/2017 08:56

It's psychological too, definitely. I usually manage 5-6oz while using an electric pump. One night I was really engorged and started pumping, fine. Then our fire alarm went off (no fire though!). We got such a fright and leapt out of bed to investigate. Even when I went back to bed, still engorged, I couldn't get another drop out that night! Baby managed it a few hours later but that really proved to me how important it is to be relaxed while expressing - no fire alarms please Grin

Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 09:12

Urubu wow that's great. I'm just finishing feeding now so I'll express the rest off. I've just had a long pump and I was surprised that after 5 minutes of nothing I had letdown again!

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 09:12

Thank you FusionChefGeoff

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Original poster
Anxietyreallyblows · 23/07/2017 09:13

sadmum2017 lol! Oh wow that's a great example of relaxing helping. I'm definitely going to try after a bath. Thanks.

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