Expressing not really working. Not sure why

[BaggedandTagged]

I've been EBF my son for 4 weeks and it's going really well BUT my milk supply hasnt exactly been gushing and I very rarely get that hard, engorged feeling. However, I wasnt worried because he seems to get enough at each feed and is gaining weight, has a good latch, plenty of wet nappies etc.

Today I tried to express for the first time as I'd like the occasional break from the 2-3hr schedule. I'm using a Medela Swing. Anyway, I tried it after the morning feed and literally nothing happened. The suction is there, but no milk is coming out. If I try to manually express, the result is the same- nada.

So do I just not have enough milk to express? If not, how do I get more? The only solution I can see is express before a feed, but then what am I meant to feed him? Or is the point that you put the pump on for ages and your body then makes more milk? If so, how long should I leave the pump on for?

The only other thing I can think of is that i need a smaller breast shield as I noticed the areole is getting sucked into the tube and the instructions say it shouldnt. Would this affect the ability to extract milk?

Any help appreciated.

I had the same problem. I could get milk out but never much. I have the Medela Swing too. Apparently a baby can always get more out than any pump.

Try watching tv whilst doing it rather than looking down at it. That helps.

Can you feel your let down reflex?

No- never felt a let down though, even when bf. Maybe I just have malfunctioning boobs

You have enough milk for your baby, who is more efficient than a breast pump which basically just empties the breast. I could never get anything at all after a feed - but when I did a KIT day and missed 2 feeds I expressed 9oz (roughly what he would have drunk) judging but what he took in EBM. Once he slept all night I could express in the morning generally I would take 2oz from each side before feeding him - but when he was feeding 3 hourly it would have been impossible.

If you really need to express try taking 1oz from each side before a feed, he'll be able to get enough and be prepared to feed him more often for the rest of the day.

HTH!

It's normal not to get much when you first start expressing - and FWIW, my DS is a right chunk, he's 1 now, still feeding several times a day, and has followed somewhere between the 75th and 91st centile since birth - and I've never managed more than 3 oz at a time, even when I was expressing daily when I came back to work. I normally got 1 oz from both sides in a 30 minute sesh - which was embarrassing when handing the bottle over to the childminder the next day! My friend, on the other hand, gets 4 oz in one quick session when she remembers to do it, but has never felt engorged, ever, or felt a let down. Nor have I (felt the let down) for that matter. We're both still feeding our 1 year olds with no problems :)

My HV suggested to me that I try expressing at the same time every day if I really wanted to express decent amounts - and not to worry AT ALL about how much you get out - as others say, the baby is a FAR more efficient milk extractor than anything mechanical can be!

Not everyone feels a let down. You havent got malfunctioning boobs!!

MumNW is right. I could only get 3oz and used to take 40 mins.

It is hard not to think of your boobs as containers.
You dont want them to feel hard.
If they get hard they are full and that tells your body to stop making so much milk.

Try expressing a little before a feed.

Drink loads and relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax!!

thanks all. I'll give it another go tomorrow before I feed and see if I can get a bit more.

If you persevere, in a few days/week or so, you will get more and more. Just a matter of increasing milk production. Just be aware, you can create over supply which can make bf more difficult.

I expressed all my DD's feeds for weeks (hadn't established good latch when I got horrendous deep breast thrush, and expressing was much less painful than bf) and got into a good routine of 3 hourly feeds on alternate sides, so each side basically had 6 hours to 'recharge' and I could express 4oz faster than DH could feed the bottle to the baby! But after the first couple of ounces it got slower and harder work, so def try expressing an ounce before a feed when you are 'fuller'. All those individual ounces can be added together to make up a bottle feed. And when there's a growth spurt, your body will already be used to making extra milk!

If it's any encouragement, I got about half an once the first time I tried it, and now get between 2 and 4 oz a side, depending on when I do it. It's just a weird thing that's not like feeding a baby, and takes a bit of practice really. Don't panic - both your boobs and your supply are fine :)

I BF both my DCs until well over 9 months, so supply and boobs obviously working well. I very rarely felt engorged and never leaked (threw away my one pack of unused breast pads after DC2's first birthday).

Not once in all that time did I manage to express more than a few ml of milk.

First time round I sat and pumped, had the odd squirt but very little. Never enough to freeze, or put aside for a later feed.

As DC1 was feeding hourly for 20 mins, and I was trying to express in the gaps, there never seemed to be time.

In the end I gave up expressing as it just didn't seem to work for me. I used cartons of formula if I was desperate for someone else to do a feed.

Update- tried expressing before the feed today and got a much better result- 3oz

thanks for all the tips.

Now I just have to see whether he'll take a bottle

Fantastic! Good luck!!

That's brilliant 3 oz -I've never got more than 1.5 oz- very frustrating!!! Had a hard couple of days so haven't tried to express. Plan is to express abit and add to a bootle I have in the freezer all to get my hair cut!!! :o