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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Hospital grade pumps - increase output?

18 replies

Lotta123 · 04/03/2011 19:04

Thinking of renting a hopsital grade breast pump as I'm having a nightmare breastfeeding my baby. Will it
increase my milk flow? Anybody switched to one?

We've had to supplement with formula because of weight loss. I only manage to get her on once every three to four hours and she often falls asleep.

Am using a single medela pump and producing up to 160ml a day. Baby is coming up to two weeks old.

OP posts:

schmee · 04/03/2011 19:18

I'm sorry you are having such a nightmare and I'm sure you will get lots of advice on here about bf support, etc.

But in response to your specific question,.. The ones you rent are great - a million times better than the handheld single ones. I found I still needed to pump very regularly to maintain supply, so you may need to get the support to do that. Some people suggest holding/looking at your baby whilst pumping...

I did find my supply went down after a couple of weeks using it, so had to continue to supplement with formula (mind you I had twins so I was trying to produce a heck of a lot!). I swapped back to breastfeeding with formula top ups as I couldn't fit the expressing in.

thisisyesterday · 04/03/2011 19:25

i would suggest you simply feed your baby more to start with!
every 3-4 hours is not much for a 2 week old baby, so perhaps start by offering every 2 hours and see how you go?
if she gets sleepy then try and keep her awake by undressing her a bit or playing with her hands/feet etc

the more you supplement with formula the less milk you will make. I would imagine you are making plenty (most women are, unless there are other factors you haven't mentioned- the problem may simply be that you aren't getting enough into her

is she actually still losing weight?

schmee · 04/03/2011 20:23

If the baby isn't a good feeder the OP might not be making enough, in which case expressing to increase supply could be a good idea. And would hopefully make it a bit easier for the baby to feed when she does latch on.

Sounds to me like she is trying to get the baby to take the boob more often and it isn't working at the moment.

But agree that effective breastfeeding is the best way to up supply if possible.

schmee · 04/03/2011 20:24

Also, lots of skin to skin contact with the baby, not just when feeding, is supposed help up your supply and might encourage your baby to feed more often also.

japhrimel · 04/03/2011 21:37

A double pump makes a huge difference IME. I borrowed an Ameda Lactaline and it really saved us (was actually better than the Medela one I had in the maternity ward).

You need to be feeding more often though. And you'll need to pump alot - at least every time LO has a top-up.

OnEdge · 04/03/2011 21:43

Ameda SMB, its a bit of a beast but it gets loads and loads out. I hired one for an initial £50, then £30 a month. Fantastic ! I used it in hospital and was so impressed I tracked it down. They deliver it next day.

Lauramc · 04/03/2011 21:54

I hired a medela double pump as my baby wouldnt latch on so I expressed for 5 months (crazy) managed to get loads with it and only had to top up with one formula feed on a few days. Pumped every 4 hours or so. started with a single pump and couldnt believe the difference with a double - def worth it. was about 40 quid a month, just google medela hire Uk, will deliver the next day for you. Didnt make any difference to me having my baby near me or a pic - used to quite enjoy the time to watch TV! my flow stayed stable for ages but think I was lucky with this as lots of others I have spoken to say it decreases when you only pump. good luck with the pumping!! xx

Original poster

Lotta123 · 05/03/2011 00:28

Hello,

Thanks for all the feedback. She's a very slow feeder, won't stay latched on and falls asleep a lot. She's definitely improving and doesn't have tongue tie. I think it is just going to take a few weeks to get her into bf.

At the moment, I feed her on the boob first every 3-4 hours before a bottle and sometimes she does a really good feed but other times she does five mins and falls asleep despite much toe tickling, etc. I also feed her when she is hungry between so it's probably every 2 hours during the day.

Think I will hire a hospital pump for the next month while I try to get her ebf.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Very helpful!

Xxx

OP posts:

Original poster

Lotta123 · 05/03/2011 00:30

schmee by skin to skin do you mean wear a sling? My milk is dripping all over the baby when she goes near my boobs. During feed time I strip her down to keep her awake and less wet. Or by skin to skin do you mean just lying in bed with her on my belly? Sorry for thick question.

OP posts:

movingsoon · 05/03/2011 00:54

If you are leaking when you are feeding you are probably producing enough milk is she loosing wieght or just not putting much on.

I have 2 dd the first I gave up and ff fed her. I didn't get the right advice when I needed it. The second was ebf. She didn't loose to much the first week but then didn't gain much but was well high drated and had wet nappies I was not worried. My mw was giving me

movingsoon · 05/03/2011 00:56

sorry it seamed to post on it own.

My mw was saying I needed to top her up I said no I was breastfeeding her. I then looked at both red books and noticed that they both put on weight at the same rate it's just how they are. The next day I showed mw and she did agree.

ALL BABIES ARE DIFFERENT

PenguinArmy · 05/03/2011 03:25

Hi Lotta123,

are you getting any help in RL from more BF specialised people than MWs?

I feel you need more concrete help/plan with the transition from the top-ups to EBF.

Original poster

Lotta123 · 05/03/2011 04:19

Penguin I definitely need more help. Had a lactation consultant over bur she was very negative about baby's prospect of being breastfed plus gave lecture about formula so I asked her to leave.

Am about to be discharged by midwives and feeling a bit abandoned with an eating plan of formula and pumping that I never intended to have but weight loss and baby's struggling with breastfeeding meant
we had to do it.

OP posts:

PenguinArmy · 05/03/2011 04:57

well ring up at least one of the lines. The NCT one might have someone local you could see or recommend. Also is there a LLL near you? At least if you find a local number for them, you know there is someone near by. Also there are LLL or other BF cafes.

Sorry about your bad experience with a lactation consultant, but don't let that put you off.

FWIW I loved the hospital pump I had, but you need more support and help than that.

Just please keep trying RL support until you find someone that you feel understands and is helping you. Sorry it's being so difficult for you so far, but congratulations on your LO. We also had worries about slow weight gain, but luckily the first few weeks were OK for us.

Does this plan of formula plan for a return to BF? If not then it is not a practical long term plan, which you already probably know.

Sorry just realised that there isn't a link to BF numbers in this thread, but there is one of the other BF threads that will be near the stop because I've seen it this evening.

PenguinArmy · 05/03/2011 04:58

There's a post in here with them in

japhrimel · 05/03/2011 10:04

First thing to do IME is to cut out the formula and replace it with EBM top-ups. A double pump will definitely help with this.

Good luck!

FWIW it can be done - we did it!

Original poster

Lotta123 · 05/03/2011 15:59

Thanks Japhrimel and Penguin. Will order one today!

OP posts:

crikeybadger · 05/03/2011 20:11

Not good help from your lactation consultant Lotta123

Can you give us an idea of her weight history?

I agree with thisisyesterday that the number of feeds needs to be increased. An ideal number is around 8-10 feeds a day.

If the weight loss is dramatic, then obviously you will need to pump and get extra milk in to your DD. Remember though that a breast is better at getting milk out than a pump.

Other things that will help include:
skin to skin- ie. both of you get naked from the chest upwards and just sit and cuddle and feed as often as you can. If you can, then a babymoon is perfect. Just take to your bed for the whole day and feed at the earliest cue (skin to skin again). Just rest and feed, feed, feed as often as you can.

Switch nurse- ie. offer one side and then swap to the other side when LO either loses interest or seems sleepy. You can go back to the first side again and back again.

Breast compression- see DrJacknewman.com for details on this.

If you can see someone face to face then they can check the latch to make sure DD is transferring the milk in the best way. Hopefully someone who will be more encouraging than your LC.

HTH

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