How much do you express each time?...

[clarebear1]

I started on Thurs, doing it every 3 hours for 20 mins. (10 mins on each or 20 on one then alternate for next go). In this 20 mins i get 1oz. Please tell me that its going to pick up?...

Some people are just unable to express large amounts.

What worked for me was expressing at the same time each day. I would start off getting 1-3oz and after 5 days this would go up to 3-6oz. Your body needs telling to produce more and the consistent stimulation can therefore help. A word of warning, if I stopped expressing for a few days, I went back to where I started.

Also most people find that they get more out in the mornings

Did you get up in the night too? I try but do struggle some nights which is prob putting me back.

Wish id get that much out!

up in the night? not to express only feed her. I would normally just pick one or two times a day to express and keep it the same each day.

If you got 3oz out in total that is a feed. Babies typically require less BM than FM (about 1oz an hour) so don't compare amount to formula ones. Roughly 1oz/hr is a good guide (although babies will drink more even of they don't need it due to being from a bottle)

Try compressions whilst pumping and warmth beforehand. And ideally you want to pump until the flow slows right down, not to some arbitrary time.

It will get quicker/easier. When I first started and my milk came in (DD was in SCBU and then needed top-ups so I've expressed since the start) I thought I was doing amazingly to get more than 1oz in a session. This morning, I got 8oz without thinking about it.

The fuller you are, the easier it is as a pump is not as good as a baby at getting the milk out.

Im formula feeding too and just add what breast milk i get to it. Im lucky if i get milk out for the full time im doing it. Midwife said to get up in the night and do it too but its so hard...

Its not getting anymore then 1 oz so maybe thats just my amount and its not gonna change

I see, kinda. That adds a whole new dimension to the expressing.

So are you expressing to increase supply, or is your DD exclusively fed from a bottle? Basically what are you trying to achieve, no FF top-ups etc. etc.

I had trouble breast feeding because hes tongue tied so i wanted to express so hes still getting my milk. He only has bottles, do you think this is the reason for not getting a lot out then? Midwifes ropund tomorrow so might have a chat with her

I think you should start a new thread. Detailing exactly how things are and what you're trying to get to.

It sounds like yes, you need to get up and pump in the night and be pumping at least 8 times a day if you are trying to include a significant amount of BM or switching over to predominantly BM. I believe you should see someone in RL about getting a plan together that includes a way of getting to where you want. I think it should be from someone more specialised than a MW. I don't have experience myself, but a lot of people here do.

Also have you got an appointment to the TT snipped?

Ok thank you for your help...

Sorry whats TT mean?

You'll need to be pumping at least once at night and 8+ times a day if LO isn't feeding off you at all.

How old is your LO? the info on Kellymom on relactation may help.

tongue tie

Oh, der thanks. I think its got a lot better over the past week, it was the midwife at hosp that said it but few days later the midwife at home said its ok.

My LO was born last monday, so 1 week and 2 days

even mild tongue ties can have a massive effect on feeding

Hi there. When I had my DS 3 years ago I used to sit there for an hour just get enough to cover the bottom of the bottle! I used at the time the Boots and then the Avent Electronic pump. This time with my DD (5 weeks old tomorrow) I started expressing this week (just for the odd bottle) and used a different model (Spectra3) which is brilliant. In 10 minutes yesterday I had 5 oz. So it could be your pump.

clarebear I had to express at one stage as we had to top up my LO after every feed as she was losing weight (beyond the 10% thing) and they told me the top up could be bottle or breast and I really wanted it to be breast of poss.

Just to say different pumps do work differently so you might have no luck with one and be great with another. Also, when I was epxressing early on I barely got anything out (sometimes only a couple of teaspoons for 20 mins of trying) but a few weeks later I could get mor elike 3/4 floz in one go in the same time, so keep trying and hopefully in time you'll get more and more.