Just expressed for the first time...Question...

[Char11]

Hi, my DS is 6 weeks now and I've just tried expressing for the first time with a Phillips Avent hand pump. Just did one breast as I was trying it for the first time.

It took me while to get the suction right but once I did the milk came squirting out for about 6 minutes then pretty much stopped, apart from a few more dribbles. I've ended up with 1 1/2 oz only.

Doesn't seem like much to me, but is it because its my first time? I had fed him from that breast about an hour and a half before I expressed too.

Any thoughts, wise ladies?

Probably it's just because it's the first time. Pumps rarely get out as much milk as a baby will, although some pumps are better than others. It might be worth trying some time when your breasts are fuller and express one side to see how much you get then.

I find that being relaxed is important - for me watching the Olympics was brilliant, got loads of milk while watching that! Any time I watch to see how much milk comes out, I get less...

Hi

My Dd is 7 weeks, and up until a few weeks ago I was getting exactly the same as you. I was told not to watch the pump, but put it under your top and watch tv. Apparently if you're too aware of it and not relaxed it can hinder the flow? Keep trying though, as I said, it's taken me a few weeks to get to grips with it. Also, try pumping at night. This seems to work for me.

Keep going and congratulations

The first time I tried with a hand pump I got about 0.05 oz (ie a few drops) so you're doing loads better than me . I get the best results in the morning with baby on one side and expressing on the other and now with electric pump can get about 2oz at a time, the most I've ever managed was about 3oz. Ds2 seems very satisfied though as was ds1 who I fed til 18mths so the amount you can express doesn't equate to the amount they can get iyswim.

Great, that makes me feel better. I must confess I was watching every drop come out (as was DH) so I guess we weren't exactly being relaxed about it!! [laugh].
Will keep at it and hopefully gradually we'll get a bit more (shame the Olympics is over )

Thank you all

You will get more as your baby gets older too. When mine have been teeny I would get a couple if ounces a go. DS2 is now 8 weeks and I can get up to 5 oz now. I remember when my previous 2 were 6 months or so I could get a huge 9oz feed from one session - always manual pumps too!

Good to know you've always used manual pumps wasabi - some friends of mine said I was mad not to use an electric one, but I just didn't fancy it. So I'm glad the small amount is not to do with the pump!

i have the phillips avent manual pump too, the amount i get from it varies massively depending on what time of day i pump. sometimes i just express by hand as i find it can be quicker and easier than mucking about with the pump. i think i may need to replace one of the parts, god knows which one, as it doesn't seem as good as used to be :/

1.5 oz is fairly normal though. when dd was that age she would only drink about 2-3oz from a bottle anyway so don't worry :)

Try expressing from one side while the baby feeds from the other - you might get more!

Looking at the pump often decreases the amount of milk expressed but having said that 1 1/2 oz is really good going - that's just over an hours worth of milk for baby!

Bf babies between 1m-6m take an average of 25oz a day with a range of 19-30oz (each baby would have their own intake so one baby may take 20-ish oz a day and another may take 28-ish oz a day). There isn't a big increase in volume of milk had as the milk changes to accommodate baby's changing needs rather than the same milk but more of it as they grow like formula milk.

Also, the more practice you have expressing the more your body gets used to the pump and responds to it (pumping is a learnt body response - you have to accustom your body to letting down for the pump whereas it's pretty easy to let down for your baby as you love them and want to feed them - I have never loved any pump I have used....).

Don't worry if your output decreases after a while, your body gets used to making what baby needs so doesn't make the extra that is made in the beginning (no point making more milk than baby needs on the off chance they may take more one day given how much goes into making BM)

Pumping from one side while baby latched onto other gets more out, but don't worry too much. I stockpiled loads with ds and had to get rid of most of it as it was the wrong age to use.