Electric pump no longer producing anything, what am I doing wrong?

[TheDarkSideOfTheSpoon]

I got a new electric breast pump just before Christmas, it was brilliant and I was getting between 40 and 100mls per 20-30 minute session (totally fantastic compared to my last pump where I struggled to produce 20mls). I've been a bit lazy and haven't expressed for a week or so, then the day before yesterday I plugged in and only just managed 10mls, tonight not much better at 20mls and I've been pumping for probably much longer than I should just to squeeze that.

It doesn't even feel the same, I've double checked the pump to make sure it's not a loss of suction due to me not putting it together properly but it all seems fine, just doesn't feel like its doing much when it's on. I'm aiming to express at roughly the same time each day (9pm as its about the only time I can rely on an uninterrupted hour to do it all) and haven't fed for a couple of hours beforehand.

I've got a long awaited concert to go to on Saturday, I need to leave dd2 with 3 bottles of ebm, although she will probably only need 2 I don't want to worry about being delayed home. Currently only have one in the freezer and now I'm beginning to really worry I won't have enough by the weekend.

Can anyone help/give me some advice/have any ideas why it's all suddenly gone wrong?

It's possible that your milk supply has simply gone down a bit because you weren't expressing for a week or so, and your breasts have adjusted to the reduced demand for milk.

If it's that, then if you start expressing more often over the next few days, you should hopefully start producing more milk. You might need to express more often than you normally would if you want this to happen quickly.

Also, is the electric pump battery or mains powered? If it's battery powered, it may be something as simple as it needing new batteries.

Thanks for your reply :)

It's mains powered, I was massively impressed with it at first but now less so!

I'll try and fit an extra session in each day, I guess if its down to supply that should hopefully hurry it up.

It always amazes me how much more efficient babies are at feeding. 20 minutes after giving up with the pump tonight, feeling totally empty, dd2 woke up and had a mammoth feed. So I know its in there somewhere!

Any valves or anything that could be back to front? I put mine together once, couldn't get much out, had an integral part of it the wrong way up and wasn't getting much suction.

Thanks for all of your advice, I tried everything suggested and something must have done the trick because things for the last two sessions seem to be back to normal again. Very relieved, thank you :)