No milk when expressing from right breast

[TeaNCakes]

My DS is 14 weeks old and exclusively breast fed. I've recently started trying to express so I can leave some EBM if I'm leaving him with DH for a couple of hours.

I've been expressing from one side while feeding from the other using medela swing pump, usually in the morning or around lunch time. On the left side I get some milk, so far 20-50 mls a go, which doesn't sound like much but it's a start. Other days when I've tried to express from the right I've got nothing out with the pump. I can hand express a bit (about 20ml) but nothing with the pump.

Any thoughts on why this might be? Any tips to help with the expressing? At this rate it will take me about a week to express a whole feed!

Thanks in advance!

20-50 mls isn't bad, tbh - I found one breast was much better than the other for expressing too.

This link suggests what you're getting is well within normal range.
kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/what-to-expect-when-pumping/

FWIW, as your baby gets bigger they're able to go for a bit longer without a feed - can remember being out for a few hours when DS was 4 months, leaving expressed milk. He had a couple of ounces, enough to take the edge off I guess, then just waited till I got back & had a massive catchup feed then! Around that time he was also quite likely not to feed as much during the day as he was getting quite nosy and easily distracted.h

Thank you very much for your comments and the link, that's really helpful. He hasn't ever even been offered a bottle yet so I have no idea whether he'll take it or not, so am not planning to be away from him very long to start with. Do you think the right breast will improve if I keep trying? Or would it be better just to express from the left for now?

Thanks again

Not sure if the right side will get better with time - bumping for evening traffic to see if anyone else will know.

I suppose even if you do mostly express from other side, can't hurt to try again from time to time?

I am expressing 75% of DSs feeds, also using a Medela Swing. I find that when it's a bit slow I can get more out by changing the position I hold my breast, if that makes sense? Like my hands are blocking it somehow, sometimes. Massage while you're expressing helps too. Are you expressing while feeding? Because that takes some skill, well done

Thank you both. Think I'll mostly stick to pumping on left but will try the right from time to time. Will try changing the position too Peace and see if that helps. Yes, expressing while feeding seems to be the only way I get a decent let down...just wish I had an extra pair of hands!