Help needed - need to get enough ebm by saturday!!!

[burstingbug]

I'm desperately trying to express milk to leave with my mum when she comes to look after my 2 ds's on saturday. I'm failing to get anything out I have exclusivley bf ds2 who is 13.5 weeks and don't want to resort to formula if I can help it.
I'm using the medela electric pump at the moment and after over half an hour trying both breasts I've only got 1ml
Please help me!!

burstingbug, if you're not relaxed, the let-down might not happen! Also, when are you expressing? Lots of people find first thing in the morning is a a good time, particulary if babs is sleeping for a bit at night. BTW did you ever try the avent manual pump? I found it good for stimulating let-down, got on better with Avent pumps generally but that varies from person to person!

I'm not as relaxed as I could be as my eldest is only 21mths and I'm having to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't hit his baby brother.
I'm expressing in the afternoon and evenings. I might try doing it in the morning. I do have a manual pump too, can't remember if its boots, avent or if I have both
I feel under pressure too as I only have 2 and a bit days before I'm leaving ds2 for about 5 hours. I'm hoping to get about 6 - 8oz's so I can make several small bottles for him.

I also found it much better in the morning - fed him one boob and expressed from other (never managed to do this at the dame time though!)

Right so I have 3 mornings then with any luck.

It's def harder if you are stressed and I would agree with trying the manual pump. That way you can pump gently and stimulate the let down because you won't get much milk at all otherwise. Also might be worth trying to do it in the bath, as the hot steam can help stimulate let down.

Ok then, so I'll be in the bath tomorrow with the manual pump then

Try expressing while babe feeds on one side, or put them to one side till you get a let down reflex. Easier in the morning.

If you are up in the night to feed your DS, you might try expressing then (not what you want to hear probably!) as the hormones are at their highest and I always make the most in the small hours of the morning - between 2am and 4am is supposed to be best, I read somewhere. Failing that, either in or after a bath.

I would definitely agree with Chintzy that holding/feeding your DS one one side and expressing on the other will help.

HTH
Nine

How's it going burstingbug? Any luck?

I would also suggest checking the valve bit of the pump as I have had problems with my medela. If there is the tiniest crumb or suchlike stuck behind the white membrane then the suction is not very good. Also check the yellow plastic bit of the valve underneath the white membrane because I couldn't work out why I was getting very little milk until I found the tiniest crack in the yellow plastic of the valve. When I replaced it, results were much better. Good luck!

I used to be really bad at expressing but I found the best way to get a good amount was to do one-sided feeding for a few feeds then express from the other side... Worked best at night - feed from say left side on all evening/night feeds then express from right side in morning - I was always amazed at how much I got. also, once you've had a few 'good' sessions, you'll be more relaxed and find it easier - IME anyway... Good luck

I always had the most luck first thing in the morning, and if I had dd on one side and expressed from the other. that way you were already letting down

Hi all, thanks for your replies.
I had a rummage about in a cupboard and dug out my manual avent pump, I spent an hour in the bath this morning! I expressed from both sides swapping every few minutes if nothing was coming out, eventually my right side was best and milk came spurting out, but it took ages to get to that stage. Collected 4ozs for my efforts. I was going to try again tonight, but time has slipped by, will try again in the morning.

I remember someone on MN ( Mears?) saying to do 5 minutes on the right, 5 on the left, 4 on the right, 4 on the left etc till you go down to 1 min on each side. It does sound like it took you a while to get to the let-down reflex, burstingbug. I have a double electric Avent pump and you control the speed yourself at first, then press a button and the machine takes over. The advice in the manual for it suggests starting off with loads of very quick pumps to get the let-down reflex, then once the milk is flowing to change to a slower rate. 4oz is good though! If you could get the same tomorrow, that might be just enough? I think Mears also suggested before that if you only have 4oz and baby is expecting 5oz, that you can top up with water. Obviously not for every feed but if it helps babs last longer might do no harm!

I didn't get round to expressing yesterday. Going to be at it most of today. I'll try a few minutes on each side again and hope it wont take an hour!