Expressing - help needed again!

[Swizzler]

I've been expressing at work for the past few weeks, supply has been up and down but usually manage to get between 10 and 16 oz through the day. But today has been a real struggle - pump idn't seem to be working, tried hand expressing but milk EVERYWHERE. Eventually managed to get about 6 oz in 3 sessions . Any ideas? Not helped by the fact that have been using first aid room and people nearly walked in on me twice .

Keep practising the hand expressing - you need to lean forward so that you can aim the milk directly into the bottle. Wide necked ones are easier.

Is there a bit like the valve missing from the handpump? It won't work also if bits are in the wrong way round. You will have good days expressing and some days will be poor. A few times I topped EBM up with water to get a full feed. Make sure you express small amounts off when you are at home to be create a stock in the freezer.

Some days my shifts were too busy and I didn't get a chance to express at work. I just expressed when i came home then fed the baby - plenty milk to go round.

Just try and keep extra milk in the freezer when you can - don't leave expressing just at work.

Keep a photo of lo at hand, try a warm cloth on your boob before you start and lock the door so that you can express. I know how much pressure there can be in public places, I've expressed in an aircraft toilet before (I threw away the milk ).

you are entitled to a lock on the door you express in at work.

I second the lock on the door. Anytime I get anxious about someone walking in on me it gets much harder to express. Had someone knock just as I was about to get started this morning and only got about 1/2 my usual amount.

And get yourself comfortable, even if you need to take a pillow in. I used to express, first thing in the morning, around 5pm and again around 9pm, that way I had a routine myself, and early morning expressing worked the best for me as you are well rested.

and drink plenty of water!

Thanks for the advice - now have a sign for the room at work so feel a bit better (door had one of those keypads but it's disabled). Will put photo of DS in bag as well. Think I just got stressed out which never helps - been off today so hoping for a better day tomorrow

when both my dds where in incubators i gave them a teddy then each day would swop it with another one. the one i just got from them would have a slight baby smell on it and when expressing i would smell the teddy. it really helped me, i think i could have fed every baby in the hospital with what i was making. one of the other mums in the hospital adviced me to drink fennel tea but that didn't make any difference to me.