Expressing ......... how much should I be getting ?

[mumtomilkmonster]

DD is 6 wks and I;ve started expressing the last 2 days inbetween feeds (when I can actually get DD off me !). I've only been able to get a max of 3oz off. Is this normal, will it increase ? Is DD getting more thab this, or could this e why she's permanenylty latched ?

Sorry about typos, she's on now, so working one-handed !

I never got very much more than a couple of ounces when I expressed but my kids got loads more. At least, I assume they did, they always fell asleep full and happy.

think it depends when you express.

If I express in the morning, I get about 120 ml, but DS is 7 months, and believe the consistency changes after 3 months?

Aha - now I see why you were at my post on the blue milk thread! This sounds perfectly normal - see my most recent post. Some women can let down really well to a pump, others just not at all. Out of interest, what pump are you using? I hated my electric one - a friend rec'd a handheld avent - I never looked back.

Am using manual Avent. Had electronic Medela with DD1 and hated it.
I don't seem to have a great let down, I don't leak at all even when feeding or expressing (I do if she goes longer than 4 hrs).
Sure I'm normal really, just going through the uncertainty guilt sort of stage ! Doesn't help that me and DH aren't best of friends at mo, so getting stressed over that too (loooonnng story !).

I'm sorry to hear that Monster - stress is more than likely going to affect let down - obviously if you're not relaxed 100%. Hope that gets better for you soon. I just used to zone out in front of the tv - the more I zoned, the more I let down. But I only ever pumped at night, after a nice big meal. And DS was 6 months when I did this diet thing and I was going back to work etc. Not sure how old your DC is, but if younger than 6 months possibly you don't need to be producing as much as I was at that stage for DS?

Anyway, I sort of think your body will just do what it does and there's probably not an awful lot you can do to change it. At least you are pumping something, and sounds like it's enough to make up a feed every other day which hopefully gives you a chance to take a mini break from the constant feeding. Hope so

I cccasionally manage to get 3oz out and that's a good session, usually it's between 1 - 2 oz. I hardly bother to express now - so much effort for so little reward. I never have leaky breasts either. My friend used to get out 8oz with a hand held pump - i was so jealous.

I've never managed to get more than 1.5 oz when expressing, and I bf DS to three and exclusively bf DD to six months (and she's certainly not underweight...).

3oz is really good considering you've just started mumtomilkmonster! In fact, after about 4 months of expressing, I now seem to average 3oz per session.

It is very likely that your LO will be getting more than this as expressing is not as effective as proper baby sucks and your brain won't respond as well to a pump as it does to your LO.

'They' reckon (can't remember where I read this, poss Kellymom) that breastfed babies take about 5oz at each feed, no matter how old they are. Dunno how true that is, but if so you're doing well if you are expressing between feeds. If you keep going and express at the same time each day, you may be able to increase that amount.

Keep it going! It's great to be able to hand over responsibility for feeding every once in a while.