poor supply or mechanical pump problem?

[Liz79]

I have been pumping most nights with the medela swing to build a supply of EBM for when I go to work etc. I started work a week ago and my period came back on Monday. This week I haven't been able to express very much at all and I had put it down to work and my period. Now though I am wondering if it is my pump, the nipple doesn't seem to be getting drawn out much and today I barely covered the bottom of the bottle when I would of expected to get quite a bit. I checked all the bits are well attached, I wonder if the white valve bit can get worn out? I'm just waiting for my avent manual to cool down and then I will try that one. Any ideas?

Are you drinking enough fluid during the day while you are at work? If your period has returned then the body is accepting that you are not BFing as much and has therefor ovulated. It is possible for the machines to wear out, what happened when you tried your Avent?

I am wondering if you are having enough to drink though? I work FT and it is very stressy to have a small one and work.

I hope it starts to improve. You may not want to go down the tablet route but when I had to boost breast milk I had to take donperignan (sp?) from the doc. It is an anti-sickness drug but also a pro-lactate, it can really help boost the milk supply.

Prob not much help, but my electric breast pump was sh*te. I used a Tommee tippee freedom manual breaqst pump and it was absolutely fantastic, got loads more milk from using that. Only thing was i used t so much the 'cup' that sits on your boob got a bit wet with all the milk and had t wipe it down once or twice when expressing to keep suction at maximum, but i got dh to return the electric breast pump and just stuck to using the manual one

thanks for your replies. I got about 30ml with the avent manual which was better but still disapointing. When I was hand expressing it was spurting out I replaced the yellow and white bits if my swing pump today and that was much better. Just of to do it again now. BBF - I haven't been drinking as much probably. I have barely drunk today as work was so busy. Mummyhood involves constant tea/coffee (and cake)

there are lots and lots of threads in archives about expressing. i never got more than a spoonful out with a pump, more by hand. but i never really bothered, just fed ds whenever i could after going back to work.

I had this problem with the medela pump, it was the white valve bit at the bottom of the breast part that wasn't attached properly, just needed replacing. I could feel it wasn't sucking as hard as before.