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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

srgh! help with expressing!

64 replies

starlover · 28/04/2005 11:01

something terrible has happened
I am just getting over my second bout of thrush. It was so painful that I started mixed feeding, and was expressing milk for ds.
despite this my milk supply has rapidly dwindled. I have gone from expressing over 100ml at a time to not even 50!
DS refused to latch on now because the milk just isn't there.

I have just been expressing and NOTHING is coming out, and yet when I squeeze with my hand it comes out in a spurt!
I am using a medela mini electric pump, and can only assume that it just isn't doing the job, hence my diminishing milk supply. My manual breastpump isn't working!

What should I do? What is the best pump? I really, really want to get my supply back up, but can't face sitting here and squeezing my boobs by hand all day long!

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 28/04/2005 12:02

Agree with Nik72, starlover, no one could ever say you didn't try, thats for sure! Best of luck, honey, I know how much you want to keep going with the bf. Hope it all works out. Let us know!

throckenholt · 28/04/2005 12:20

Hi,

haven't time to read the whole thread - but I expressed for 9 months for twins - cat me if you want to talk direct.

A lot to do with expressing is mental - if you worry about how much you are getting you usually get less.

Massage before and during expressing helps. Try and mimic babies suck - it gentle and fast to begin with until the milk starts flowing and then slower and stronger. Don't just pump madly as hard as you can.

If you are single pumping do something like 5 mins on each side, then 3 mins on each side, then 2 mins, then 1 and then stop. Don't pump more than every 2.5-3 hours - if you can and it is less than 3 months pump through the night as well - mean as it is the night-time pump is best for stimulating supply.

Over a few days this regime should help to build up supply.

You can also use fenugreek to boost supply but again takes a few days to kick in.

Best pumps I found were the avent hand one and the ameda lactaline (which you can hire for about £25 per month) - the latter was good because you can double pump which helps stimulate supply.

MissChief · 28/04/2005 12:55

throckenholt - out of interest, when did you start expressing? plan to do this again with ds2 as such probs b/f with ds1, worried might not have sufficient supplies established in early day though.
sorry for diversion starlover - good luck whatever you do, you've certainly tried to do the best for your baby so don't feel bad whatever to end up doing.

MissChief · 28/04/2005 12:58

throckenholt - out of interest, when did you start expressing? plan to do this again with ds2 as such probs b/f with ds1, worried might not have sufficient supplies established in early day though.
sorry for diversion starlover - good luck whatever you do, you've certainly tried to do the best for your baby so don't feel bad whatever to end up doing.

throckenholt · 28/04/2005 13:07

I started from day1 with twins - they were too small to latch on and then never got the hang of it. I also did it for the first month with DS1 - he was also small and early and didn't latch well - but finally convinced him to do it at about 4-5 weeks and breastfed until he was 12 months (when I found out I was pregnant with twins ).

MissChief · 28/04/2005 13:34

that's reassuring - also bloody impressive!

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 13:52

am having "some" success with my new avent isis.

It is much more difficult to use than the tommee tippee one... but milk is appearing!

thank you all so much.... and see my "big thank you" thread on other subjects!

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 14:06

That's great, glad you getting there. The avent isn't that hard to use once you get the hang on it neither.

chipmonkey · 28/04/2005 14:35

Glad to hear you're doing better, starlover. Persevere with the Avent, you'll get there!

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:06

ok, spoke too soon!

I am having trouble with the avent pump now.
I can only make it work if i bend forward and shove my boob right in it and hold it there as tight as I can.
Otherwise air gets in around the plastic cushiony bit and it won't suck!
Have just thrown it across the room as I can't make it work properly grrrrrrr

OP posts:
MissChief · 28/04/2005 17:09

from memory, that sounds about right. you do need to get used to it and may not get much for first few goes.

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:17

when I get the suction there is quite a bit of milk coming out... but I can't get it to suck now!

Seems like it would only work if you have massive boobies!

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 17:37

Hi starlover,
You need to sit upright and lean forward a little bit so that the weight of your breast pushes agains the pump enough to seal it iykwim. It sometimes is difficult to get suction until the let down reflex has occured too. Don't give up yet, you'll get there!

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:38

that's what i am doing, but it won't seem to seal. Have taken it off and put it back on again, but no luck.
Not sure if it's just me being a retard or what.
Doesn't matter how hard I press it into my boob, it still has no suction.
Every now and then I'll get a suck, and then it goes again!

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 17:41

don't push too hard, cos u want the nipple to go into the tube and it won't be able to if you're pushing the pump really hard into it. You are aiming to getur nipple sucked right into that tube in the center to get the milk flowng.
I wish I could help more, but it is hard to explain in words.

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:47

it is!
I am considering taking it back tbh, not sure if they'll take it or not though.
I got going (in a very uncomfortable position), but it was sucking... got about 20ml out and then it just lost suction and I can't get it back again.
I am doing exactly what I was doing before.

I never had a problem with my tommee tippee one, it's not like I don't know what I'm doing.

The only way I could get it to suck before was to use one hand to hold the boob into the cup and also pulling the cup onto boob
and the other hand doing the pumping.

OP posts:
Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:48

the nipple can't get sucked into the tube... because there is NO suction!
It's such a retarded design!
If they built the soft plastic bit into it then there wouldn't be a problem with air getting in. But I can't seem to get an airtight seal

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 17:49

I doubt they'll take it back, but u could try. If not they go quite high on ebay.
Can you not get a bf counsellor or someone to help you get things going?

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:51

Might just buy a new tommee tippee one.
If they won't take it back then I will write to avent and ask them for my money back.

OP posts:
Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 17:57

whatever I say, the opposite happens!
I just got it to work again! But it seems totally arbitrary! I can't figure out what I am doing differently to get it to work!

I shall persevere with it tonight and tomorrow and see how I get on!

Thank you all for your endless patience and good advice!!!!

OP posts:
astonished · 28/04/2005 18:02

Starlover, the best thing you can do is Relax, easier said than done I know but perhaps your stress levels surrounding it all are preventing you from getting the 'let down'. Also first thing in the morning I tend to find is the best time to express, perhaps whilst cuddling your baby, or feeding from the other breast. Chill mate and I'm sure it will work soon xx

Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 18:03

lol, well done for perservering. It really is a good pump once you get it going, another thing I found helped was to make sure it was all dry before starting, ie not wet from the sterilizer as this helps with suction.
I didnt always get suction straight away int he beginning but it does get a lot easier, I can express an 8oz bottle in 10 mins now and I dont have big breasts neither!

Kelly1978 · 28/04/2005 18:04

agree with astonished, I never get as much milk in the afternoons as I do in the mornings.

Original poster
starlover · 28/04/2005 18:24

ahh, it was a bit wet so maybe that was some of the problem.
I DO need to relax though. Am just so paranoid that my milk will dry up completely that I'm getting myself too worked up over it all.
Seems like I have a million and one other things to do today, and DP is in Norway and I need time to express etc etc etc...
I'm sure you know how it is!

Admire you keeping up with the expressing kelly... I#m struggling to do enough for one right now!
It's frustrating because he was being exclusively b/f before the thrush set in and I can't seem to get back to it.

OP posts:
checky · 28/04/2005 19:13

Not sure if this will help but I have been feeding for 3 weeks now, have hired an ameda dual electric and only have to express once or twice every 24 hours and get 4 oz each time. It seems to be when I struggle is always when I am stressed. Also I have found that supporting the breast really gently underneath helps and putting it in really lightly but well positioned, then turning the vacuum up slowly always works. In fact when it isnt 'stuffed' in it works much better!
Have you tried making a call to your best mate or drinking tea at the same time? I know it sounds wierd but it may help you relax

Keep with it, you will be fine and insist they take the pump back if the seal is faulty!