Marmet technique for hand expressing - can't get the hang of it

[popsycal]

Mears posted an excellent link and have been trying to do it as I don't fancy using my noisy medela pump when I return to work.....
I follow the instructions but only get drip drip drip

What am I doing wrong?
Has anyone, other than mears, used this technique successfully?

Popsycal I tried this today as well, but didn't' have much luck either. I got some squirts but it took so much longer than the pump and it felt really weird (I'm not used to feeling my own milk glands .)

Sounds a bit complicated to me but I'm sure it's easy once you get the hang of it. I did hand express from time to time but I'm not aware I used a techinique like this. OTOH, I only ever hand exrpessed when I was desperate i.e. away from home with no pump available so the milk didn't need much persuasion before the jets poured!

Popsycal you might be a bit tense as you are trying it for the first time. Just think of it as a getting to know your body procedure. There are lots of automatic bodily functions which become incredibly hard if we try to think our way through each step of them, rather than just doing them.

I've never had much luck hand-expressing but I always found my Isis hand-pump very quick and quiet. have had to get a double-pump as time is limited in work but otherwise would have stuck with it.

where di these double pumps come from...my tme is limited too......

I got mine directly from Avent but it was VERY Expensive 250 pounds, (sorry the pound sign is gone from the pc! Annoying having to type it in) Other people have recommended the Ameda Lactina from nct sales for 75

The avent one arrived in about 2 days.

think i will give hand expressing another go

I found hand expressing really efficient, although I don't know what technique it was I was using! Thumb and middle finger either side of aereola, push back towards yourself til you feel the "frozen peas" and then gently squeeze your fingers together and out towards your nipple.

After I stopped expressing for my baby, I could still hit the wall facing the bath for months afterwards.

right i have just tried again and got it squirting.....but didnt get let down at all and i have probably bruised myself so i must still be doing something worng!
i got half an ounce though so i will add it to the pot!

serah, they should make that an Olympic sport!

Keep going popsycal.... you'll get there - practice makes perfect as they say, or in this case, practice makes milk!

Like the idea of the olympic sport chipmonkey... Do you think it should be in the form of an archery target, or just distance?

By the way, in addition to hand expressing, I found the avent hand pump to be excellent.

I did the same as Serah though she described it better. Usually when milk is squirting is when you have let down. If ound that when milk slowed from a squirt to a dribble it was good to swap sides because then that side would squirt. Then swap back.
If you have managed to 'squirt' then you are getting there popsycal

am sitting here with the medela on at the moment getting loads,,,,
but i wil persist with hand expressing too aw it will be so much easier for work

It is very much a psychological thing too. Have a practice in the bath without trying to collect any. Once you have done it once you will be able to do it again, honest

What a fab idea Mears. Good luck popsycal... try and hit your rubber duck for me!

I shall give it a go

Well?

Laffin... Exactly what I was wondering Mears!!

syil cant do it
tried today when i felt really full and ciyldnt get letdown

relax..... imagine your baby and the love you feel when he/she's feeding from you. All you need to do now is practise - it doesn't matter whether you get any or not - it's just practise. You have already said you got some squirting though - just play around, try slightly different techniques and see what works for you, and most of all, DON'T WORRY! It's not the end of the world.
Are you managing to get time to practise in the bath as Mears suggested?

How about getting the letdown going with the pump and then continue by hand? Once the milk is flowing you will be able to feel where to squeeze to keep it squirting. It honestly is a knack which once got is sooooo easy.

I tend to have showers - baths are a luxury that time tends not to allow at the moment!!

I like the idea of getting let down with pump first!!! That is a really good idea! That is my next mission

Just want to say thanks so much - I really appreicate all the help and support that you are giving me to try to get this right

hahahahahah
i just did it!!!!

the 'frozen peas' were closer to the nipple than I had been searching
this thread is getting very graphic haha

off to get a bottle out of the steriliser!!!

Oh man, I am so pleased for you popsycal.... thats fantastic news and you should be proud of yourself

Have fun!!!!

got 2 oz