Expressing

[Adamsmam]

I'm currently expressing every morning but only ever manage to express 3 fluid ounces. I don't feed from the side I express on from about 8 o'clock the night before and it's always very full but I can't get past 3. The first 2 fly out, well it flows freely, and then it really slows down. It seems like the fore milk comes out really easily but the hind milk struggles.

DS is 12 weeks old and has no problesm feeding - I always have enough milk for him and he never struggles to latch on or get enough. What do I do to get the really good stuff out? I drink plenty so don't think I'm dehydrated. I have fairly big boobs (currenty DD cup) so wondered if that was a problem with the expresser but if this was the case surely the fore milk wouldn't come out? I use an electric pump and it's very comfortable on all settings and I can feel that it's pumping. I can squeeze drops of milk out by hand after it has stopped flowing so I know there is plenty there. It just won't come out with the pump.

I can't express enough to substitute a full feed, just enough to get him used to a bottle and give my DH a turn to feed him (DS happily mixes the two). I was hoping to express a fair bit past 6 months so he is still getting BM but if it carries on like this it seems unlikely.

Any advice gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

3oz is really not too bad from one breast you know. (I know there are some ladies who manage 8oz but I was never one of them). As for getting more out, a few common tips, some of which worked for me:

You could try the 5 minutes pump, 1 minute break, 5 minutes pump, 1 minute break, 5 minute pump routine. It can help you have an additional let down.

Try not to watch the milk coming out as it can make you tense. Better to watch TV, spend time on-line, read a magazine etc

For some women, late evening is a better time than early morning-I used to pump two or three hours after DS had gone down for the night and that helped build up the freezer stash

Hang in there, you are doing great

my MW has said that expressing you often don't get as much out as a 'proper' feed and there is nothing 'the matter'. It's just a machine rather than a baby.
Yes, don't watch it otherwise you'll wind yourself up.
Another thing, there has been some study or talk saying that the hind & fore milk is a fallacy (sp?) and that it's all good so whether you get a load out first and a little bit of the supposed hind it's of no better goodness...it's just all good stuff.

But you asked for tips...
Warm faceclothes on your boobs?
Position yourself 'down' so that gravity may help.
I used to think / visualise my milk like a waterfall
With DD1 I was like express diaries...not so much with DD2 which surprised me...and gave me doubts in my ability.
The MW also kept going on about looking at a picture of the baby whilst doing it...can't say this helped me, but could be an idea.

Sounds like your doing a grand job already. Well done

after your 3 oz you can express again about 5 10 mins later and ought to get another let down. you will see how different the milk is.

when the milk flow is slowing down, you can hand express into the pump by using breast compression.

hand expressing is better at removing milk than a machine is though it takes longer so if you would like to remove more milk after using the pump, hand expressing will do that.

as long as you keep feeding him past 6 mos you ought to be able to express for him. if you are returning to work then you will be removing milk from mixed feeds and as long as you express at the same time each day, your body will respond to expressing at these times.

Ashby - ith the 5 minutes pump then 1 minute break if you're using an electric pump do you need to have a minute out of the 5 on the setting to get you to let down?

Thanks everyone. I will try the 5 minutes then a break and see if that works. There is definitely a difference in the type of milk that comes out. The colour changes and it's of different consistency. My MW said that the fore milk is thirst-quenching and the hind milk is creamier and is the calorie-laden stuff. I've thought about expressing more often and adding to it but my worry is that I could end up with loads of watery thirst-quenching stuff and a drop or two of the good stuff which won't be beneficial as DS will be hungry no matter how much he gets. Am I thinking of that all wrong? You can definitely see it seperating in the fridge once it's been in there for a while.

I have been sat watching to see how much I'm getting out so will stop that - typing this is taking my mind off it!

My plan is to feed him myself up until he starts solids, then I will give him bottles of EBM and maybe one or two feeds. Would prefer for him to not have formula but is this realistic? How much milk will he need after 6 months?

When he was three weeks old we had to give him FF for just one evening feed as I was in agony with the cluster feeding. He really didn't like it and only ever played with the teet and took 1-2 fl oz, sometimes nothing. I felt like a failure having to resort to it and was so pleased when, a few weeks later, he point blank refused the bottle. He was 7 weeks then and I've been feeding him exclusively and expressing my little amount most days for him since.

I'd like to be able to express enough to stock up and freeze it but it hardly seems worth it when all I get is 3 and it's mainly the watery stuff.

Detertmined to express more. Must not get stressed...

Thanks again.

adamsmam dont stress about it I have been expressing for dd2 for about 2 months now as in 3 weeks I will be away from her for a week (she will be 25 weeks when i go away) I can never get more than around 3 oz at a time and also notice it is mainly the watery stuff.

I usually express 2 times a day, 1st thing in the morning where like you i will express on one side that i havent fed on since the previous evening i usually get about 3 oz. I also express on both sides at around 10 o'clock at night and get between 2 and 3 oz.

I have occasionally also expressed several times in the day, to do this I block fed dd so after expressing first thing i would then feed dd on that side for however many feeds she wanted in a 4 hour period then after 4 hours express on the other side and then use that side for dd (sorry reading that back it doesnt seem to make much sense)

the days i have expressed through the day i have managed to get a total of around 12 oz and I am now up to about 230oz in my freezer, my bf counsellor seems to think this should be enough but I am still planning on expressing some more in the next 3 weeks as i would really rather she didnt have formula

sorry for the long post it probably isn't of much help but i totally understand the frustration with only being able to express small amounts

No it is helpful! Just knowing it's the same for others and I am not the freak who can't get 8oz out at a time is helpful!

I'm away for a day in April and really want to leave plenty of milk behind for him so he doesn't need formula. I know that's a long way off but I have no idea how much he will need.

Right I've expressed over the course of an hour (can't do that every day!) with little breaks, 5 minites on, 5 minutes off. I didn't watch it, just looked for a new handbag online and chatted opn here instead. DS is always with me when I express, don't know if that helps. I must admit if he cries I do think 'he might need feeding soon and what if I don't have enough left?' Maybe that slows my milk down. Never happened - I always have enough for him (she says proudly ).

Outcome - 4fl oz and I wasn't watching so I have no idea how much of it is fore and how much is hind. Going to take the other advice of expressing at night-time after he is asleep later.

Thanks again. It is so good knowing I am not on my own. Wish I had joined MN when he was three weeks old - I may not have resorted to formula, which I can't help but regret. I know that if I hadn't I would not be BF now cos I wouldn't have been able to continue. I could've starting expressing but at the time I needed something that I knew would work and was quick. He's thriving so I must be doing something right surely.

Hate the fact that I feel a failure because I've had to resort to formula a few times. All the advice I have been given from breast feeding support has been to absolutely not give him a bottle too early (he was three weeks at the time) as he may get confused and to just get through the pain.

Anyway, sorry, went off point a little biut there.

Thanks for listening everyone!

Can I just say how I am of your 3oz! I struggle to get more than 50mls out at a time so finding it hard to both build up a frozen supply and make sure that I've got some ebm to give ds to keep him used to a bottle.
Will look again at the advice on this thread but I think I've tried it all though what works best for me is to feed ds on one side and express from the other at the same time.

Yes, I wish I could get 3oz out too!! You're lucky!

This is why I need to post on here! The successful expressers I have spoken to are expressing more and there are not many bf mothers around where I live so support is thin on the ground.

I feel much better about the amount I'm expressing after this thread - thanks everyone! And sorry to those people who think 3oz is a good amount. I under-estimated how difficult other mums find expressing.

Best get started on that freezer stash...

havent read all these posts but have you tried expressing as you feed from the other side? i took to doing that as it makes the most of the 'let down'. ive got far more this way (up to 9 oz on a good day) although it does take any relaxation out of feeding as youre feeding and pumping and my baby is trying to faff around with the pump!