Pumping no milk - baby comes along lots of milk

[choccychipcookies1988]

Hello - tried pumping for the first time. Got nothing. Perhaps I did something wrong?! I did it on right boob while dd on left boob. Milk is established and baby BF well I just thought may be nice to express so dad could do some bottles here and there. Literally no milk via pump. Swapped baby to the said boob
And she is suddenly guzzling away. Is this normal?! If so 1) any tips to express and 2) why are people so obsessed with expressing when it seems easier for baby to take milk out. Confused.

No tips from me - I was exactly the same! Couldn't express more than a few drops.

It's weird, isn't it? I could express loads with DS1, and none at all with the next two babies. Never could get my head around that!

Hi I never really expressed with my first and don’t really plan to with my second (pregnant atm) so you certainly don’t have to if you don’t need to! I have picked up a few tips from places along the way though… have you got the right flange size? Is it a manual or electric pump, are the settings right? Are all the parts working well and new?

Honestly though some people do just not get output with a pump (I’m one I did try with my first a couple of times but gave up as I was lucky enough to be off for a year so I could just feed responsively straight from boob)

Normally means you haven't got the right pump set up for you. Adjustments include flange adaptors to fit, suction, position and if you use the let down setting. Pumping also needs practice to get it in the right position and you in the right frame of mind. If you're stressed or concentrating on something else, nothing comes. I can't pump with the baby even in the same room, but am fine at work.

Same for me. I felt like a cow when DD was feeding but at the first sight of the pump, which I took to work, very little happened.

Totally (within the realm of) normal. Babies are much more efficient than breast pumps.

To answer your other questions:

1. Try expressing in the morning and/or try expressing when baby is near or you can see a photo. Breast compressions while pumping may also help. You could also try hiring different pumps/try different size attachments.

2. It's completely fine not to bother. I barely pumped at all with babies 2 and 3 as the effort for only a few ml at a time (my breasts don't respond well to pumps) really wasn't worth it. There are lots of reasons why people do (work, wanting a break/sleep, etc.) but it's really not essential.

I don't get why anyone would want to pump if they've got leave though. I went back to work at 5 months so need to to maintain my supply and keep baby fed at nursery. For a one-off evening out or emergency, premade is fine. They can also go for a few hours once they're past the new born stage which is a reasonable gym or pub session, and before (or even after) that just take the baby to the pub with you! I think the pressure comes from pump marketing and bleeding in of culture from places when women go back to work early. Where it's normal like here, there's much more support available which makes it easier.

Me too. With baby number 3 it didn't really feel as though I had much supply at all (and pumping was pointless) but she thrived (and breastfeeding is still ongoing at 18 months, albeit reducing now)... Our bodies/breasts are amazing!

I was never able to get anything by hand expressing, never leaked milk. But my baby fed perfectly well and I breastfed (combination fed) for eight months. I used formula once a day to have a break. I think women get put under a lot of pressure to pump (GP and health visitors were awful about it) & it's not an option (or desirable) for everyone.

Only time I could express milk was first thing in the morning, the rest of the day I’d get nothing.

I pumped (not recommended!) furiously on day 3 and 4 as I had a caesarean and I feel no-one explicitly said right, it'll impact milk as your body didn't go through labour, boobs won't get the memo until later (day 5!)
I obviously got very little, caused problems, so I wasn't super keen after that!
I did however use a "catcher" on the opposite side when I was feeding. I used to leak a little whilst feeding (needed a muslin tucked in), but never leaked in between feedings/didn't use breast pads, so i didn't expect much.
I used to get over 4oz in a feed (both sides combined).
I used the elvie curve pump (it's what it's called, not a pump), it self suctioned.

Let down of milk can often need an emotional response to trigger it. Otherwise you would be leaking milk all day. You most notice the feeling of let down when your breasts are very full and you are lifting your hungry screaming baby towards you, it's a weird hot flushy feeling in the boobs. Expressing does not have that emotional aspect to it, so for some people it's hard to get the milk to start flowing. They do say sometimes if you want to express it can help looking at a picture of your baby. I was the same I just couldn't express (even looking at a photo) but I breast fed perfectly efficiently. It felt like I fed my kids by magic: I never really leaked, couldn't express and they were hardly ever sick so I never saw any evidence of my milk apart from the fact that my kids got bigger.

I was the same. Only managed to express in the morning when a breast felt really full. Would have to express from the fuller one usually managed a 4oz bottle and put the baby on the other side.

Pumping was awful for me, expressed very little but baby cpuld happily feed. Used to stress me out SO much. I got on better with a manual pump but still wasn’t very productive. Don’t worry it does not mean you’re not producing properly.

What machine are you using. ? I tried a fairly basic one and nothing. Bought a £££ one and out came the milk.

Sorry didn't read the OP carefully enough and didn't realise you had baby on the other breast. Apologies for patronising post!

Thanks everyone
tbh I was pretty impressed with DC’s ability to come along and guzzle milk out after the failed pump 😂
Actually after this post I managed to get a little bit of milk. I’d say 10ml 😂😂😂 I just don’t really get the pumping hype at all. What with the washing sterilising pumping all for ten ml… I will keep at it for a week but if no luck dc will be having a formula bottle if i want to go to the gym
@BalloonSlayer no probs your post was helpful anyway

Ah pumping works well for some, not so for others. Babies use a combination of positive and negative pressure, plus their saliva kicks starts oxytocin which helps the let down.

Any pump only uses one type of pressure (can't remember which!) plus no oxytocin. Haven't read the other advice but don't look at the pump whilst it's going (it honestly stops it working!). Watch a feeling good film and hve baby on the other breast. Keep persevering and your body will get used to it :) x