Frustrated pumping -- little milk for a lot of effort -- is this a letdown problem? a pump problem?

My son is 3 months old, and I try to pump at least every other day or
so, in order to make this work before I go back to work in a month.
Unfortunately, I cannot get more than 1-2 ounces out of each breast
at any one sitting, and it usually requires pumping for 20-30 minutes
(each breast!) It just drips, drips, drips, with occasional spurts,
and I can never actually empty it -- I need to then put my son on
afterwards to nurse the rest out.

I've tried the usual tricks (pumping in the a.m. when I'm rock-hard,
massaging/dangling the breasts before and during pumping, looking at
a pic of my son while pumping, playing with my son while pumping,
etc). Do I need a different pump? I'm using the Medela pump-in-style,
so the only higher grade would be a hospital-grade rental. Or is this
just a letdown issue? Help!

Leanne

"MarkG" wrote in message
om...
My son is 3 months old, and I try to pump at least every other day
or
so, in order to make this work before I go back to work in a month.
Unfortunately, I cannot get more than 1-2 ounces out of each breast
at any one sitting, and it usually requires pumping for 20-30
minutes
(each breast!) It just drips, drips, drips, with occasional spurts,
and I can never actually empty it -- I need to then put my son on
afterwards to nurse the rest out.

I've tried the usual tricks (pumping in the a.m. when I'm rock-hard,
massaging/dangling the breasts before and during pumping, looking at
a pic of my son while pumping, playing with my son while pumping,
etc). Do I need a different pump? I'm using the Medela
pump-in-style,
so the only higher grade would be a hospital-grade rental. Or is
this
just a letdown issue? Help!

Leanne

Have you tried to pump one side while your baby nurses on the other?
Some women find that makes the milk easier to pump.
I don't know any other suggestions, there are plenty of mom's who pump
here who can give more advice

Jen

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 19:59:42 GMT, "badgirl"
wrote:

Have you tried to pump one side while your baby nurses on the other?
Some women find that makes the milk easier to pump.
I don't know any other suggestions, there are plenty of mom's who pump
here who can give more advice

And are you drinking enough water? I used to drink a 20-oz glass 1/2
hour before pumping and a 20-oz glass during.

Anne

"MarkG" wrote in message
om...
My son is 3 months old, and I try to pump at least every other day or
so, in order to make this work before I go back to work in a month.
Unfortunately, I cannot get more than 1-2 ounces out of each breast
at any one sitting, and it usually requires pumping for 20-30 minutes
(each breast!) It just drips, drips, drips, with occasional spurts,
and I can never actually empty it -- I need to then put my son on
afterwards to nurse the rest out.

I've tried the usual tricks (pumping in the a.m. when I'm rock-hard,
massaging/dangling the breasts before and during pumping, looking at
a pic of my son while pumping, playing with my son while pumping,
etc). Do I need a different pump? I'm using the Medela pump-in-style,
so the only higher grade would be a hospital-grade rental. Or is this
just a letdown issue? Help!

Leanne

Sounds like letdown problem to me, as you sound full of milk. I know
Marshmallow herb is good for let down, and massage before and during
pumping.


HTH
K

In article ,
(MarkG) writes:

My son is 3 months old, and I try to pump at least every other day or
so, in order to make this work before I go back to work in a month.
Unfortunately, I cannot get more than 1-2 ounces out of each breast
at any one sitting, and it usually requires pumping for 20-30 minutes
(each breast!) It just drips, drips, drips, with occasional spurts,
and I can never actually empty it -- I need to then put my son on
afterwards to nurse the rest out.

You are using a PIS, so why are you doing one breast at a time? At least that
is what I assume when you say "20-30 minutes (each breast)".

WHen I had a double pump in the hospital, I was goign to do just one breast at
a time. I couldn't get anything out! Nothing! Then I tried doing both
breasts at the same time and WOW what a difference! What I didn't realize was
that that pump, like the PIS needs both sides to be "plugged up" so to speak,
in order to work. If you aren't double pumping, make sure to cover the other
little hole to create more suction for the side you are using.

koa
Still nursing James, 02/06/01
EP'ing for Joey 04/02/03 (BCP)

In article ,
(MarkG) writes:

My son is 3 months old, and I try to pump at least every other day or
so, in order to make this work before I go back to work in a month.
Unfortunately, I cannot get more than 1-2 ounces out of each breast
at any one sitting, and it usually requires pumping for 20-30 minutes
(each breast!) It just drips, drips, drips, with occasional spurts,
and I can never actually empty it -- I need to then put my son on
afterwards to nurse the rest out.


One trick I have found that I like is to double pump through 2
letdowns, then walk away and do something else for 5 minutes and come
pump again for a third let down to spend less time at the pump for the
same amount of milk.

I have never gotten more than 1.5 oz out of both breasts in a pumping
session though, so you are already ahead of me.

KC

Thanks for all the responses -- I do make sure that one side is
plugged up when I only pump one breast, and I often nurse the baby on
one side while pumping the other. Unfortunately, I don't usually have
enough hands to double pump (baby doesn't like to be put down). But
tomorrow morning when Dad's around, we'll try to double-pump and see
how it goes.

One question -- I talked to a lactation consultant today who advised
that I won't get much milk unless the suction is at its maximum after
letdown, but I can never make it go above medium without my nipple
really hurting! Any advice? She suggested lubrication w/milk or
water, but that doesn't seem to help much, and it's awfully messy!

Tx,
Leanne

In article ,
(Leanne G.) writes:

Thanks for all the responses -- I do make sure that one side is
plugged up when I only pump one breast, and I often nurse the baby on
one side while pumping the other. Unfortunately, I don't usually have
enough hands to double pump (baby doesn't like to be put down). But
tomorrow morning when Dad's around, we'll try to double-pump and see
how it goes.

One question -- I talked to a lactation consultant today who advised
that I won't get much milk unless the suction is at its maximum after
letdown, but I can never make it go above medium without my nipple
really hurting! Any advice? She suggested lubrication w/milk or
water, but that doesn't seem to help much, and it's awfully messy!

That's funny b/c the LC I saw in the hospital told me that women almost never
need to use the maximum suction and advised me against it! You'll have to
fiddle with the settings but you are right--don't use it if it is hurting you.
It should feel pretty akin to how baby sucks.

My baby likes to be held a lot as well and I have been confined to pumping when
he's napping or when daddy can hold him. The other day, though, I put him in
the bouncy seat, sat on the floor in front of him, and cooed and played with
him while I pump. It worked pretty well. Maybe it will work for you as well.


YOu might also want to rent a true hospital grade pump for a week or so to
compare that to the PIS. Even though the PIS is good, it's not quite as
effective, I hear, as a true hospital grade pump. Most places that rent them
will have a weekly fee as well as a monthly fee. May be worth $15 or so for a
week to see how it compares and if you have any better luck.


koa
Still nursing James, 02/06/01
EP'ing for Joey 04/02/03 (BCP)

"Leanne G." wrote in message
om...

One question -- I talked to a lactation consultant today who advised
that I won't get much milk unless the suction is at its maximum
after
letdown, but I can never make it go above medium without my nipple
really hurting! Any advice? She suggested lubrication w/milk or
water, but that doesn't seem to help much, and it's awfully messy!

Tx,
Leanne

Yep, I suggest rubbing some Lansinoh on your nipple before you put the
pump to your breast. I found that with something to make the suction
better I had an easier time of pumping when I needed to do it. You'll
have to wash the pump parts in hot soapy water after your done though
because it gets kind of greasy, but if it makes the milk come better
then the extra couple of minutes you spend cleaning the pump parts
would make it worth it.

Jen

I lubricate my nipples with vegetable oil; a trick I learned when I
exclusively pumped from an exclusively pumping board.

KC

(Leanne G.) wrote in message . com...
Thanks for all the responses -- I do make sure that one side is
plugged up when I only pump one breast, and I often nurse the baby on
one side while pumping the other. Unfortunately, I don't usually have
enough hands to double pump (baby doesn't like to be put down). But
tomorrow morning when Dad's around, we'll try to double-pump and see
how it goes.

One question -- I talked to a lactation consultant today who advised
that I won't get much milk unless the suction is at its maximum after
letdown, but I can never make it go above medium without my nipple
really hurting! Any advice? She suggested lubrication w/milk or
water, but that doesn't seem to help much, and it's awfully messy!

Tx,
Leanne