Learning to let down for pump?

go iu writes:

I let down best if I read a novel while pumping. Just trying not to
think about pumping doesn't work for me. Usually about a minute or so
after I get really absorbed into the novel, I feel the letdown and it
knocks me out of my book trance and reminds that I'm pumping. =) When I
was pumping at home, I watched TV.

Thanks, I tried this this morning and it does really seem to help. (I
pumped 40ml - still not much, but a big percentage increase!)

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

jrogold writes:

Sidheag, Keep in mind that pumping during the day when your baby is
actively nursing will not yeild what a working mother gets when away
from her baby during the day. And your baby gets way more milk than you
may ever be able to get with the pump. If he is happy and healthy don't
sweat how much you pump.

Thanks - I know that really but it still helps to be reminded!

The one thing that jumped out at me about your post was that you said
the horn covers most of your breast while pumping. I would think that it
would be important for the horn to compress where the baby does, on the
areola while it suctions. When I pump there is some areola outside of
the horn and I can surely have enough breast area to massage if needed.
I do not have particularly large breasts either. I believe there are
different horn sized available. This may be something to explore. Also,
it can take some time to get used to letting down for the pump.
Certainly isn't as fun as nursing the baby.

I think we must be meaning different things by horn? (Can't imagine having
aureola outside what I mean by horn, ie outside the pump altogether!) How
can I tell whether I have the right size? It occurred to me the other day
that I have no idea how the size of my nipples compares to other
people's... My nipples fit inside the channel leading from the horn, and a
small amount of aureola gets drawn in by suction too, but most is still
outside the channel. I'd have thought that was probably right?

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Anne Rogers writes:

I'm not sure you can get smaller horns, only larger. By all the
descriptions I've read over on pumpmoms my horns are too small but by
your description too large (no areola visible outside, but the sides of
my nippledo rub the flange), but I have no problems with them (good
output, no soreness), so I've not investigated. Sideag, where did you
get your pump from, I recall you are in the UK. I got mine direct from
Ameda, they have been very good, so I'm sure if you give them a call
they could help. Ask me if you need the number.

Mine came direct from Ameda too so I have the number thanks. What is it
that the sides of your nipple rub, I'm confused? I'm trying to work out
whether I may have a size problem...

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Mom2Aries writes:

I wonder if the horn size could be part of your problem since you say
you're entire breast is inside the horn. I believe that you can get
smaller horns for the PY but I'm not sure. You might look into that...I
know some women have a drastic change for the better when they get horns
that fit.

Yup, I'm wondering about this. I thought it was nipple size that mattered
not breast size though?

My opinion is that your body just doesn't like the pump. Because you're
right, if that was the way your body actually supplied milk, your son
would not be happy. But I'm sure you can overcome it. I have a file
somewhere for helping let down, if I find it, I'll post it for you. Good
luck.

Thanks - it does sound as though I have to keep practising.

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Anne Rogers writes:

can you squeeze? I don't find massage helps once I've actually started,
but if I squeeze gently at the base of the breast it seems to help empty
the breast

I could - I'll try that, thanks.

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Mine came direct from Ameda too so I have the number thanks. What is it
that the sides of your nipple rub, I'm confused? I'm trying to work out
whether I may have a size problem...

basically my nipples seem to be very flexible and stretchy, all the areola
and nipple are drawn up into the tube, I often have 1.5cm of nipple/areola
in contact with the tube bit.

Oh, dear.
Yes, that would be discouraging, and you don't have to do it. If you
are pumping several times in one day, iirc, you can add the fresh milk
to the bottle and freeze it all at once or add the fresh on top of the
frozen. Even if you are freezing it in icecube trays, you can/should
put them into bags so they don't freezer burn and pick up odors from teh
rest of the stuff.

NO! I've got away with adding fresh to cooled, but adding fresh to frozen
will likely result in disaster, some of the milk can get defrosted and
frozen multiple times. I also don't freeze anything that's been in the
fridge for more than 12 hours.

Anne
(who's wasted far too much milk this week)

In article
, Anne
Rogers wrote:

Oh, dear.
Yes, that would be discouraging, and you don't have to do it. If you
are pumping several times in one day, iirc, you can add the fresh milk
to the bottle and freeze it all at once or add the fresh on top of the
frozen. Even if you are freezing it in icecube trays, you can/should
put them into bags so they don't freezer burn and pick up odors from teh
rest of the stuff.

NO! I've got away with adding fresh to cooled, but adding fresh to frozen
will likely result in disaster, some of the milk can get defrosted and
frozen multiple times. I also don't freeze anything that's been in the
fridge for more than 12 hours.

*However*

"You may add your fresh milk to what you have already frozen as long
as you chill the fresh milk first for about half an hour and it is a
smaller amount than the amount that you are adding it to. " sez
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com...ehandling.html

Molly Fisher wrote:

In article
, Anne
Rogers wrote:


Oh, dear.
Yes, that would be discouraging, and you don't have to do it. If you
are pumping several times in one day, iirc, you can add the fresh milk
to the bottle and freeze it all at once or add the fresh on top of the
frozen. Even if you are freezing it in icecube trays, you can/should
put them into bags so they don't freezer burn and pick up odors from teh
rest of the stuff.

NO! I've got away with adding fresh to cooled, but adding fresh to frozen
will likely result in disaster, some of the milk can get defrosted and
frozen multiple times. I also don't freeze anything that's been in the
fridge for more than 12 hours.


*However*

"You may add your fresh milk to what you have already frozen as long
as you chill the fresh milk first for about half an hour and it is a
smaller amount than the amount that you are adding it to. " sez
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com...ehandling.html

"got away with"? which horrendous disaster have you eked past?
Reference my post on risk.

It's unlikely that milk will be defrosted and refrozen "multiple
times"...try it and watch the layers. Only the very top bit of the top
layer will be melted briefly once.

I'd have to say Molly's reference gets my vote for "sensible yet safe"

Dawn

Yes, that would be discouraging, and you don't have to do it. If you
are pumping several times in one day, iirc, you can add the fresh milk
to the bottle and freeze it all at once or add the fresh on top of the
frozen. Even if you are freezing it in icecube trays, you can/should
put them into bags so they don't freezer burn and pick up odors from teh
rest of the stuff.

NO! I've got away with adding fresh to cooled, but adding fresh to frozen
will likely result in disaster, some of the milk can get defrosted and
frozen multiple times. I also don't freeze anything that's been in the
fridge for more than 12 hours.


*However*

"You may add your fresh milk to what you have already frozen as long
as you chill the fresh milk first for about half an hour and it is a
smaller amount than the amount that you are adding it to. " sez
http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com...ehandling.html

"got away with"? which horrendous disaster have you eked past?
Reference my post on risk.

I used to pump after each feeding when I had supply issues, I pumped into
the refrigerated milk in the bottle, some of that got kept for over a
month in the freezer no problems. However last week, I wasted about 4 bags
of milk, not entirely sure why, so I'm being ultra careful right now.