Ameda Purely Yours Pump?

Or maybe it's me.

Of course this is the week I'm trying to pump extra to make sure I
have enough when I leave DD for 2.5 days next week.

I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

Another issue may just be me, and that is I'm pumping less and less
lately. I never was able topump a lot, but usually pump 4-6ozs per
session, unless I'm pumping just after I feed DD. Normally that's fine
because I have a stash and DD barely eats 4oz per session anyway.
However now, in the past 2 weeks or so, same time frame as the pump
problem, I'm lucky to get 3oz per session. Now the last few days I've
pumped more often, so that could be it, but the problem started
before, and the extra pumping session yields so little, I'm not up to
a 'normal' amount in 4+ pumpings per day that I used to get in 2
sessions. So of course I'm paranoid my supply is dwindling....I eat
oatmeal all the time, that used to give me a huge boost in the
morning, but now has no effect. I drink Mother's Milk Tea ALL THETIME
- i basically want something hot and can't have caffeine, so I drink
that a lot, though I've never noticed it being useful. I do often, but
not daily, drink tea made of fennel seeds. The one thing I haven't
tried is fenugreek, which I'll start this weekend.

I may have hit myself because I took sudafed 2x this week. I generally
avoid it but had a horrible cold and had to give a talk (on Flu
prevention...) and needed to at least sound clear. I know the risk is
a hit in supply, altho I think it was already happenig. Also with each
cold in the last few months (1 every 6 weeks!), I've been able to take
one dose of sudafed at night for a few nights with no effect on my
supply...

As for whether it's really my supply or the pumping I'm not sure...DD
nurses for 1-2 hrs straight in the evening, then every 3 hrs all night
for um..awhile, I'm half asleep so not sure how long. I *think* she
has normal wet diapers....she's in disposable at daycare and the
sitter doesn't change them as often as I would, so that's not a good
picture. One the weekends with cloth, generally she has 8-10 wet
diapers a day, although I've noticed in the evenings she used to have
at least one before bed, and then be totally soaked in the morning.
Now she doesn't have the earlier one and is wet but not soaked in the
am. I'll pay lose attention this weekend. She doesn't act super
hungry, but then she barely eats during the day at daycare anyway.

So...if you made it this far - does it sound like my pump? Any
suggestions?

On Feb 2, 4:38 pm, "CJRA" wrote:
Or maybe it's me.

Of course this is the week I'm trying to pump extra to make sure I
have enough when I leave DD for 2.5 days next week.

I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

This sounds like a pump problem. I'm not familiar with the purely
yours,
I used a pump in style. The PIS has a little flap that goes over this
thing
and sometimes that flap needs to be replaced. I'd check all the
connections, maybe switch out parts - the little cup thingy is
probably
key (since the PIS's little thingy seems to be - you might replace
that. But if you are swapping sides and still have the problem with
the one side having less suction, that's probably the problem. It's
probably worth a call to Ameda and see what they think.

And the sudafed probably didn't help! But really, it sounds like
your
pump isn't working properly. Hopefully it's not pump resistance.
Sometimes women get that where they were pumping just fine
and then they can't anymore. I don't know if there is a solution for
that. My pump output decreased but DD2 was closer to 9-10
months.

Good luck!

Mary W.

"CJRA" wrote in message
ups.com...
Or maybe it's me.

Of course this is the week I'm trying to pump extra to make sure I
have enough when I leave DD for 2.5 days next week.

I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

Another issue may just be me, and that is I'm pumping less and less
lately. I never was able topump a lot, but usually pump 4-6ozs per
session, unless I'm pumping just after I feed DD. Normally that's fine
because I have a stash and DD barely eats 4oz per session anyway.
However now, in the past 2 weeks or so, same time frame as the pump
problem, I'm lucky to get 3oz per session. Now the last few days I've
pumped more often, so that could be it, but the problem started
before, and the extra pumping session yields so little, I'm not up to
a 'normal' amount in 4+ pumpings per day that I used to get in 2
sessions. So of course I'm paranoid my supply is dwindling....I eat
oatmeal all the time, that used to give me a huge boost in the
morning, but now has no effect. I drink Mother's Milk Tea ALL THETIME
- i basically want something hot and can't have caffeine, so I drink
that a lot, though I've never noticed it being useful. I do often, but
not daily, drink tea made of fennel seeds. The one thing I haven't
tried is fenugreek, which I'll start this weekend.

I may have hit myself because I took sudafed 2x this week. I generally
avoid it but had a horrible cold and had to give a talk (on Flu
prevention...) and needed to at least sound clear. I know the risk is
a hit in supply, altho I think it was already happenig. Also with each
cold in the last few months (1 every 6 weeks!), I've been able to take
one dose of sudafed at night for a few nights with no effect on my
supply...

As for whether it's really my supply or the pumping I'm not sure...DD
nurses for 1-2 hrs straight in the evening, then every 3 hrs all night
for um..awhile, I'm half asleep so not sure how long. I *think* she
has normal wet diapers....she's in disposable at daycare and the
sitter doesn't change them as often as I would, so that's not a good
picture. One the weekends with cloth, generally she has 8-10 wet
diapers a day, although I've noticed in the evenings she used to have
at least one before bed, and then be totally soaked in the morning.
Now she doesn't have the earlier one and is wet but not soaked in the
am. I'll pay lose attention this weekend. She doesn't act super
hungry, but then she barely eats during the day at daycare anyway.

So...if you made it this far - does it sound like my pump? Any
suggestions?


Hi
My DD will not feed on the breast so I have been expressing it in to a
bottle for months now. All I would say is try to pump every time you finish
feeding and do that for say three days and that will give you a picture of
if its your pump or you are making less milk. And if more milk comes then
you could if its possible then try to pump after each feed. And if its the
pump then you may have to get a new one I us a hand held avent one. But I
would say that after 21 weeks of doing it every four hours your hands and
arms do hurt and you will have to rest them alot.

I dont think it was the meds that is making you get less milk. Just be
careful that you do not take too much of the meds because it will go into
your milk.

As long as her weight is going up and she is happy I would not worry if she
is eatting less milk my DD went from 1500ml a day to 800ml and she is happy
healthy and is putting on weight. But if you are worred then I would say go
to the doc.

Tishtash

I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

that's very bizarre, the way it works, they should be exactly the same,
unless a part in the on with weaker suction is damaged, you say it's not the
tubes, have you checked the little divider thing, if there is a bit of dirt
in there that might be enough to affect it, same at the other end of the
tubing, check the caps, check the membranes. It could be any of the 4 points
where a tube attaches to something else and it being the something else that
is damaged, not the tube, so replacing the tube has no effect.

It surprises me what the consequence then is though, I had a very strong let
down and flow for several weeks with number 2 and I never got an upwards
splash, maybe the odd droplet that had no effect, so you could play with the
angle you are at when pumping, I was always leaning a bit forwards so even
with the super shooting (we're talking 10+ individual jets), whilst there
was some turbulance and foaming, it never seemed to go where you are talking
about.

When you say one side, do you mean it's always one breast, or just one half
of the pump set? I suppose theoretically the shape of your breast on one
side could be subtly different and it's not fitting as well (I'm thinking of
the weaker side here, the way the mechanism is, it is one side under
performing, rather than one over performing in my mind), some vaseline
around the horn could help this (or lanolin, olive oil etc.).

I can't see anyway it could be the pump itself, which means a brand new
collection set might be a good option, they aren't supposed to last
indefinitely and you have been using it a lot.

Another issue may just be me, and that is I'm pumping less and less
lately. I never was able topump a lot, but usually pump 4-6ozs per
session, unless I'm pumping just after I feed DD. Normally that's fine
because I have a stash and DD barely eats 4oz per session anyway.
However now, in the past 2 weeks or so, same time frame as the pump
problem, I'm lucky to get 3oz per session. Now the last few days I've
pumped more often, so that could be it, but the problem started
before, and the extra pumping session yields so little, I'm not up to
a 'normal' amount in 4+ pumpings per day that I used to get in 2
sessions. So of course I'm paranoid my supply is dwindling....I eat
oatmeal all the time, that used to give me a huge boost in the
morning, but now has no effect. I drink Mother's Milk Tea ALL THETIME
- i basically want something hot and can't have caffeine, so I drink
that a lot, though I've never noticed it being useful. I do often, but
not daily, drink tea made of fennel seeds. The one thing I haven't
tried is fenugreek, which I'll start this weekend.

pump resistance is a common phenomenon, but usually a little later than
this, maybe 9-10 mths, but that doesn't mean this isn't what you are
experiencing. I actually think 4-6oz per session at this age is pretty darn
good and would consider 3oz to be very normal, it's when you start only
getting 1 you really have a problem. But with mechanical problems you
describe, I'd suspect those first than pump resistance at this stage.

I may have hit myself because I took sudafed 2x this week. I generally
avoid it but had a horrible cold and had to give a talk (on Flu
prevention...) and needed to at least sound clear. I know the risk is
a hit in supply, altho I think it was already happenig. Also with each
cold in the last few months (1 every 6 weeks!), I've been able to take
one dose of sudafed at night for a few nights with no effect on my
supply...

hmm, it definitely could be having an effect, I'd try an avoid it if
possible, there are a number of other theraputic tricks, but I'm not the one
to ask, fingers crossed someone will have some good ideas!

As for whether it's really my supply or the pumping I'm not sure...DD
nurses for 1-2 hrs straight in the evening, then every 3 hrs all night
for um..awhile, I'm half asleep so not sure how long. I *think* she
has normal wet diapers....she's in disposable at daycare and the
sitter doesn't change them as often as I would, so that's not a good
picture. One the weekends with cloth, generally she has 8-10 wet
diapers a day, although I've noticed in the evenings she used to have
at least one before bed, and then be totally soaked in the morning.
Now she doesn't have the earlier one and is wet but not soaked in the
am. I'll pay lose attention this weekend. She doesn't act super
hungry, but then she barely eats during the day at daycare anyway.

she's fine! you said in another post she'd having solids about 4 times a
week, is there any reasons you're not doing it every day? your body might be
a bit confused if she is eating slightly less on the days she has some
solids (she probably isn't, but you never know), I can't think of any strong
rationale for it, but it would seem to me that once you introduce solids,
you want to just keep offereing at the same time each day, babies that don't
start solids until 6 mths sometimes ramp up in the amount of solids they are
consuming quite quickly.

So...if you made it this far - does it sound like my pump? Any
suggestions?

If this were me, I'd be online ordering a new milk collection set straight
away, I'm not sure what the price is, when I got one it was definitely more
than it must have cost as part of the complete set and did seem a bit
pricey, but we're only talking about the same as 2-3 cans of formula even
so. I got confused as where I bought mine from, they were sold as individual
kits, so you had to buy two to double pump. Temporarily you could see what
happens if you single pump with the strong side at the right level,
obviously it takes longer, but it might reassure you that your supply is
fine and you just need to sort out the pump.

Cheers

Anne

"CJRA" wrote in message
ups.com...
Or maybe it's me.

Of course this is the week I'm trying to pump extra to make sure I
have enough when I leave DD for 2.5 days next week.

I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

Another issue may just be me, and that is I'm pumping less and less
lately. I never was able topump a lot, but usually pump 4-6ozs per
session, unless I'm pumping just after I feed DD. Normally that's fine
because I have a stash and DD barely eats 4oz per session anyway.
However now, in the past 2 weeks or so, same time frame as the pump
problem, I'm lucky to get 3oz per session. Now the last few days I've
pumped more often, so that could be it, but the problem started
before, and the extra pumping session yields so little, I'm not up to
a 'normal' amount in 4+ pumpings per day that I used to get in 2
sessions. So of course I'm paranoid my supply is dwindling....I eat
oatmeal all the time, that used to give me a huge boost in the
morning, but now has no effect. I drink Mother's Milk Tea ALL THETIME
- i basically want something hot and can't have caffeine, so I drink
that a lot, though I've never noticed it being useful. I do often, but
not daily, drink tea made of fennel seeds. The one thing I haven't
tried is fenugreek, which I'll start this weekend.

I may have hit myself because I took sudafed 2x this week. I generally
avoid it but had a horrible cold and had to give a talk (on Flu
prevention...) and needed to at least sound clear. I know the risk is
a hit in supply, altho I think it was already happenig. Also with each
cold in the last few months (1 every 6 weeks!), I've been able to take
one dose of sudafed at night for a few nights with no effect on my
supply...

As for whether it's really my supply or the pumping I'm not sure...DD
nurses for 1-2 hrs straight in the evening, then every 3 hrs all night
for um..awhile, I'm half asleep so not sure how long. I *think* she
has normal wet diapers....she's in disposable at daycare and the
sitter doesn't change them as often as I would, so that's not a good
picture. One the weekends with cloth, generally she has 8-10 wet
diapers a day, although I've noticed in the evenings she used to have
at least one before bed, and then be totally soaked in the morning.
Now she doesn't have the earlier one and is wet but not soaked in the
am. I'll pay lose attention this weekend. She doesn't act super
hungry, but then she barely eats during the day at daycare anyway.

So...if you made it this far - does it sound like my pump? Any
suggestions?


I had that exact same pump, and to be honest, I hated it.
It started off working fine, as far as I know, anyways. Shortly after using
it, I noticed that it wasn't sucking AT ALL. I found out shortly after it
stopped sucking all together that it was the little white thing that kind of
opens and closes to let milk pass through. It was completely cracked right
up the side. Wasn't keeping suction at all.
Then I noticed that it, again, wasn't sucking. It was also sounding VERY
stressed when in use. It sounded like the motor was working waaay too hard
for some reason. It would go iiiiiiiinnn - oooooooooooooooooooout... iiin -
oooooooout... It was very sporatic and it's kind of hard to explain. It
would suck forever then instantly unsuck, and vice versa. It also shook
real bad when in use. I had DH take the stupid thing apart and while the
case was off, he turned it on and there's like a little coily thing in it
that does the pumping... It moves back and forth and that's what made the
pump suck through the hose - only it was working very not right.
I then started getting extremely sore nipples. The skin was peeling off,
and I don't know if I could blame the pump - it never hurt to use before,
and it started to hurt REAL bad shortly after I had that red nipple problem
first show up. DD2 would nurse just fine and it wouldn't hurt (with the red
nipple issue) yet the pump would make me cry out in pain.

I could sometimes fill up the 2 bottles that came with the pump when I got
it - IIRC, they were 3oz bottles each. Sometimes I got more, sometimes
less. I just didn't care much for this particular breast pump. I don't
think it was made to use on a regular basis as I was told it's a smaller
electric pump, not a bigger, heavy-duty pump. The one I had kind of went in
the gutter and DH did manage to get it back working good enough for me to
return it to the health clinic where I had borrowed it from. Oddly enough,
the nurse came to pick it up just Wednesday morning. Good riddance to
that...

I would blame the pump, but that might be just because of my own sour
experience?

On Feb 2, 4:05 pm, "Anne Rogers" wrote:
I've been using this since Sept 25, and it's been great until the last
couple of weeks. One problem is that the suction on one side is too
strong -it makes the milk splash up, then the little cup thingy inside
gets wet and sticks to the side, so doesn't move properly, which seems
to affect the ability of the pump to work properly. So I turn the
suction down, but then the other side doesn't pump properly. I've
changed the tubes (well, I have a spare set at home I almost never
use), and it doesn't help. Any thoughts on what it could be? The pump
does sound like it's working harder, but maybe that's my imagination.

that's very bizarre, the way it works, they should be exactly the same,
unless a part in the on with weaker suction is damaged, you say it's not the
tubes, have you checked the little divider thing, if there is a bit of dirt
in there that might be enough to affect it, same at the other end of the
tubing, check the caps, check the membranes. It could be any of the 4 points
where a tube attaches to something else and it being the something else that
is damaged, not the tube, so replacing the tube has no effect.


Yeah, should be the same, I think the suction was just being affected
because of the milk backsplash, which I think now may be due to
positioning, but why only one side I don't know.

It surprises me what the consequence then is though, I had a very strong let
down and flow for several weeks with number 2 and I never got an upwards
splash, maybe the odd droplet that had no effect, so you could play with the
angle you are at when pumping, I was always leaning a bit forwards so even
with the super shooting (we're talking 10+ individual jets), whilst there
was some turbulance and foaming, it never seemed to go where you are talking
about.

I tried this morning to lean over a bit, which seemed to help. I
usually use rubber bands to hold it in place, making it 'hands free'
but that tends to makeit tilt upwards a bit, perhaps too much.



When you say one side, do you mean it's always one breast, or just one half
of the pump set?

Just one half of the pump set, and it varies - I don't have a left/
right 'cup' for the pump hose, so it doesn't always go on the same
side.

I suppose theoretically the shape of your breast on one
side could be subtly different and it's not fitting as well (I'm thinking of
the weaker side here, the way the mechanism is, it is one side under
performing, rather than one over performing in my mind), some vaseline
around the horn could help this (or lanolin, olive oil etc.).

I can't see anyway it could be the pump itself, which means a brand new
collection set might be a good option, they aren't supposed to last
indefinitely and you have been using it a lot.

grrrr....I already have a second collection set. I had one in hospital
which I used for 3 weeks when I was at the hospital pumping (but used
a Lactina at home). Then got a new set when I bought the pump. I'm not
sure which I had been using, but I switched to the other one on Friday
in hopes that would improve things and it didn't


Another issue may just be me, and that is I'm pumping less and less
lately. I never was able topump a lot, but usually pump 4-6ozs per
session, unless I'm pumping just after I feed DD. Normally that's fine
because I have a stash and DD barely eats 4oz per session anyway.
However now, in the past 2 weeks or so, same time frame as the pump
problem, I'm lucky to get 3oz per session. Now the last few days I've
pumped more often, so that could be it, but the problem started
before, and the extra pumping session yields so little, I'm not up to
a 'normal' amount in 4+ pumpings per day that I used to get in 2
sessions. So of course I'm paranoid my supply is dwindling....I eat
oatmeal all the time, that used to give me a huge boost in the
morning, but now has no effect. I drink Mother's Milk Tea ALL THETIME
- i basically want something hot and can't have caffeine, so I drink
that a lot, though I've never noticed it being useful. I do often, but
not daily, drink tea made of fennel seeds. The one thing I haven't
tried is fenugreek, which I'll start this weekend.

pump resistance is a common phenomenon, but usually a little later than
this, maybe 9-10 mths, but that doesn't mean this isn't what you are
experiencing. I actually think 4-6oz per session at this age is pretty darn
good and would consider 3oz to be very normal, it's when you start only
getting 1 you really have a problem. But with mechanical problems you
describe, I'd suspect those first than pump resistance at this stage.


hmmm, most people I know say they get anywhere from 8-12 oz per
session (I'm talking combined). This am I got just under 3 ozs total,
however DD did nurse all night long, so I wouldn't expect as much
first thing in the am.



I may have hit myself because I took sudafed 2x this week. I generally
avoid it but had a horrible cold and had to give a talk (on Flu
prevention...) and needed to at least sound clear. I know the risk is
a hit in supply, altho I think it was already happenig. Also with each
cold in the last few months (1 every 6 weeks!), I've been able to take
one dose of sudafed at night for a few nights with no effect on my
supply...

hmm, it definitely could be having an effect, I'd try an avoid it if
possible, there are a number of other theraputic tricks, but I'm not the one
to ask, fingers crossed someone will have some good ideas!

Yeah, I only took it 2x and not again. I would have just avoided
altogether (I usually do the hot lemon and honey thing) but I was so
stuffed up and having to give a talk - about flu - I felt I needed to
do something. It's kind fo a joke now that whenever I have a flu talk
I get a cold a few days before, so I'm coughing and sniffling away
while I'm telling people they should 'stay home if you're sick'....



As for whether it's really my supply or the pumping I'm not sure...DD
nurses for 1-2 hrs straight in the evening, then every 3 hrs all night
for um..awhile, I'm half asleep so not sure how long. I *think* she
has normal wet diapers....she's in disposable at daycare and the
sitter doesn't change them as often as I would, so that's not a good
picture. One the weekends with cloth, generally she has 8-10 wet
diapers a day, although I've noticed in the evenings she used to have
at least one before bed, and then be totally soaked in the morning.
Now she doesn't have the earlier one and is wet but not soaked in the
am. I'll pay lose attention this weekend. She doesn't act super
hungry, but then she barely eats during the day at daycare anyway.

she's fine! you said in another post she'd having solids about 4 times a
week, is there any reasons you're not doing it every day?

Well, at first she wasn't too excited about the solids so we didn't
push it. Basically I'd try every few days and see how'd she do. Now
she's a little more interested, so we're offering more, but not daily
more out of laziness, to be honest. On the weekends we offer a couple
of times per day, but during the week only in the evening, and that
will depend on how late it is when she finishes nursing after getting
home, us eating, bath time... We don't in the morning because she
usually nurses from 5-6am or so, then falls back to sleep so we leave
her until we have to wake her at 7:10 or so. The babysitter can start
giving her breakfast, but I wanted to wait til she was a little better
at eating. She was probably taking in only 10% of what we gave her.
Now it's about 40-50%.


your body might be
a bit confused if she is eating slightly less on the days she has some
solids (she probably isn't, but you never know),

She gets so little solids, I doubt that. She certainly is not nursing
less since we started solids. They're more for practice and learning
than nutrition.

I can't think of any strong
rationale for it, but it would seem to me that once you introduce solids,
you want to just keep offereing at the same time each day, babies that don't
start solids until 6 mths sometimes ramp up in the amount of solids they are
consuming quite quickly.

I guess I can see the usefulness as part of a routine.





So...if you made it this far - does it sound like my pump? Any
suggestions?

If this were me, I'd be online ordering a new milk collection set straight
away, I'm not sure what the price is, when I got one it was definitely more
than it must have cost as part of the complete set and did seem a bit
pricey, but we're only talking about the same as 2-3 cans of formula even
so. I got confused as where I bought mine from, they were sold as individual
kits, so you had to buy two to double pump. Temporarily you could see what
happens if you single pump with the strong side at the right level,
obviously it takes longer, but it might reassure you that your supply is
fine and you just need to sort out the pump.

eh, I already have 2....plus a medela set. Obviously I don't want to
buy a new pump. Oh...I'll figure something out.