Help Pumping

Hi J.,

This always worked for me. Have someone watch the kids while you take a warm (or hot) bath! It's all I had to do to get my milk flowing on its own! I didn't even have to try to relax. Just try it, see if it works for you. I was in the same situation when I was breastfeeding. I hope it helps!

C. K

Have you tried pumping immediately after you breastfeed? That seemed to boost my milk production for pumping. Good luck!

The best thing that helped me was to put my baby in my lap or lay him beside me.It is amazing what you motherly instints can do.

It always helped me to hear my baby cry. Unfortunatley, it also worked when someone elses baby cried as well. Try to record your baby when he is crying, and play it back when trying to pump. What also helped was laying a hot wash cloth on my breast. I hope this helps!
A. J.

Don't worry about pumping right now, unless you are producing lots of extra milk. your baby is only 2 weeks old and will have growth spurts at three weeks and again at 3 months. During those spurts he'll probably nurse every couple of hours. After that, you should be able to pump with no problem.

Hi,
You've received a lot of great advice, but most important to me is to not pump until at least 4 weeks, if at all possible. You do not mention if you are currently working or not, but it generally takes about 3 weeks for you to establish a supply. Your body is still adjusting to the needs of your son, so allow yourself and your baby to figure out exactly how much you need. Then start pumping.

When you do pump, I highly recommend fennel tea. You can buy fennel seeds in bulk at a health food store. Then get a tea strainer. Use 1-1.5 teaspoons per cup of boiling water. Add honey. It's an odd taste, but you get used to it. It worked wonders for me and a couple of friends, has no side effects, and is gentle. You can safely take about 3 cups per day, but work up to it. Fennel is a mild diuretic, so you may need to pee a lot!

Good luck,
M.
http://onenaturalmother.blogspot.com/

Make the pumping your time. I use to read, look at pictures, work on my baby book, watch a favorite tv program...and my favorite was to rock. I would sort of drift away and almost meditate. I did have to set the timer b/c i would totally loose track of time.

What kind of a pump are you using?

OK - this is going to sound absolutely silly, but it has worked for me and I have nursed three children. Picture your baby in the bathtub and then imagine and visualize your milk leaving your body and filling the bathtub. I can't remember where I got this interesting little tip, but it worked for me. Crazy right?? :)
Good luck and don't stop trying.

L.

I was encouraged not to start pumping until my baby was around 4 weeks of age, if possible. Gives your body time to adjust and get a good supply down for your child. If you have to, relax, and give yourself plenty of time, don't rush the pump,,,it can stress you out if you are trying to rush to get back to the baby's needs. Your milk will increase, so don't push it this early with trying to pump up a supply. Also, the advice on a proper fit is important!! Good luck and congrats on being successful with breastfeeding.

I think a lot of you women should be ashamed at yourself for telling J. to just give up. Just because you didn't get any milk out and you gave up doesn't mean she should. I'm a stay at home mom and I pump and breastfeed. I pump so my husband can help, so when we (hubby and I) decided to go to dinner or a movie. The person babysitting my son wont have any trouble feeding him and they both wont get stressed out. Their is nothing worse than babysitting someone kid who wont take a bottle. All the child will do is scream and cry and get worked up, and the person babysitting will begin to stress out and freak out.

J., Your sons is two weeks old. Your son could be draining you everytime he eats. If you really want to pump and store milk. Try pumping before you feed him. You will never get all the milk out of your breast pumping. If you try pumping first, then feeding your son will drain you and stimulate your breast to increase your milk supply. It will not happen in 2 or 3 day. You need to do it for about a week straight. Or you can set yourself up with a schedule for pumping 2 times a day, morning and at night. The key with helping to increase your milk supply is being consistant<sp>. I had a hard time pumping. Sometime I'd get some milk out and sometimes not. If your pumping after he eats you probably wont get anything out. If you pump before he eats, or while he's sleeping You'll get more out. You do need to try not to stress out about it. That could also be the reason why. Again it happened to me. Hubby wanted to help feed so bad, that I was stressing out about it. While I told myself it will happened and I had a wonderful group of girls that kept incourageing me. My son is 3 1/2 months old and sometime I can only get 2ounce, and sometimes 6ounces. If you want to put a big demand on your breasts, pump before you feed and after, all day long. The more you put a demand on your breast (nursing or pumping) will body should respond. Another big thing..... Don't forget to drink water, cool aid, power aid... anything (just about) to stay hydrated. Not drinking enough could knock your supply down. If you need any more encouragement, drop me a line. Hope this helps.

p.s. This info was given to me froma friend who could pump an 8 ounce bottel everytime she pumped. She feed her son on one side and pumped the other everytime she nurse. When she stopped breastfeeding, she still had enough milk in the freezer to feed her son breastmilk for an entire month.

Good Luck girl!!!!

If you pump exclusively you need a hospital grade pump or your milk wont let down. buy or rent a medela Lactina pump (I bought one on Ebay for about 350.00 they retail new for over 1K and they rent for like 40-60 a month)

when you pump, pump until you are empty so you will pump for longer than 10 minutes on each breast. many women start the let down at about 10 minutes on a pump so you will need to pump about 20 -25 minutes per side... I pumped for 3 boys this way and was able to pump 40-60 ounces per day (I know its a lot more than most).

You will know you have started letting doen when the milk really squirts fast and hard out of the breast and sometimes you need to use the pump on a higher suck level I always had mine on the higest level. then once you are empty (only a few drops are commiing out) pump about 3-5 minutes past that to tell your breasts you need more milk the next time. '

It worked for me. feel free to contact me privately for more info.

A. J

I would definitely try pumping before feeding if possible. Also have a picture of the baby to look at while you are pumping. Both helped me tremendously.

I would make sure that your husband takes your 5 year old for some quality "daddy time" so you have total peace and quiet/ I can imagine that it is difficult to balance the needs of two kids!

Also, my dr. recommended having a beer right before (or during nursing) to relax. While I know this is contraversial, you may consider asking your dr. about it or doing some research to see if it is something you feel comfortable doing.

you can try pumping after you breast feed - you milk will have already come down so once you actually get the pump to go you might get over that hump.

Yes.
There are so many and I'm sure you've tried some, but you haven't listed any so I'll hit a few:

Before nursing take a hot shower - I know you don't have time, but try to relax.

After nursing pump as long, on both sides, as your child nursed. (Even if you pump your breast dry) This encourages multiple let downs and, if you do this consistently you will have LOTS of milk stored.

If you can't seem to get through it then have a glass of wine or a beer while you pump. The milk you retrieve will be fine, but the NEXT feeding will have to be from a bottle while you pump and dump the milk.

Hot packs or a massage will help you relax.

Calm music.

Running water.

And then gt ready to be friends with that little machine. It was my "best friend" for a long time ... in fact I had two of them in case one burned out. I breast fed and pumped through both of my children and fed them well - and donated more than 15 gallons to the Mother's Milk Bank of Austin.

at 2 weeks you're just beginning your supply, so be patient ... if you're getting along fine right now, you'll be okay -- just relax.

As silly as it may sound, have you tried taking deep breaths while you are feeding him? How about proping your feet up on an ottoman?

Unless you need to pump for backup milk, why do you need to pump yet? After a little more time getting usesd to a new baby an running after your other one, you'll probably relax enough to be able to pump. Laying a warm wet wash rag on your breast just before pumping may help if you need to pump anyway.

I had the Medela breast pump with a letdown button. It was great! 10 minutes and I was done and it was the fatty milk.

The baby's always better of course, but if you can adjust the speed, start it on 'quick' and then turn it down to slow & steady once the milk starts coming out. That kind of simulates how infants suck. Looking at your baby while pumping can sometimes help as well. Try to relax - I'm sure you're stressed, and stressing about it. Find a lactation consultant if you don't already have one - they can be very helpful.

If you have a 2 week old that is nursing "great", you should only be pumping what is left over after he nurses. If you are trying to pump a whole bottle for him so someone else can feed him, wait another couple of weeks to let you and your son get a routine down. Then you will be more relaxed.

Keep a picture of the little guy with your pump and focus on his health and nutrition as you begin to pump. Otherwise maybe rearanging your schedule so you don't have to pump if that's possible. I never had good luck with getting any milk pumping until my third baby. I think the cow stigma prevents us beauties from pumping effectively. haha The picture helped me and even getting a little is better than none. Good luck and stick with it!

First, congratulations! Second, enjoy this new baby "honeymoon" and let your body recover for another week or two before you worry about pumping too much. If you are trying all the recommendations, then nurse your baby and rest.

When I've needed to increase my milk supply, I used the switch nursing method: putting the baby to each breast 2x/feeding. Each time he seems to slow down, doze off, etc., you take him off & put him on the other side. A day or two of this method always increased my milk.

Best wishes...

I never was able to pump a whole lot either. Here are a few things I can think of that might help.. take a warm shower right before you pump, drink a glass of wine. Massage your breasts as you pump, make sure you are drinking lots of water throughout the day.

Other than that, you might check out www.kellymom.com there is always lots of good breastfeeding info. on there.

You are also welcome to attend the free breastfeeding support group I attend. It is led by a professional lactation consultant who may have some good tips. The moms that attend have had a wide range of breastfeeding experiences and may have some tips for you too. The group is called For BAbies Sake and meets every Tues. night at 7pm at the South Arlington Church of Christ at 830 Eden Rd. Arlington TX 76001. It is a great group of ladies. We always have a good time so I hope we'll see you there. Good luck!

It's normal for your body not to respond as well to the pump as you would your own baby, Ihad the same problem when I went back to work. My trick that seemed to work...and it sounds funny...but reading the instructions on pumping from the manual or just looking at pictures of my beautiful son did the trick. I also only pumped one side at a time, that way I have a free hand to do these things and I didn't feel as much like a cow being pumped for milk! :-) Good luck!

The only thing that worked for me is to get a hands free pumping bra (The Nesting Place in Grapevine or www.thenestingplace.biz) and pump one side while baby is nursing on the other side. I went from pumping 1 oz. to 7 oz. Good Luck!

I have always pumped first thing in the morning, and before feeding the baby. I have a really comfortable chair and turn on the TV and just try to relax. The relaxation in the key for me. It's much like that old adage that a watched pot never boils... well, same thing. If I watch that bottle, it won't fill up. If I can get my mind off of it, I can look down 10 minutues later and I have several ounces. Are you using an electric pump? I use an Avent Isis IQ Duo. You really do need to get a great pump. Best of luck!

I got tired of soaking my shirt on one side while we nursed on the other side, so I started pumping one and nursing on the other. It takes a little coordination at first, but it takes advantage of the letdown from nursing, which helps a bunch!

I agree with the "sizing" issue. I needed bigger "funnels" then the standard size, and it helped tremendously! Also, check that all your tubes are connected tightly, and the pump is working properly... it could be the pump. Also, try to pump both sides at the same time for more stimulation. Good luck!

I have three sisters who nursed and recommend this method for me and it works! I fed my daughter on one side, then pumped the other side with her close by me i.e. lying on bed or couch. Why this seems to work is because your body is already relaxed and primed and will continue to respond to your little one's presence. Eventually, I was able to nurse then go into another room to pump. I know trying to relax when things are working the way we need them to. Just remember even though nursing is natural, it can be hard for some of us (most I know). You are not alone, and I promise if keep going it will get better. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi J.,
The best advice I was ever given to help with pumping was from my lactation consultant. She helped me properly fit the breast shield size and we even found that one breast required a different size shield than the other. As soon as that was resolved, my milk started flowing! When I was using the wrong size shield, I was only pumping 1/4 oz at a time and after, I got up to 4 oz. Just a thought...

Why are you pumping? If baby is nursing great, then don't worry about increasing supply! More is not better, as long as baby is getting what he needs (pees and poops, gaining weight), relax and enjoy your baby! Pumping is not a requirement of breastfeeding (lots of moms breastfeed for a year or more and never touch a pump) unless you have a particular reason.

If it is to increase supply, then you would be doing it after baby nurses (baby is always best for stimulating suppy) and the point is to increase stimulation, not to necessarily get out a lot of milk. If baby is nursing great, then don't worry about increasing supply! More is not better, as long as baby is getting what he needs (pees and poops, gaining weight), relax and enjoy your baby!

If it is to store up supply for going back to work, you may want to wait awhile before working on that. Let your body adjust to lactating again, get used to having two children, and enjoy your baby. When it's a couple weeks before you back to work, then start building up a freezer supply.

If it's so someone else can feed the baby, remember he may not be taking more than a couple ounces per feeding so huge quantities aren't needed. You may find it easier to just nurse the baby rather than pump, clean parts, clean bottles, etc. Have dad bring baby to you at night and nurse in bed, then have dad lay baby back down, change diaper, etc. You still get lots more rest. You'd probably have to get up during the night to pump anyway because your breasts would be full!

Information below about correct pump flange sizing is good. A good lactaction consultant could help with this.

Good luck and congratulations on your baby!

Some of the following things helped me: A warm shower before you pump, and this sounds weird but fondle your breasts, sort of push down and towards the nipple gently. I also liked to turn my pump on low and sort of let it work up to it slowly increasing the suction after about a minute. Or you could let baby get you started.

Congrats on the new baby!

My fav. things to do while pumping were: talk on the phone to someone I like, look at a mag., read a book, listen to music! Made the time pass in a snap! Otherwise, I'd just sit perched on the side of the chair staring at the clock! :)

I used to smell burp cloths that my son had spit up on. I know it sounds really gross, but it made me think of him and that seemed to do the trick. I would also pump in the room with him while he was sleeping, that helped too. I know it's so frustrating when you're trying to pump and can't. Hang in there, it'll happen.

Speaking from experience (breastfed 2 kids and couldn't pump an ounce for either), if you don't HAVE to pump, give up. It would take me almost an hour to get 4 ounces, no matter what I did or which pump I used. I was a cow for the babies, I just couldn't get anything in the stupid bottles. I stay home, and just learned to be discreet when nursing in public and it worked much easier. If you're not working, then I would just say to keep a thin receiving blanket in your diaper bag at all times to cover up with. :D
Good luck.
Feel free to email me if you have nay questions or need to vent! It hasn't been that long since I weaned #2, and I'm due with #3 in 8 weeks, so I'll be there again soon enough!! :D

I agree with others, at two weeks your milk supply is just becoming established and I would not pump now if you don't have to. One tip is to pump at the same time your baby is nursing if you can manage it. Hold the baby with one hand and the pump with the other, and sit in front of a table so you can set the pump down. If it continues to be a problem, say after 6 weeks or so, or you really *have* to pump, I would start looking into different types of pumps. Maybe call a lactation consultant and see what they think.

have you tried looking at a photo of your baby while you pump? I also used to breathe deeply. another thing I did was to read. try anything that relaxes you.

congratulations on your new baby!

also remember that when your newborn nurses they don't get much at a time, so you won't pump much at a time. You shouldn't expect to fill a 4 oz bottle if your baby is still only really drinking 2 oz. It looks horribly depressing to do all that work and only get 2 ounces, but your body increases it's supply as you baby drinks more, and eventually you'll be pumping big ol' 9 ounce bottles in minutes flat.

Unfortately, pumping just isn't as effective as a little baby is in getting milk to flow for most of us. My only advice, and it's hard I know from personal experience, is not to get hung up in the amount you produce. The amount you pump is not an accurate measue of how much you produce or how much your baby gets. Only by weighing the baby on a medical scale (not a bathroom scale so don't even think about it) before and then after nursing can you get an idea of that. (Yes I've had to do that -- ugh.) Also, try pumping the other breast while the baby nurses. That way you can maybe relax a little more. I also found that reading/watching tv or drinking a small amount of beer or wine helped me get my mind off things.

Here are a couple of links that may help you too:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/27expressing_milk.html

Good luck and congrats on the new baby!