Pumping - Omaha, NE

I wish you lived in my area I'd give you Medela double breast pump. :(

Pumping has never worked for me. With my 2nd one I had the same issue. My milk never lets down unless I have a kid on one side. One thing that I did find that worked (sometimes) is if I stimulate my nipple to encourage the let down reflex. TMI I know, but that was the only that would work if she wasn't attached.

Good Luck.

Just give it some time (5-10 minutes or so) and the milk will start coming once you get the sensation of the pumping. It usually takes my milk some time to come in too. Your body/mind will get used to it. It'll work. If you need a pump with both sides that work. I'm getting rid of mine in the next month or so. I am done with it and both sides work. I live in Savage and work in Bloomington.

Lots of good advice to help with letdown. Have you tried supplementing your diet to increase milk production? The fuller the breast, the better the letdown. Fenugreek or fennel teas or pills at a natural food store work fine, but I found that I could feed the world if I incorporated fennel in my diet. Sometimes the licorice-y taste puts people off, but if you chop it up and put it in a soup (one of the last ingredients to throw in--just enough that it's tender)you won't even taste it. There are many recipes for this vegetable that enhance the licorice flavor, too (if you like black licorice or jelly beans!).

I am not a good pumper and had to supplement for a couple months with my daughter. I could never pump enough to equal what she was taking from a bottle. My son is 3 mos and I am pumping again, it's easier this time but I'm trying not to stress about it and I stocked my freezer as best I could before I went back to work. You definitely need to have a high grade pump that works. Buy a Medela or rent one. Take time while you're on maternity leave to pump whenever you can to stock your freezer. The more you can pump now, it may start to get easier for you as your body gets used to it. You could try taking Fenugreek or try the lactation cookies. I just made a batch this week and they seem to help my supply. Try not to stress about it as that will make it worse. BF whenever you can and pump the other side, just pump as much as you can and if you have to supplement with a little formula- it will still be better than no breastmilk at all.

It takes a lot of getting used to, and it is harder for your milk to let down. Especially if you are trying to hurry. Try to relax as much as possible. Another thing you can try is a hot wash cloth held over your breasts for a minute before pumping. I had the hardest time pumping on breaks at work because I felt bad that it took so much time, and then it would take longer cause I was trying to rush and get back to work. You'll get the hang of it.

are you talking about one side of the pump or one breast? hmm

contact a local or nearby la leche league. they will have many resources available to you, and might also have a member who dealt with this issue or something similar to give you advice or information! :D

www.askdrsears.com is also a good resource!

i'm pumping while i type :)
firstly, do you know why only one side of the pump works? i borrowed one as well and was having trouble, only to find out it was a minor problem- and was able to fix it. i called the lactation consultant at my peds clinic (southdale peds) and she was able to help me over the phone!
or, if you're willing to committ to it, you could purchase a pump yourself that has 2 working sides...
i seem to have almost 2 'letdowns' while pumping- right away, and then about 15 minutes later... i've talked to others who have similar sitations. and my right breast has always produced more milk than my left... almost twice as much! (although now it seems to be making more- my son is 6.5 mons old!)
good luck- pumping is a committment!!

A couple of things that might help - bring something that they have worn that smells like them, even a baby blanket. I know it sounds weird, but thinking about and even smelling that new baby smell helps with let down. Also, try getting up in the night to pump - it really stinks, especially if your baby is sleeping throught the night, but it helped me tremendously! Good luck - breastfeed as long as you possibly can, while supplementing as neeeded!

My son didn't take the breast, so I had to exclusively pump and give him my milk by the bottle for months and months... And the pump became my best friend. I know most people don't like pumping, but I was so thankful that it enabled me to give my son my milk. I believe this way of thinking helped me with the task tremendously.

Here are some ideas that may help with the letdown:
-putting a warm washcloth on the breast for a few minutes before pumping (this also helps when you have blocked ducts)
-gently massaging your breasts before starting to pump (I usually kept massaging during pumping to help the milk flow, similar to hand expression. My left breast would not completely empty otherwise.)
-taking deep relaxing breaths and closing your eyes
-thinking about your baby and imagining her breastfeeding. Concentrate on one breast and imagine your baby breastfeeding on the other. Or imagine it is your baby, not the pump that is "drinking" your milk.
-thinking how this milk will feed your baby and help her get nourished and grow up healthy
-don't worry if the milk does not start to come for a few minutes or more. It may take some time. The Madela electric pump has a 2 minute cycle to stimulate the breasts to help with the letdown. Sometimes my milk wouldn't start even after that, but needed a few more minutes. I also found out that it was harder to start a letdown after taking a shower -for some reason. Just something to keep in mind.

Good luck!