Can someone help with my questions about expressing please!? clueless at this.

[hanni]

I'm currently trying to boost my supply so I can get back to EBF from combining with formula so i'm using an ameda lactaline double pump and pumping/feeding directly 6-8 times a day.

I've just taken some pretty strong pain killers for an infection in my foot (yuk!), I'm feeling pretty drowsy and dizzy so think I've overdone it and don't want to pass them onto baby so I'm going to pump and dump. How long will it take until I can stop throwing it away?

Also, I always pump until it's totally stopped flowing into the bottle but no matter how long I've been pumping for/how long the milks stopped flowing for I can always still get plenty of milk out after by hand straight after and my breasts never completely empty. I only get between 1/2 -2 oz out of each breast per session. Is this normal or does my breast pump just not agree with me?

Thank you to anyone that can help!

 

[Fizzyfefe]

Unfortunately, no pump can empty your breasts like a baby. That is the same amount that I get, but my supply is low due to hormonal issues.

I'm not sure about pumping and dumping, sorry.

Below is an email that I got from a lactation consultant regarding boosting milk production. I hope it helps you!

Increasing Milk Production​

If you are trying to increase your milk volume, here are some tips that might help:
• Breastfeed your baby frequently, 8-12 times per day. Wake your baby for feedings every 2-3 hours if he doesn’t wake up on his own.

• Hold your baby close, skin to skin contact is best, and it has been shown to increase milk production, even if you are exclusively pumping. ( Hurst, N., Valentine, C., Renfro, L., et al. Skin-to-skin holding in the neonatal intensive care unit influences maternal milk volume. J Perinatol 1997 May-Jun; 17(3):213-7.)

• Place a warm wet compress on your breast for several minutes before feeding and/ or pumping. In addition, warming the breast shields before you pump can help you pump more milk.

• Massage your breast for a few minutes before feeding and/or pumping. Here is a web site with a video demonstrating massage techniques (click on the ‘Maximizing Milk Production’) https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/

• If you are exclusively pumping, try “power pumping”, pumping more frequently but for shorter periods of time. Here is a link with more instructions on power pumping: https://www.lowmilksupply.org/powerpumping.shtml

Another version of power pumping is to pump for 10 minutes, take a 10 minute break, pump another 10 minutes, then break, etc, for one hour. Do this once a day.

• If you are pumping frequently, don’t worry about washing your pump parts after every pumping. Place all bottles and breastshields, etc, in a Ziploc and store in the refrigerator between pumping sessions. Be sure to warm your breast shields before pumping.

• Using massage and compression as you breastfeed, will help your baby to get more breast milk at the breast, as well as increase the amount of hind milk the baby takes at the breast. (Jones, E., Dimmock, P., Spencer, S. A randomized controlled trial to compare methods of milk expression after preterm delivery. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2001; 85:F91-F95.)
Massaging as you pump will help increase the amount you pump as well. Using a hands free bra while pumping will make massaging as you pump easier. There are several types available, including the Easy Expressions bra by Medela, or one made by Simple Wishes. www.simplewishes.com

• Eat healthy whole grains, such as oatmeal, flax and barley. Here is a recipe for cookies that contain healthy grains:

https://www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346

• You might benefit from taking some herbal galatagogues.
• Motherlove makes 2 which are often effective, More Milk Plus and More Milk Special Blend. Use the Special Blend if you have smaller breasts, or have had breast implants, or breast surgery. More Milk Plus can be found at Walgreen’s, Sprout’s and Nurtured Family. Go to www.motherlove.com to find other suppliers.

• Other herbs to try, malunggay, shatavari, and fenugreek. Information about each of these can be found at: https://www.golacta.com/ and https://www.lowmilksupply.org/shatavari.shtml; https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-HRMS

• Domperidone information: https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-DGS

• I have no evidence for this, but many moms report drinking Gatorade everyday helps. Try drinking 32 ounces per day.

• If you have to supplement your baby after breastfeeding, make sure you pump your breasts the same number of times as you supplement. Use any breast milk that you are able to express first, for the supplements, then formula if no expressed breast milk is available. As your milk production increases, you can gradually decrease the amount of formula you are giving your baby. Always keep regular weight checks at your baby’s doctor’s office to make sure your baby is getting enough to eat and is gaining weight as expected.

• Consider renting a hospital grade breast pump. Hospital grade breast pumps are more effective at emptying your breasts, and therefore more effective at increasing milk production.

• Make sure you do not wear a restrictive bra, or one that is too tight. Sleeping on your stomach at night might affect your milk production.

These recommendations are provided as a reference only, for education and information regarding breastfeeding.
You should always consult your primary health care provider first, if you are concerned about the health and well being of yourself or your infant.

 

[hanni]

Thank you so much!! I didn't know about most of these. Definitely going to give them a try.

 

[AK89]

Pumping and dumping doesn't actually work like that.. You don't have to pump the milk out of your breasts in order to get rid of any milk that may contain something you've taken that you don't want baby to ingest, you just have to wait until it's out of your system. I'm not sure how long that'd be with antibiotics, you'd have to ask your doctor maybe? I know with alcohol it's roughly an hour per unit. You only pump and dump when you've drank alcohol (so I imagine it's the same with other things) to avoid missing out on a feeding session so you don't get engorged and your supply doesn't take a hit.

Do you mean you get up to 2oz per breast per session? That's good! That's about right really cos breastfed babies tend to take about 4oz per feeding session. That's more or less what I always get

 

[hanni]

Pumping and dumping doesn't actually work like that.. You don't have to pump the milk out of your breasts in order to get rid of any milk that may contain something you've taken that you don't want baby to ingest, you just have to wait until it's out of your system. I'm not sure how long that'd be with antibiotics, you'd have to ask your doctor maybe? I know with alcohol it's roughly an hour per unit. You only pump and dump when you've drank alcohol (so I imagine it's the same with other things) to avoid missing out on a feeding session so you don't get engorged and your supply doesn't take a hit.

Do you mean you get up to 2oz per breast per session? That's good! That's about right really cos breastfed babies tend to take about 4oz per feeding session. That's more or less what I always get

Oops!! I didn't know that. It killed me pouring the full nights worth of pump down the drain.

I get about 1 oz per breast at the moment. I've started taking fenugreek and have seen a small increase so hopefully it's on the up!

 

[AK89]

Well if it would have still been in your system you would have had to pump and dump anyway, but not to get rid of the infected milk, just to keep up with your pumping/feeding schedule so you don't miss a session and get engorged/affect your supply IYKWIM..? So like if you HADN'T pumped it's not like the next morning (or whenever it was out of your system) your LO would ingest the antibiotics by drinking the milk that had been sitting in there (!) overnight. Once the substance has left the bloodstream it has also left your milk. But you DO have to pump while it's in your system if you're due to pump/feed. The milk pumped in this session WOULD be affected and so you would have to throw it away. So you did right!

 

[Monzter79]

As for "emptying"- I am like you. There are always drops if I'm pumping or hand expressing. I was confused by this too. They say to pump for a few minutes after "last drops" to increase supply. I'd be there all day!!

My criteria is 20- Maximum 30 minutes (depending on how long let down took) or when I'm no longer able to squeeze a squirt. (Whichever comes first)

I have found that repeatedly pumping for longer sessions, actually hurt my supply a bit. My theory is that the constant stimulation caused some swelling to the area that reduced my storage capacity, led to plugged ducts, and also negatively affected let down/ejection (needed increased suction/time which caused further swelling, etc.)

Ibuprofen and hot showers before pumping really seemed to help.

Also, Jus speaking for myself- longer sessions can really take their toll on morale. I HATE pumping at this point. For me, my supply was really not helped by forcing myself and feeling stressed. Don't feel bad for skipping one here or there if it's bumming you out.

I got an avent hand pump and found that I had better output with that than my hospital grade pump. So, your pump may not agree with you. But, 4 oz. is right on track IMO. The lower amounts are normal in your daily cycle too! Especially since you're also nursing.

Infantrisk.com forum has the lowdown on MANY drugs and exactly how much is transferred to the milk. Dr. Hale (he's THE guy when it comes to meds and breastmilk) answers many of the questions directly. Good resource.

Hope that helps! Hang in there!!! the pump/nurse/ combi feeding cycle, is a beast.

 

[hanni]

Thank you so much for your help!

I didn't even think about how pumping for lengths of time could have a detrimental affect. I'm terrible for getting comfortable and sitting for anywhere up to an hour (thank heavens for my make shift holding bra!)

Do you usually find that you get a similar amount from both breasts? My lefty if great and I regularly get 2oz out of it but my right I usually struggle to get 1 oz and have only get 2 once I've been sat for about an hour.

I've also got a tommee tippee manual pump which I hate with a passion but it wasn't any worse than the one I'm using now, the one I'm using now is just quicker and easier. Still definitely not worth the £129 price tag!

I will check out that website now, thank you!

Tell me about it! The amount of bottles and parts I've got to wash throughout the day is enough to make anyone go crazy.
Thank you for your help!

 

[noon_child]

Really common for hand expression to be better at getting the thicker drops of milk at the end of the feed. It is a great skill to have, and combining it with machine pumping is a great way to go. Good luck!

 

[Monzter79]

Thank you so much for your help!


Do you usually find that you get a similar amount from both breasts? My lefty if great and I regularly get 2oz out of it but my right I usually struggle to get 1 oz and have only get 2 once I've been sat for about an hour.

My right also produces less. Was producing about half on the right. But, I got it a bit more symmetrical by using that side to comfort nurse him. So he spends more time there, thus more milk. But just FYI, it is TOTALLY normal for one side to make more.