Expressing advice please :)

[mummyosborne]

My LO is in SCBU so I'm exclusively expressing for him, but I find that my left boob always produces about 100mls where as my right is producing 50mls at the most? I always start with my left, is this why? Do I need to change which one. Start with each time? Is this normal? Thanks in advance

 

[Mummyxofx2]

I Havnt expressed but I have notice my lo is much more satisfied after feeding from my right boob than my left. She is usually satisfied for 2-3 hours from my right after a 10min feed but my left she feeds for 30-60minutes off and on. I think my let down is slower on my left than right because it takes a hole before she gets the massive gulps.

 

[misspriss]

Its Normal. My right sometimes triples my left when pumping!

 

[mummyosborne]

Thanks ladies, my supply is just so low it keeps getting me down, I've only managed 100mls, both boobs combined at my latest expressing they've had to give my LO some formula tonight because he ran out of my milk I've nothing against formula but whilst he is in special care this is the only thing I can do for him any idea on how to increase it?

 

[misspriss]

Darn I had a huge post and I lost it!

How often are you pumping? Are you double pumping or one at a time? Hospital or consumer grade pump?

Double pumping brings in supply better than single. More prolactin. It also allows you to pump more in shorter amount of time, which is essential when you need to pump as often as you do to bring in supply!

How often are you pumping? It needs to be at LEAST every 3 hours, round the clock. The time between around 1am and 4am is crucial for prolactin levels. I tried to hit 1 and 4 am, 3 hours apart. Some women have to pump more often, like every 2 hours.

A Hospital grade pump is essential for bringing in supply by pump.

Don't get discouraged, you are doing great! I am surprised your LO is drinking up all your milk. They never gave my LO more than 48mL at once (he was a 33+5 preemie). He was getting his by NG tube if not by breast though, not a bottle. I declined bottles entirely. If the flow is too fast in the bottle, it can force him to drink more than he needs, overfeeding him and stretching out his stomach, making him eat more in the future. With a bottle, when they swallow, it creates a vacuum that floods their mouth with more milk, which they must swallow to keep from drowning, and thus it creates more vacuum and more milk and they end up gulping it all down, even with very slow flow nipples.

At 6 days or so, I was probably strugging to make 70mLs per session. By day 10, I was putting out closer to 140mL per session. By day 18, it was closer to 280mL. When I left the hospital, they sent me home with BAGS of frozen milk. I made WAY more than he drank. I had about 250oz extra when I left the hospital. But 100mL is GREAT at 6 days old!