Expressing at work

[AnneD]

I had to go back to work a while ago and I'm expressing milk. I never had any problems expressing before, but suddenly things have become quite difficult. I hardly seem to get anything out some days. One of my breasts seems to only produce a couple of drops when I express. Breast compressions don't help. The other one produces a lot less than it used to, if I manage to squeeze 3 oz out on that side I count it a great success. Has this happened to anyone else?

I know I should drink more, but I don't have the time when I'm at work. My pumping breaks are timed very strictly and I find it difficult to relax because I have to keep an eye on time. I have recurrent milk blisters and blockages on the side that isn't producing.

Baby is rejecting expressed milk (and most solids offered) when I'm away. What do I do?

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I find that if I'm rushed at all, I can't produce anything if I'm expressing. I haven't gone back to work yet but I tried with my ds1. Work pumping is much more difficult than it sounds. And I was very unsuccessful.

Have you tried bringing a picture with you, or something that smells like baby? Or putting in earphones and listening to music? It's all about tricking your brain to release the hormone that lets down your milk.

 

[Skittleblue]

I had to go back when my lo was 8 weeks old and for the first 2 months, I had no trouble getting 7 oz by lunchtime. I was off 2 months for the summer afterwards (I'm a teacher) and when I went back, I could get 4-4.5 oz by lunchtime on a really good day. I don't know what caused the difference. I replaced tubing and membranes on my pump, tried looking at pictures of my baby, and did everything else I heard might help. Nothing did, so I ended up having to supplement about 4 oz a day. I guess I'm no help. Pumping at work is hard.

 

[AnneD]

Thank you for your replies. It is really hard, pumping at work, I find. I have photos of my baby on my phone, I'll try bringing in something she wore next week. I find 15 minutes is too short a time for me to relax and let down, especially when someone knocks on the door. (When someone has seen me going in or when I have the light on, I suppose they just think it's an ordinary working office.)

 

[Noo]

Thank you for your replies. It is really hard, pumping at work, I find. I have photos of my baby on my phone, I'll try bringing in something she wore next week. I find 15 minutes is too short a time for me to relax and let down, especially when someone knocks on the door. (When someone has seen me going in or when I have the light on, I suppose they just think it's an ordinary working office.)

15 minutes?! Wow, it takes me a good 30-40 minutes to pump sufficiently until I'm empty. I'd be lucky getting an oz out in 15 minutes as I take a while to "warm up". I'd be screwed!

Have you tried taking a video of you nursing on your phone and watching that? Photos? A blanket your baby slept with? Also make sure you're drinking 500ml water for every pump on top of your normal liquid intake.

 

[fertiliciousx]

I'm still on my maternity leave but decided to go into to work to do the 10 optional keeping in touch days to earn some decent money.

I appreciate that I'm pretty much allowed to express when I want as long as not in a meeting or something. I don't have a time limit but I am always conscious of the time and colleagues thinking I'm wasting work hours.

The first week I did 3 days and it wasn't too bad. was still able to pump about 8oz while at work. AT the weekend my already low supply went down almost to zero.

I'm now struggling to pump more than 1oz each breast even after up to 6hours.
At night she can't get enough milk and so I have to give her ebm and one occasion had to give her formula cos I just didn't have any milk left.

I'm drinking loads of water, she sleeps better now waking up once or twice at night to eat this means I get better sleep yet my supply is gone.

Any advice ladies....now I'm just trying to keep her on the breast but no improvements over the last few days.

I'm dreading going back to work fully end of January.

 

[AnneD]

15 minutes?! Wow, it takes me a good 30-40 minutes to pump sufficiently until I'm empty. I'd be lucky getting an oz out in 15 minutes as I take a while to "warm up". I'd be screwed!

Have you tried taking a video of you nursing on your phone and watching that? Photos? A blanket your baby slept with? Also make sure you're drinking 500ml water for every pump on top of your normal liquid intake.

15 minutes is all I'm allowed, unfortunately. I have to report before I go and when I come back, they actually time me to the minute. So yeah, sometimes I get very little milk out, especially on the problematic side. I'll try a video and a blanket we snuggle under tomorrow, thank you for the suggestion. I definitely don't drink enough, I must work on that.

 

[AnneD]

Fertilicious: this must be so hard! I don't know what else to suggest aside from feeding lots, and perhaps pumping afterwards? Can you try to build a freezer stash?

 

[Skittleblue]

I feel your pain (sort of) on the 15 minutes. I am not allowed a break to pump at all, so I use my lunch break, which is 25 minutes on paper, but really only 20 on a good day. Over time, I've found myself getting less and less, but I'm not as bothered as I used to be since I plan to drop the pumping at a year anyway.

It seems like the most helpful things for me have been to watch videos of my baby and to adjust the flanges several times while pumping.