Expressing question....

[bumphope]

Me again! Sorry!

How long do those of you who express spend expressing at each session?

It seems to take me a good hour to empty both breasts, using a single pump. I'd read it should take more like half an hour, so 15 mins each side?

I'm starting to doubt if I can do this expressing lark already. I feel stressed out because I'm spending about 6 hours in 24 sitting using a pump, it's time I could be spending with the baby, or whatever.... Think I might be having a bad day

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[Lunachick]

Is it a manual or electric? I have a single electric Medela. It's hospital grade so it pumps great. I don't quite empty each breast. I get about 1-1.5oz from each breast on average and that takes about 10min.

 

[prettyunicorn]

When I did pump I would spend 15-20 minutes using a double electric. It was enough time for two letdowns and i would get about 5oz total per pump session. If I skipped a session it would go up to 7oz (vs the 5+5) and the following one would be like 2-3oz. So regular pumping every 3 hours is recommended. Also a double pump works better and faster than single in my experience.

 

[bumphope]

Crikey. I am a lot lower than you guys.... I'm lucky if I get 65ml once a day, and 40-50ml the other 5 times I pump... Mind, she is only 3 weeks, but despite pumping every time she feeds and playing by the rules, I'm still topping her up with formula (at least as much as the breast milk!)

Mind, this morning I went to a bf support group and spoke to a fabulous lady who suggested nipple shields... Baby latched on and sucked for the first time since she was born! Fed for 15 mins then fell asleep, woke up an hour later and did 20 mins on the other side. I left the formula out as an experiment... And she's now been asleep nearly 3 hours, so maybe I'm not as low as I thought, maybe my pump is just rubbish!

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[prettyunicorn]

Yes pump is not efficient as your baby. If you can bf that is great! I started after 2 weeks of pumping. Primarily because he was not able to latch and would get frustrated. My lc was awesome. We started with nipple shield and he caught on really fast.
Good luck.

 

[bumphope]

So yeah the bf was short lived! She went on perfectly a few times then started doing something weird with her bottom jaw which left me with really bad stinging/burning areolas during feeding and for over an hour after. Now back to square one.

Just don't know what to do Pumping is so unproductive for me, it feels pointless. My boobs are dripping, yet I pump for 10 minutes before anything comes out at all! And I just can't take the pain of feeding - she wasn't getting anything in the half hour she was on for when she started sucking weirdly, plus the pain in my boobs is just too much 6+ times a day.

Any ideas much appreciated!

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[Mummafrog]

Sorry if you've heard all this before

Have you tried massaging the breasts and stimulating the nipples before starting to pump? And massaging whilst pumping to get it all out? Or even just hand expression, when some ladies get good at it they find it much better than using a pump.
Have a look at this video https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.htm

All the best X

 

[bumphope]

Thanks mummafrog, yes, I have been doing all that and once the flow eventually starts, it makes a big difference to the speed the milk comes out. Massaging before I pump only seems to give my boobs less of a surprise when I turn the pump on! Baby can obviously get milk out more quickly, I could see the evidence on the nipple shield after a few seconds (took her off as I didn't think the latch was right)... Weird.

Called a bf councillor this morning (the nct line, they were fantastic) and apparently the burning in my areola is likely to be thrush, which I think is good news... Maybe I will be able to feed after all

Now I have a hard area which feels bruised in my right boob. I'm guessing it might be a plugged duct? It's quite hot to the touch, and I've just massaged while expressing to no avail. Will it just go over a couple of days if I keep massaging?

Who'd have thought this feeding lark could be so complicated!!

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[Mummafrog]

Ahh I'm glad you've had some good support!

Yes I had a blocked duct, sounds like what it is. If you get flu like symptoms you need to go to the doctor for antibiotics but if it's just a blocked duct what helped me was: hot bath and massage in the bath. Hot compress (I used hot water bottle) and some paracetemol. And just keep draining the breast regularly, keep expressing if that's what you do. Mine was much better in 24 hours.
Hope it goes soon

 

[bumphope]

Thanks. I've just pumped for half an hour (got 10ml and I last pumped 3 hours ago. Grr!) with a hot tea towel on the lumpy bit, then massaged it and I think it has gone down quite a lot... Hopefully it'll leg off now!

What causes these blocked ducts? All I can think is it must have been baby feeding strangely yesterday (or maybe she wasn't and the pain I had is thrush), or missing one express this morning, or maybe it's just one of those things?

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[overcomer79]

Some women don't respond to pumps. I have two friends who weren't able to pump but they were able to successfully breastfeed for over a year.

 

[bumphope]

I'm seriously thinking about stopping. I got rid of the blocked duct quite easily but the thrush or whatever it is is just not getting better (I know it's been only 4 days with the cream but still) so I can't even have another go with the shield. I don't think it's going to work though, I just don't think she gets breast feeding. I'm sure the blocked duct was because she wasn't sucking effectively.

I've spent 90 minutes just now pumping to get 40ml out, all the while bouncing the bouncy chair for baby because really she just wants a cuddle, but I can't pick her up while I'm pumping.

It just feels so pointless to get out a quarter to a third of what she needs

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