Any tips on how to express my milk?

Question

I am exclusively breastfeeding my 6 weeks old baby but I am struggling to get some milk out. I definitely have milk as my baby is putting on weight, looks very very full after each feed, has milk dripping from her cheek after each feed.

I have an AVENT manual breast pump so where could I be going wrong?

Answer 1

Congratulations on breastfeeding your baby! Pumping is a learned skill, and your baby is still very young, so it has nothing to do with your milk supply. Your body needs to learn to let down your milk to a pump. One thing to try is to pump on one side while your baby nurses on the other. Your baby will stimulate your milk to let down. You can still nurse your baby on the side you pumped after she finishes the first side; there will still be milk left for her since a pump is never as effective as your baby. You can also try to pump about 1/2 - 1 hour after your baby breastfeeds. Pumping after a warm shower or bath can help relax you and help your milk let down. Breast massage before pumping can also help. What are you pumping for? A manual pump is fine for an "emergency" bottle, but if you'll regularly need to be apart from your baby (like for working outside the house), you might want to consider a more effective pump.

Answer 2

I would suggest investing in an electric pump. I used the avent isis iq which is really good because you start out manual and set the speed and strength of the pump and then it takes over and does it automatically until you stop it. It's brilliant. I used it all the time and used to get a lot of milk each time.
I had to go away one night and forgot it so I bought a manual pump and I could barely get an ounce even though my boobs were totally full.
The electric ones are worth the money if you are serious about expressing.

Answer 3

Hi. Try feeding off 1 breast and pumping the other at the same time (tricky but possible and amazing results!) I used a manual avent pump, and found that this is the easiest way to get a substantial amount off- once the milk lets down from feeding, pumping is easy.

Answer 4

it takes a while. your body develops a rhythm - so your boobs will be getting full when baby is due a feed so try and make a routine of it if you can so your body starts producing an extra feed each day, persevere and after a while youll be able to get a whole feed.
massage your breasts first to stimulate the milk flow- using a warm flannel or similar will help here. just relax and keep at it. i thought i would never be able to do it but i ended up expressing a fed each day to store in the freezer for nights out.
have a go with the pump when youre fullish as this will be an easier time to master the pump, and then move onto trying to 'create' a time for expressing.

Answer 5

It takes time to train your body to pump. Don't get discouraged because the bottle doesn't fill up the first few tries. That is normal. I expressed after a feeding for fifteen minutes. I did it daily at the same time every day. Eventually my body got used to it and I could express 6 oz/8 oz easily.

It's much easier for baby to get the milk than for it to be pumped.

BTW, I used the medela manual and it worked great. I actually liked the manual over the electric. I even got more milk that way.

Answer 6

manual may not be enough....powerful enough i mean...i too had a fat happy baby but could never get anything more than an ounce or so at a pumping...even when i was 'full to bursting'!
First, the 'flanges' or horns on the pump come in sizes....you may need a larger size....the skin of the nipples should not be pressed against the sides of the flanges.....if you can cheaply get a bigger size flange and try it ...great....but your next step..(IF you HAVE to make pumping work) is to go to an IBCLC and rent a hospital grade pump....tell her you have tried a manual and it doesnt work.....you can rent and buy pumps from most Lactation Consultants, but make sure to try it out or have her look at the size of the flanges ...if they are too small, they are basically pressing on the ducts under the aereola and cutting off the supply.

Answer 7

I recommand you to get an electric pump. If u wan to pump exclusively, that is the best. I bought a ameda pump which is a hospital grade pump. Its great, light, less noisy.. Do give your body sometimes to get used to pumping. I remembered i pump with the avent manual pump for the 1st 3 months of my baby life. Every 3 hours, it's hard at the beginning but u will get used to it... I suggest you invest in a good elecric pump. It save you time and strength.

Answer 8

I was never able to express milk with those kind of pumps. I rented the hospital pump (about 40 dollars a month), and I pumped using that. I tried the medela pump in style and a manual pump, but I never got more than an ounce using those. If you really want to pump, you might consider calling your hospital. Good luck.

Answer 9

Some women just can't pump, and some pumps just don't work for some women.

Personally I usually find hand expressing faster. But have you tried pumping one side while the baby nurses on the other (not sure if that wold work with a manual pump?)

Answer 10

i absolutely recommend you ditch the manual pump (like i did) and spend on a Medela electric pump if you must express. they are excellent, easy and u can do mains or battery. a bit noisy but worth it. however, my friend always expressed by hand (even at work ) and she felt that was easier than my method. if the baby is gaining weight and seems to be full then do you really need to express (my baby wouldn't drink it if it had been frozen) good luck honey xx