breast pump help

Hi,

I have the medela pump in style advanced. tried pumping for the first time yesterday and again this morning. I'm barely getting a few drops out. any suggestions or advice? not sure what I'm doing wrong...

breast pump help

I takes time to build up pumping. Dont be discouraged. Are you nursing at all or just pumping?

Re: breast pump help

Thanks. I'm nursing- just trying to start to pump so that I'll be able to leave him for a couple hours to go out 1 night and eventually return to work.

breast pump help

They best way I have found to build it up is when you are done nursing pump for 10 minutes after and store the extra. Also if baby normally nurses every 2hours then say sleeps 5 hours at night pump during what would have been a normal nursing session. Its alot when you just want to sleep but I treated pumping like a second job lol. Some people will pump on one side if baby nurses on the other but my son will ususally finish both sides. If yours block feeds (one side at a time) then pump the other side while nursing.

ETA: It does take time to pump efficiently. Its is also not an indicator of what your produce because baby is way more efficient than the pump. I have also heard people looking a pic of LO whicle nursing, massaging your breasts during pumping and/or appplying warm warm compress to help let down.

Message edited 3/22/2016 8:59:55 AM.

breast pump help

How old is your LO?

I would pump FIRST thing in the morning when you are likely the most full. I usually did it when I woke up in the morning between 7-8 when I was on maternity leave. I continued to do this once I went back to work (at 5:30 am) and was able to get 8-10 ounces pumped as I did my hair and make up.

In my experience, I would not go crazy with pumping while on maternity leave. It was really not worth my time as I had no use for my frozen stash.

For me, pumping at night was always a waste of my time. I barely produced anything at that point.

Re: breast pump help

also the size of the breast shield does make a difference! make sure you have a correct size.

Re: breast pump help

Thanks everyone! He's 6 weeks. I'm not even looking to build a stash right now- just enough to be able to go out for a few hours one night. I will try all of the suggestions.