Electric pump not as good as hand held?

[Belfa]

Hi

I have a Medela Dwing Maxi double pump and a tommee tippee hand held pump. The first couple of times I used the Medela I got 5-3oz which is the same as I get from the hand held pump. The other night I barely got an ounce from the Medela and subsequently woke up with engorged boobs which the Medela didn't get anything from. In frustration I got the tommee tippee out which cleared them and have been using bit ever since.

I think the electric pump is too soft on me, even at the highest setting whereas with the hand pump I can be quite strong so can draw more out.

Has anyone found this? In wondering if the Medela just doesn't work for some people (I have tried two different sized nipple shields) ? x

 

[caseysmummy11]

I found my Medela didn't work until I went up to around a 30 odd ml shield. It made my nipple sore are you using the 1st setting which stimulates your let down. It was called the preemie setting at hospital but it sucks a lot but not too powerful I found when I was engorged that helped. But to be honest hun you gotta do what works best for you and although a lot more work if you feel happier with your hand pump then I'd use that hun xxx

 

[Belfa]

Good point, I should try and get a bigger shield - I've tried the 21mm and 24mm.

Is that the button that you press when you finish that looks like two milk drops? I didn't know how long to leave it on that setting x

 

[caseysmummy11]

I think so I sold my medula so I can't check you should have it on until your let down starts hun. It mimics baby suckling. Yes the smaller sizes tend not to be great. When I was I'm nicu the breastfeeding nurse said she was unsure why they had them as standard as most ladies need a much bigger shield xxx

 

[Rose83]

The button with the little drops is what you start with, I have the medela freestyle and its programmed to do two minutes on the little drop button setting and then goes on to high setting for when your milk is flowing. Also I know this might seem obvious but at different times of day you will produce more or less milk so you can't really compare expressing sessions unless you do it at the same time of day or do one side electric and one side manual and see what happens.

I started with a tommee tippee and moved on to the medela and don't really notice a difference in quantity - the medela just gets it out faster x