Troubles pumping

[ScotchEgg]

I don't pump often, but I need to be out at bedtime tomorrow so I'm trying to get a feed a little bit at a time. Normally when I pump it just pours out but I've been going half an hour and only got 1oz! SR is happy and gaining weight well so I know the milk's there so why won't it come out? This would normally take me 10 mins at the most for this much...

 

[purpleslurple]

I find it depends on the time of day - get much more in the morning. I also get more straight after baby has fed and pumping when feeding gives me the most.

 

[beckyboo1]

Def try pumping straight after a feed (if baby has just fed from one boob). This should give you a not more as baby feeding should encourage milk production.

I never got a huge amount in one go pumping, even though
I BF Harry for nearly a year so I knew I had lots of milk.

I'd just try every time you feed, then you can combine the amounts into one bottle xc

 

[ScotchEgg]

I'll have a go tomorrow. Didn't get to it as early yesterday as I often have so I'll see what I can do. I tried again yesterday afternoon and got nothing. I was pumping immediately after feeds both times. I block feed so off the boob he'd fed from then the other one. Not sure what I'll do if I don't have enough tomorrow night, should have built up a freezer stash but never been a fan of pumping so out it off...

 

[MrsT2011]

It's probably your milk has regulated itself so your only producing what baby has been needing. You need to "tell" your body you need more so a good way to do it is to pump straight after baby feeds so even if there is no milk coming out anymore keep pumping for another 5 minutes and that should help x

 

[ScotchEgg]

Thanks. I pumped first thing and got 2oz this time. I never know how much to pump for him so I'm hoping another oz during the day will do it...

 

[Mummybexee]

I got told today you shouldn't add or top up expressed milk from different periods

I.e - if you express at 1pm from both boobs- you absolutely shouldn't add the next days milk to that 1pm expression to make it up to an acceptable feed

I'm a first time mum that's not even had baby yet so you can ignore me but thought I'd mention what I learnt at bf class

 

[MrsT2011]

I think you can mix within a 24 hour period but I would refrigerate the 2 amounts separate then add together x

 

[ScotchEgg]

I heard it's ok to mix within 24 hours as well. I keep it in the fridge between.

Well, he didn't even take 1oz at bedtime so most of it went down the sink after all that!!!

 

[SaraLouise]

Mixing pumped milk within 24 hours is absolutely fine.

Also, you can reheat bm twice before it needs chucking hun, so there was no need to bin it, just pop it back in the fridge.

You probably are struggling because your body has regulated to the amount SR needs. There are some tricks you can do though, (I pumped & bfed for 5 months so ive tried everything!). Breast compressions & pumping whilst feeding are two good ones. Drinking a pint of water an hour before pumping will help massively, and lactation cookies work like a charm too (again eaten an hour beforehand) x

 

[ScotchEgg]

I thought it had to be drunk within a couple of hours of him starting the bottle though?

 

[ScotchEgg]

And thank you all for the good ideas. What are lactation cookies?

 

[SaraLouise]

Bm is wonderful (im many ways) but one being that it doesn't breed bacteria when its come into contact with saliva, unlike formula.

I read a very interesting study once about bacteria breeding in formula vs bm. They had a bottle of formula & a bottle of bm & introduced 3 drops of salvia to each, it took the bm TEN DAYS out of the fridge to grow as much bacteria as the formula had after 2 hours!

Lactation cookies (they are more like oaty cakes tbh) are cookies that you make at home that have various ingrediants in them that stimulate milk production, including flax seed meal & brewers yeast. Worth looking online for a recipe if you enjoy baking! They are very yummy too x

 

[ScotchEgg]

That's good to know, thank you. I've always thrown it 2 hours after he's started it...