Question about pumping. Help please :

Carol - posted on 08/08/2010

I never get as much out of the left as I do on the right. I use hot towels or showers to help produce more on the left. This is probably bad, but I also massage it squeeze my left breast too. I look at pictures of my baby, try to relax, take herbal supplements, and I sometimes pump ob the right first.

Morissa - posted on 08/07/2010

I don't know alot about pumping, but given your dilemna I would suggest changing the setting on the pump - try is slower, try it faster. Besides that, I've heard there is a wonderful yahoo list filled with info & resources on this subject called pumpmoms. Good luck!

Lyndsey - posted on 08/07/2010

I haven't given any of my expressed milk to my son either, I express it just incase it is needed in an emergency :-/ sounds really morbid that but that is what I do! I struggled to express with my first child but I am currently on child number 4 and it's a doddle now :) My partner is the playing/calming/sleeping machine where as I am the feeding machine! He wasn't physically made to breastfeed children and he accepts that :D

Emily - posted on 08/07/2010

Tty not to stress. Stress can affect the let down. I get only 5oz combined and less if im feeling rushed or mithered. Try looking at a pic of your baby when expressing on poor side or massaging. Main thing to remember is u r doing great and the daddy can bond at playtime or do the feeding at weekends when u introduce solids. Thats what we do cos i dont give my baby bottles.

Danelle - posted on 08/07/2010

For my size yeah i would say i'm big busted. lol. I also tried expressing while he was on the right side hoping that would help. I'll just keep trying.

Lyndsey - posted on 08/07/2010

My left side is faster than my right, My son prefers my right and chokes on the left so I express an ounce off my left and freeze it before he feeds off it :-) that makes it easier for him, my left also fills up quicker than my right so that is the side I express off when I find both breasts full at the same time, I will feed off the right and express at the same time off the left :-)

Melissa - posted on 08/07/2010

Wait to pump 2 hours after you BF so you build your supply back up. Also, make sure you're in a quiet, calm place so you can get good let down. I found that when I was at work on break, if I heard any noise outside of my office, then I had a difficult time. I agree with pumping one side at a time too! Good luck and hang in there!

Holly - posted on 08/06/2010

I don't mean to get personal but are you big busted? I have went thur 3 pumps since my daughter was born she is only 5wks old because I'm soo big on top. First was a battery opp. one the second was a double electric safety first then a manual one none worked for me.. I had to finally give in and rent one from the hospital one and it finally worked. I only get 1oz from one and 1/2 oz from the other after a feeding but I'm storing for the same reason as you so dad can help out..

Danelle - posted on 08/06/2010

I do use the same pieces. I just got the pump on tuesday. Its the Medela handheld one. So everything is brand new. But i will double check it to make sure there is no cracks or anything wrong with it. I will also try the warm compress. Sounds like a great idea!

Jennifer - posted on 08/06/2010

I have the same problem. I had mastitis in my left breast when our son was 1mth and since then it's been poor producer. He'll only nurse on it for a few minutes before getting frustrated and I switch sides and he eats a full meal there. I was alternating breasts during the feed (ie. 7am left, 11am right) to give it enough time to fill up again for the next feed but it got so I looked like I was leaning all the time and it was uncomfortable for righty getting so full. I always start him on the less efficient breast. I was pumping that breast about an hour after a feed to try and increase the supply but that didn't work very well. My Dr. suggested a pill to increase supply but that works on both not just one. I think I'm stuck with this until he weans... oi! I feel your pain especially on fancy dress days when nothing fits right anymore. Good luck!

Julia - posted on 08/06/2010

Good info already provided but I have an unusual question. Do you use the same breast pump pieces on the same sides every time? If you do you might not notice a potential defect with the parts of the pump. Check the connections on your pump parts. There may be a crack in the connector between the breastshield & bottle, or in the valve, or tubing. There may even be a tear in the membrane. All of these problems can cause that half of the pump not to work. Otherwise, if all of the parts are in good working condition try these other tricks. Throw a wet towel in the dryer until it is really warm. Remove & apply directly to your breasts. Also there are commercial grade warm compresses for muscle pain that can be microwaved. You could bring those with you to work , just be sure to put a towel between your skin & the compress. You can also use these methods for clogged ducts. Though be careful, with both of these methods you want to take precautions to avoid burning yourself. Try warm/hot showers. Gentle breast compression & massaging in circles can help. Now one more question. What position do you use to feed your son? When you both lie on the bed his bottow jaw is at the bottom of your breast. With cradle & cross cradle his bottom jaw is on the inner side of your breast. Football hold puts his bottom jaw on the outer side of your breast. If he uses one position most often try putting your body in a position that will stimulate that area when you pump. Gravity & slight pressure to the bottom part of the breastshield may stimulate your breast to empty similarly to when he nurses. So for side-lying, you need to be upright. Cradle & cross-cradle, you lie on your side and pump the breast that is closest to the ceiling. For football, you lie on your side and pump the breast closest to the floor. Hope one of these helps.

Emily - posted on 08/05/2010

My right is a little more productive than my left. I just usually nurse him on the left when I am with him, since I get more out of the right at work. I do find that doing compressions has a significant impact on my output. If things seem slow, I start compressing and it helps my left side catch up.

Danelle - posted on 08/05/2010

I wait a little bit. I did do it once after he was done just to get a little out for his cereal. I also do not use a nipple shield. Just the ones i guess that come with the pump. i'm assuming that is what they are called. I'm mostly pumping for his cereal and so my fiance can feed him once in a while. He feels so left out since he doesn't get to give him a bottle. But its just frustrating that i literally can't get anything out of my left side.

Erin - posted on 08/05/2010

Hi Danelle, couple of things to keep in mind. 1. You will always have one side that produces more than the other, or at least seems to. It's a rare woman who's breasts are evenly divided with milk. But just because one gets bigger doesn't always mean there is less milk in the other one. 2. Your breasts will respond better to the baby than a pump. If he's satisfied with that side and you can see the milk and here him swallowing then there's not really a problem. But it can be frustrating to not get any out when pumping. If you are still using a nipple shield, try to stop. Your son will nurse much faster and more efficiently without it. I don't have anything against the shields, used one for 4 months with my oldest and 3 weeks with my 8 month old, it's just so much easier without it. And if you are alternating which side he starts nursing on try starting him on the side that seems lower for a day or two and see if that helps call up more milk on that side. Unfortunately pumping can kind of be a crap shot for some women. Either they can't get anything with a pump or have side issues like you. Do you pump right after a feeding or do you wait a bit?

Julie - posted on 08/05/2010

My breasts have NEVER produced an equal amount of milk when pumping. Right after birth the right side was MUCH more productive...and now it is the left. It is completely normal so don't worry about it. Just get what you can and breastfeed him the rest of the time!

Danelle - posted on 08/05/2010

Hmm i never thought of that. My right side is bigger so i use the bigger one. I'll have to try that and hopefully that will help!

Brooke - posted on 08/05/2010

You might want to check to make sure you don't need a bigger/smaller breast shield for your left side. I do. My left boob is bigger, makes twice as much milk and needs a bigger shield than my right. And if I don't do breast compressions on my left side during a let-down, I barely get a drop. My right side pumps fine without doing a lot of compressions. You might try this and see if it helps. Good luck!

Danelle - posted on 08/05/2010

He is 4 month old. I also tried pumping while he was nursing since they suggested to do that. But that didnt work either. Also doesn't help that he was trying to play with the pump to. Lol. But thank you both. I'll keep trying and if it just doesn't work i'll stick with just pumping the one side.

Lerin - posted on 08/04/2010

You could try pumping your left side while he nurses on the right side. That generally helps with moms who have problems with 'let down' at the pump and if you're getting plenty from the other side, doesn't sound like your issue. I always had one side that produced WAY MORE than the other. If he's satisfied after nursing the left side, I would just always aim to pump the 'good' side or pump both sides at once, get what you can out of the left side and use it but not get discouraged.

Kayla - posted on 08/04/2010

How old is your LO? After 3 months I wasn't able to get a DROP out of either boobs. I still can't, and LO is 18 months.