Can't seem to express enough. Does anyone know why?

[mummy jay]

Hi mommies,

I've been breastfeeding my son since birth and I recently tried to switch to feeding him expressed milk with a bottle. However, I can't seem to pump out enough milk even though I kept to the 3-hr schedule. The amount of milk I expressed actually started decreasing. My baby also seemed less satisfied after each bottle. I also noticed that when my baby was still latching on, I could feel the milk coming in before a feed but I did not get this feeling after I had expressed a few times.
Has anyone encountered this before? Any advice is appreciated. :embarrassed:

 

[momi]

Any reason why you can't continue latching your son? Direct latching is always best for increasing supply. Even if you decide to pump exclusively, try to have a few feeds where you latch your son on.

 

[Rachelsg]

me too! i think we both have the same problem.
we do not get the let down effect during expressing.
for me, during latching, i can feel milk flowing out, i can see milk dripping out from the other nipple (the let down effect). but i just cant get the effect during expressing.
i tried all ways, looking at baby, thinking of happy things etc, but no use at all!
it is so frustrating.
any mommies has a solution to this?
currently my milk flowing is enough for baby but i wish to express more out and keep.

 

[mummy jay]

Actually I need to fetch my big one to and from classes and I thought that If I could express enough then can pass the baby to MIL....maybe even get a bit of freedom hehehe....but this idea obviously didn't work. :shyxxx:
Now back to latching on and pumping out the extra.

 

[Mummy to Baby V]

Expressing doesn't work for me too, volume just doesn't seem enough for son. When he suckles, he can easily get more milk produced on the spot when needed. So it was latching exclusively for us. Ha...

 

[Floatingmarket]

Some mummies simply does not respond well to breast pumps.. So have to latch as much as possible to increase bm..
I'm one of those who does not respond well to pump as my supply kept decreasing despite having tried all supplements.. My bb comin to 5 months now and i'm still on partial bf since day 1..

 

[Carlisle]

Any reason why you can't continue latching your son? Direct latching is always best for increasing supply. Even if you decide to pump exclusively, try to have a few feeds where you latch your son on.

Yeah your right, Direct latching is best for increasing supply...

 

[Three Little Pigs]

Hi mommies,

I've been breastfeeding my son since birth and I recently tried to switch to feeding him expressed milk with a bottle. However, I can't seem to pump out enough milk even though I kept to the 3-hr schedule. The amount of milk I expressed actually started decreasing. My baby also seemed less satisfied after each bottle. I also noticed that when my baby was still latching on, I could feel the milk coming in before a feed but I did not get this feeling after I had expressed a few times.
Has anyone encountered this before? Any advice is appreciated. :embarrassed:

i have the same problem, just couldn't get the letdown. I started pumping for 2 weeks, before that was totally latched on. I pump in daytime, still latch on during the night. The output from each pump is so little, not enoght for my daughter. Also taking fenugreek, no improvement so far...really don't know what to do...going back to work in 2 weeks time, think my milk is going to dry very soon, sigh

 

[Jinny]

hi mummies
which pumps are u all using?
I using medela freestyle and pump 3 hrly i do get the let down feel everytime. It has 2 phase, it will stimulate 1st then pump. I do get a decent amount of milk enough for baby's need. But must keep massaging before and during pump to squeeze out more milk.
Of course direct latch will stimulate more milk than a pump as the baby's suction is the dictator to our body.

 

[Three Little Pigs]

i use medela mini eletric, only 1 phase, pumping only, no stimulate. maybe that is the reason of low output. Too costly to change a pump now, will have to stick to what i have now.

 

[Jinny]

Then did you try massaging the whole breast before and during pump? I think the single phase pump still will promote let down, but longer, u try to pump starting from lowest power and gradually increase for 15 mins and longer, it should work, cos when i pump for abt 30mins, i get 2 let downs of 15mins gap. Just suggesting

 

[Three Little Pigs]

Then did you try massaging the whole breast before and during pump? I think the single phase pump still will promote let down, but longer, u try to pump starting from lowest power and gradually increase for 15 mins and longer, it should work, cos when i pump for abt 30mins, i get 2 let downs of 15mins gap. Just suggesting

I massage during pumping. i have to pump very long (45mins) to get 2 let downs. And within this 45min, actually 20min has only a few drops, so just waiting for the letdown to come

 

[Three Little Pigs]

also, the breast do no seem to be empty after pumping...as compared to latch on. Because of this, my supply keep dropping despite I do pump regularly.

 

[Jinny]

also, the breast do no seem to be empty after pumping...as compared to latch on. Because of this, my supply keep dropping despite I do pump regularly.

hmm... maybe there's something wrong with your pump or the shield size... meanwhile keep latching on as long as possible to establish your body to supply more milk

 

[Three Little Pigs]

hmm... maybe there's something wrong with your pump or the shield size... meanwhile keep latching on as long as possible to establish your body to supply more milk

that's the problem, i can't keep her latching on as before, has to let her learn how to drink from bottle. Am going back to work in 2 weeks time...stress! Now she only drinks when she is half asleep

 

[Jinny]

how old is your baby? usually between 12-16wks can start to wean her from breast to bottle. But its good that she's proficient in latching on, switching to bottle feed is not difficult la... no need stress

 

[Three Little Pigs]

She is coming to 5mth old this weekend. I notice that she only sucks when she is half asleep (both bottle and breast), otherwise she only takes spoon.

 

[d3s1r33]

also, the breast do no seem to be empty after pumping...as compared to latch on. Because of this, my supply keep dropping despite I do pump regularly.

I have the same problem too...I latch my gal at night and express in the day, full day latched over weekend. I thought I was stressed and could not get the flow when expressing but it seem quite common this problem.
Anyone have any solution to it :err: I really hope to express more for my gal when I m at work....supply not enough.

 

[littletotscorner]

Hi,

i had the same experience with my current little one. Try as I might, the supply just dipped. What I did to increase the supply was to take Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle together. I still have a bottle of each at home to let go as I have stopped breastfeeding already. Let me knwo if you would like to give it a go.

Cheers

 

[Three Little Pigs]

Hi,

i had the same experience with my current little one. Try as I might, the supply just dipped. What I did to increase the supply was to take Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle together. I still have a bottle of each at home to let go as I have stopped breastfeeding already. Let me knwo if you would like to give it a go.


Cheers

i am interested. can you please PM me the price & details (brand, how many in a bottle etc). thanks