Pump doens't work...

Hillbilly Housewife wrote: I am not able to pumo using my pump. I can get about 7 or 8 mL by hand expression... but thatès it, and I can only do it once or twice a day.

Erg.

gr33n3y3z replied: Is it a new one?
If it take it back

amynicole21 replied: sounds like it could be a let-down issue?... have you tried pumping one side while she's nursing on the other? Sometimes you just need to get used to the pump. What kind is it?

zdk753 replied: I never was able to pump w/ a breast pump either. I could be totally engorged & the most I could get out was 1 oz. I had to hand pump if I needed to make a bottle.

kimberley replied: if you are using a manual pump, i strongly suggest waiting for a let down. whether it is stimulated by baby nursing on the other side or the shower or a warm compress.. dont even bother trying unless it is flowing. i never did get more than 7oz at a time tho

Hillbilly Housewife replied: It's a First Years electric handheld.



When I had my Isis manual, I think I remember being able to get like 5 or 6 ounces at one time.

Don't quite remember though...

CantWait replied: I was never able to get more then 4 oz by sides combined using either a manual or electric.

coasterqueen replied:
Not to sound mean but......that thing is a piece of junk and there are not many good lactation consultants that would tell you otherwise

Those pumps along with Evenflo (we call evilflo ) can do serious damage to your breast tissue that is irreversable.

I suggest getting another pump first. Believe it or not, some people do better with certain pumps than others . Second, I am not good with conversions from ML to OZ but I think that's .24 ounces, is that right?

I would need a bit more info about your pumping than you provided to be of more help. When are you pumping? Right after baby feeds, on same breast as baby feeds? How long are you pumping for? Are you feeling a letdown or waiting for a letdown to pump?

Also, don't stress about pumping and how much you get. That can make matters worse. It's very normal to get anywhere from a 1/2 ounce on up when pumping. Some people get way more because of oversupply so others think they aren't pumping enough.

What are you pumping for? I don't remember how old Naomie is but you should wait til 4 to 6 weeks before intro'ing a bottle to "establish" a good nursing relationship. If you are wanting to get out take baby with you or go while she's napping. Leave the bigger kids at home with dad. I find sometimes if I really need a break I'll leave Kylie with someone and just take Megan with me. That way I can feed her and not stress if I have enough milk pumped or how many bottles she'll need, etc. It took a lot of stress off my shoulders once I came to terms with that. I still get that time I need.

Hang in there!

coasterqueen replied:
Marie,

4 ounces (both sides) is a "normal" amount, so you were doing well. Often times those with oversupply will get an enormous amount when pumping and it makes those with "regular" supply feel like they aren't getting enough.

jem0622 replied: ITA with Karen...sad to say...it's a piece of junk.

I am ALL DONE with pumping and nursing. Sniff sniff. I have an Isis that needs a home. If you are interested then please PM me!

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I LOVE my Isis. It works so great. But sometimes I didn't have it centered quite right and nothing would come out... even just slightly off - so even with a good pump you have to make sure you have it positioned right!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Lol

I was just trying to pump to 'make sure' I had enough milk.

I still haven't been able to pump much. And yeah, it's about 1/4 ounce. 30mL is one fluid ounce.

My mom just keeps telling me that she's always hungry because she doesn't get enough milk, my grandmother keeps telling me that she's fussy becuse my milk is no good.

I try not to listen to them... but like it or not, they're my mom and grandmom... and sometimes I can't help but believe them, even though I know it isn't true.

I am keeping on with the hand expression though - after she eats of course, so that she gets all she wants/needs... but still, I have about 1/2 an ounce to give her out of a tiny cup if she gets too fussy - she'll drink it out of the cup, then she won't be fussy anymore. I probably should mention that this is only after I've toughed it out with her on my breast for over an hour and she's stll fussy...

coasterqueen replied:
Well unfortunately mothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, strangers are GREAT (NOT!) for telling us this. I get that all the time, still, with Megan and did with Kylie. Luckily with Megan I've learned to just ignore them. They may be older and "wiser" but IMO not when it comes to this .

You can pump as much as you want but it will never help you determine if you have enough milk. Baby is 100x better at getting milk from the breast than a pump ever will be, no matter what kind of pump or manual expression it is. You are able to still get out milk after she nurses, even the slightest bit because your breasts are ALWAYS making milk. They stop making milk when your breasts are full, when the breasts are emptying they are making more milk, etc, etc.

Babies are notorious for being fussy at this age/stage and keeping us feeling like we aren't feeding them enough. Is she fussy at certain times of the day? Here's some tips on how to deal with the fussiness: Fussiness while nursing

HTH!

3_call_me_mama replied:
I had the same kind adn it NEVER worked right. I got rid of it and stuck to the ISIS and then with Kathleen I had a hospital grade Medela one (double electric) not sure what it was called)

jem0622 replied: I also wanted to add that you should be focused on establishing a nursing relationship than losing the pounds. The weight loss can affect your supply if you lose too quickly. WW has a good plan if you are very focused on that.

You should turn a deaf ear to anyone who is not supportive of your nursing. My own mother almost got me to quit on my girls when they were only 6 wks old. I just stopped nursing them last week. I'm glad I didn't listen to her!

The offer on the Isis still stands!

Tamatha replied:
How many wet diapers does she have in a day? Is her poo nice and yellow/orange and seedy? Is she gaining weight?

If you can answer yes to all of those questions, then your baby is getting plenty of milk and is fussy for some other reason. Is she gassy? Have you tried any of the suggestions from kellymom that Karen posted? Maybe she's just tired at the end of the day and wants the comfort of nursing. There are LOTS of reasons to have a fussy baby (mine is teething right now and VERY fussy) that have NOTHING to do with whether they're getting enough milk.

Hang in there and ignore your family. I'm a pretty hard-headed person, and I have just plain informed my family that I WILL be nursing my son until he's at least a year old, so they can keep their opinions of it to themselves. So far they have. If they start in on me, I'll tell them again! And I'm giving them information that supports my position each time the subject comes up. Pressure from relatives who don't understand breastfeeding is one of the leading reasons why women stop!! Don't fall victim to this. Breastfeeding your girl is one of the greatest gifts you can give her!! Keep going, and lean on people who understand it for your support.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Thanks all... the support and reassurance does mean a lot to me.

Funny how strangers can come to mean more sometimes to someone than people you actually know....

coasterqueen replied:
Rocky, this is soooooo true! The best support (besides my DH) that I had was from online forums. Course I grew so close to the CL on a breastfeeding support board and with a few other ladies on there that we get to-gether every now and then. THEY helped me succeed, not those close to me IRL.

We are always here for you.

The best medicine I ever took when nursing Kylie was VENTING. I would go to the BF board I was a member of and vent, vent, vent. Because those women knew what I was going through and they would not judge me for how I was feeling. So please come here any time to do that. The more you vent about it, the better you will feel and the more successful you'll be at nursing .