Pumping issues - 1st timer not getting anything

marajay6

i am a FTM. LO is now 5 weeks old. He has been EBF and there have been no issues. I have recently tried pumping in hopes of building a bit of a stash before returning to work.

I have tried on 3 occasions. I can get a small amount (1/4 ounce or so) from each breast if LO has not fed recently. It comes pretty early in the pump session then nothing. I still have plenty left, so it is not a supply issue. I have tried massaging my breast before and while pumping. It doesn't help. Every time I have pumped I was next to LO and interacting with him.

My pump is brand new, a Medela pump in style.

Any advice? If I don't have success in the next few days I will see if I can get help from a lactation consultant.

1sttimemomma2013

You may not pump much at first. You are making enough for you lo, not any extra to pump. I was told if I were to pump to do it first thing in the morning after the first feed. If you consistently pump the same time each day, you should start producing more.

Melody330

Pumping is a learned skill. I had a tough time too. You will find something that works. Here are some quick tips for building a stash before work:

Remember that you don't actually NEED a stash. Only what baby will eat the first day (typically, an oz an hour you are gone)

Get a hands free pumping bra and pump WHILE nursing baby first thing in the morning. It helps to master the football hold for your LO for this.

If baby gets any bottles you need to pump while that is happening to make up the feeding.

Drink lots of water, eat well and relax.

Good luck!

marajay6

Thank you everyone for your advice. I plan to keep trying and see if it gets better. I will try the advice you have given.

If I don't see any improvement in a week or so I will visit with an LC and see if they can help.

mommatotwo2

Make sure you have a good flange fit and use massage and compression while you pump. I always pumped one side at a time so I could use the free hand for massage and compression. Also, make sure you are pumping for about 20 minutes. That 1/4 of an ounce you're mentioning doesn't sound like a let down to me. Try and relax, watch some tv, eat some snacks, look at baby or pictures of baby.

When you get more comfortable with pumping, I found a good way to get some extra for practice bottles and a small stash (max mine ever got was 50 oz), was to pump the opposite breast baby was feeding from in the morning.  Let down was always good because it was baby induced and yield was good, being the first pump of the morning.

Good luck and hang in there!

marajay6

I can't tell if I "let down". LO is getting enough with EBF, but I never feel a let down. My breasts don't ever leak, which from my understanding is related to let down, but it is also normal to not have leaking.

Today I tried pumping one side while feeding LO. It was challenging, but I managed to get slightly more - maybe 3/4 oz from one side.

When I used the medium sized flanges that came with my pump a large amount of my breast was pulled into the tube. The manual said that if that happens to get a smaller size. I bought the small flanges and now only a small amount of my breast gets sucked into the tube and they are much more comfortable. Most of what I have read on flange sizing is rather vague so I still have no idea if I am using the right size.

Thank you everyone for the advice so far.

Peanutz21

How long are you pumping for?   I didn't feel the let down sensation until much later (maybe 3 months).  Usually I can get 3 letdowns in about 20 minutes.  When you pump the first time, your first letdown is a burst of milk then it will stop coming out until your next let down happens.  I'm saying this because I seriously had no clue how it worked when I started- I initially thought you were supposed to get milk output with each pump

mommatotwo2

I didn't feel letdown early on either, but it felt like a tingling sensation and then I'd hear the milk start hitting the bottles.  Also, if you're pumping in addition to nursing, it's completely normal to not get very much milk when you pump.  You won't see your true output for the pump until you are pumping to replace a feeding. Average output when replacing a feeding, is an ounce per hour and that's a total from both breasts.