Avent manual pump

riare12

After reading reviews from this board on this pump I bought it.  Does anyone else who has this pump think it hurts to use?  I find it so painful.  I even took the flowery thing out and it's still hurts like it's pulling my nipple way to hard.  Am I pumping the handle too hard?  I assume I'm supposed to pump the handle as far as it will go, am I using it wrong?

meganet22

IF it hurts you are pumping the handle too hard. It helps me if I stimulate let down first.  In the book "So That's Whay They are For," the author says you can do this by massing your breast, then stroking from your areola toward your nipple, then leaning forward and shaking a bit.  I used to do all three steps but for me I found it the stroking motion to do the trick. ONce you have let down, you really don't need to pump the handle much.

Also, I find this pump easiest to use in the am, since my milk flows easier then. 

This pump takes some time to get used but the more you use it the better results you'll get.

tmp-214118062502913

I squeeze far lighter than you would think is productive, and quickly.  Sorta like fluttering.  This doesn't hurt and gets the most milk.

jacobs32

I do a few quick squeezes at first- not all the way down, to start my milk flowing.  Then I only squeeze as far as is comfortable, then slowly release the handle  (over a few seconds) and milk continues to flow.  I get just as mucg milk this way w/o overworking my hand or too much pulling on my nipple.

MTOW

It says in the instructions just to squeeze as far as is comfortable.  Think of it as the settings on an electric pump; you wouldn't always put it on the highest setting, even though it's an option.

FriendlyFanny

Only squeeze the lever to a comfortable pressure, just like you would adjust the suction on an electric pump.

riare12

Thanks for the replies.  I guess I didn't even think of it like an electric pump but that makes sense!