One breast not responding to pump - advice, please!

Kate06

Hello!  I just started pumping in the morning and evening a few days ago.  While my right breast is a champ and has no problems with let down or emptying, my left breast will have nothing to do with the pump.  I've tried massaging, letting the baby initiate let-down, etc., etc., but I get no more than a dribble, maybe if I'm lucky a couple good squirts, from the left side.

 Any thoughts on how I can troubleshoot?  Do I possibly need a different sized flange for my left?  

 I don't know if it's helpful to know, but the baby greatly prefers the left side, so I know there's milk in there!  Could it be the breast is just accustomed to baby(excuse me if this is crazy talk - new to this! ). 

I wouldn't be so concerned about this except I would like to pump upon returning to work, and if I've got one breast that won't empty for the pump that can't be good! 

Anyway, thanks in advance for the advice!

jandy09

How old is your LO? I wasn't able to get anything when I pumped for the first 6 weeks after DD was born. You really only need enough milk for 1-2 days once you return to work. I never had much of a stash and we are still going strong.

My left is lazy at the pump too, it has always given me about half the output that righty does. I get the most out of the left when I am pumping both sides at the same time. Could your LO have emptied the breast?

Kate06

Thanks for the reply!

She's about 3.5 weeks old.  While I'd like a little bit of a stash right now as I know we have a few evening outings this summer that will require leaving Grandma with some bottles of milk, I'm more concerned with getting to work and having this incredibly stubborn left breast that won't pump.

 You said you didn't get any milk until about 7 weeks - did you just keep pumping then until it started to work?  I haven't tried pumping both simultaneously - I'll give that a try.

I thought maybe she was emptying the left side, but then I didn't feed her on that side first and still no luck :-/

KCD053109

I absolutely would do duo pump rather than single. How long after nursing are you pumping? Do you plan to exclusively pump after returning to work or doing both nursing and pumping?

At 3.5 wks you are still establishing your supply so I would be careful not to pump to replace feedings if you plan to continue nursing at all. At this point, you should only be pumping for 10 mins. AFTER nursing so that your body can establish the supply needed. You won't get much but it'll build a stash that you can accumulate with time.

Every body is different; your left side may just need more time to get use to expressing by pumping. It took me a good 2wks after returning to work to really start getting more of an output when I pumped to replace feedings.

Kate06

I'll start the duo pumping.  Out of curiosity, why is this a better method?

DD only really feeds on one side at a time, so when I do my pumping in the morning and evening I let her eat what she wants then I pump the breast she didn't eat from until it stops (which is about 15 min. with my right and like 2 min. with my left) and see if I can express any little bit from the side she did eat from.  

I suppose this is an entirely different issue, but I was feeding from both sides and making her switch after about 10 min.  But then I read some literature about not forcing her to switch, making sure she empties, etc., so I just let her eat from one until she stops, wait a bit, then offer the second (which she rarely wants).  

Thanks for the feedback  

Birdies08

Any chance you need a different sized flange (horn) on that side? I use different sizes for different sides and it makes a difference in output. I think Medela's website has pictures of how your nipple should look in the flange

easjer05

I can only help a little, as I exclusively pump, but my left breast is the low producer - anywhere from 2/3 to 1/2 the output of the right.  What bumped it up for me was double pumping and then continuing to pump on that side only for another 5-10 minutes (or working in an extra pump on that side only for 5-10 minutes).  But it has never produced as well as the right breast.  And of course, compression/massage, etc.