Did my boobs stop responding to the pump?

gina0485 · February 2014

Do you ever feel like your boobs stop responding to the pump? I am never empty and can always hand express more, which is an arduous process that I wish to avoid. Membranes were last changed 2 weeks ago but I've been using the same tubing for 5 weeks. I keep alternating flange sizes to see if it helps but it doesn't seem to. Thoughts?

jwp325 · February 2014

You're never truly empty. Your body keeps making more milk. That being said I definitely have days when I can pump more than others. Are you drinking enough water?

worleygirl · February 2014

Play with the settings. If you have a Pisa press that button. Try massage before hand. Try to relax. Look at baby or pictures of baby. Typing w one hand...

MindyBadger1 · February 2014

Smell baby clothes, works like a charm for me!

CeeJC121013 · February 2014

AmyG has mentioned in her BFing thread as well that having the pump turned up too high can collapse your milk ducts temporarily. Maybe try seeing how you do with the suction turned down a bit.

ashybear · February 2014

What pump do you have? I was having serious suction issues, until I realized that since I was only using one of the vessels (for lack of a better term), on the double pump, so had to plug one of the tubes up in order for the suction to actually be really effective. But still, there are times that the pump is quick and efficient and sometimes it is a slow and arduous process.

gina0485 · February 2014

PISA- suction is fairly low, I always massage/compress. I do relax (I read). I can try looking at pics or smelling clothes I suppose. Could be doing better on water but I am not sure how that relates to expression. I thought hydration had more to do with production?

BABYROSEJEANS17 · February 2014

I had an issue the other day where I only produced 1 oz which was odd. I think it had a lot to do with my body adjusting to my supply for DS. Since the. I now produce about 3 oz every pumping session.

CarolinaGirl2014 · February 2014

I used to feel the same way. I can always hand-express more but I now feel empty like when my daughter empties a side whereas before I felt like my ducts were still kind of full and uncomfortable.

A few tips that helped me:

Put a nursing cover on so you can't see the flow and bottles. I empty so much better this way.

Relax- take several very deep breaths that really move your diaphragm (this releases hormones to help you relax). I use this time to drink my mother's milk tea and it seems to help get extra let-downs.

Stick with a flange size for a week. I went to the hospital and had the LC's recommend a flange size. I still didn't pump well for a week after, then suddenly my body seemed to adjust to the proper flange and learned to empty.

As PP said, play with the speed. I learned that for me, the traditional recommendations didn't work. I use high speed, medium suction the first 20 mins. Then I use medium to medium-low speed and slightly lower suction for the remaining 10. For me, this weird combo triggers numerous let-downs. So you may need to find yours.

I visualize the let-down, esp when I start to feel the tingly feeling in my nipples. Pictures of my daughter in her milk coma seem to trigger let-down the most.

jblank03 · February 2014

So glad you posted this... I'm getting anywhere from 3-4 oz combined but notice that when I'm done I can still hand express and milk shoots out. It's very frustrating after being hooked up for 30 minutes! I did find higher suction = less milk for me though.

I'm definitely going to try smelling the baby clothes, hadn't heard of that one!

Maggiechina · February 2014

I haven't had to do it since, but when my baby was in NICU I took a video on my phone of her crying. Later when I pumped I played the video about 10 times in a row... Hearing her cry definitely helped my milk come in.

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