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December 2015 Moms
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No let down when pumping. HELP!

Fdpolla92Fdpolla92 member
in December 2015 Moms
Hello Everyone,
I need to advice. When I first went back to work and was pumping I was getting huge amounts of milk out very quickly. I had an over supply that seems to have regulated now and for a while I was getting about 4 Oz out when pumping. Now no matter what I do I can't get my milk to let down so I'm only getting about .25 Oz per 30 minute pumping session. A few days ago I wasn't able to pump all day and was able to get out 2 oz. I know there is milk in there because my beasts feel full, I can feel my let down when breastfeeding, and my baby is still getting enough to eat. I have replaced all of my pump parts but am not sure what else to do. Has anyone else had this problem? What helped? 
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Re: No let down when pumping. HELP!

  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    Have you tried warm compresses? Does your pump have a lower setting to stimulate letdown? Have you gotten new bras? ( This one might seem weird but I've had issues if a bra is too snug). Do you feel relaxed when you sit down to pump?
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  • Fdpolla92Fdpolla92 member
    I haven't tried the warm compress idea. I have the pump in style by Medela and it does start out at the different setting to stimulate let down. I really don't feel any different when pumping so im not sure if I'm not relaxed enough. Maybe I'm stressed about nothe getting enough milk so it's preventing let down? I'm not sure but it's about 1 out of every 10 times I pump that I will have milk let down and I'm really worried it is going to have a negative impact on supply 
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  • LMPOYLMPOY member
    What do you use for a warm compress? (Anything other than water/cloth)
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  • MomofEv+1MomofEv+1 member
    I would try massaging them beforehand and a warm compress is a great idea. Does your pump feel like it has lost power? 

    I have had to start using the let down button like ten times per 30 minute session if I want to get a measurable amount. 
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  • Gingermom15Gingermom15 member
    Try chewing on 2-4 fennel seeds after the warm compresses and massages and during letdown mode. Fennel helps the milk ejection reflex, I use it occasionally at work. 
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  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    LMPOY said:
    What do you use for a warm compress? (Anything other than water/cloth)
    May favorite are rice bags. You can fill a tube sock with dry white rice and knot it at the end for an easy one (I sewed some basic ones for myself from flannel) and warm them in the microwave.

    Some women use an electric heating pad. There are also some packs sold specifically for this that can be warmed like the rice bag (without searching I know Lansinoh makes some that are usually easy to find). Another option are the little hand warmers.
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  • kksquaredkksquared member
    Watching a video of you LO helps.  I took a video of DS nursing and that helps.  I've heard of some women taping their babies crying but that would hurt my heart
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  • jennsulzjennsulz member
    I don't know what kind of pump you have but have you tried changing the membranes? I noticed if I'm starting to not get as much milk/no let down I change the membrane and the suction must be better because I will start pumping way more milk out.
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  • Court11152325Court11152325 member
    I second changing the membranes. They need to be changed once a month, maybe more if you pump frequently.
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  • Fdpolla92Fdpolla92 member
    So I have changed all parts to new ones. The pump doesn't seem to have lost suction or anything. I ordered different size breastfeeding shields just to try that. It's just weird because I had a week off of work so I didn't have to pump now the last 3 weeks I have been back I have been having this issue. I would think that it is the pump but sometimes I do have let down, just not very often. I will try some of these other ideas tomorrow to see if they help. 
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  • poupoulepoupoule member
    edited April 2016
    I changed the shield size to xsmall, made a big difference, especially in comfort. I thought it was weird after 30 min I had a deformed nipple, white etc.... and the breast that produced less ( always smaller) I could barely pump anything during the day. Only in the morning when it was 10hr full. Well  it does not happen anymore. I haven't changed the flanges yet but thats definitely what I would recommend too. The little white things... One day it was turned weirdly and did not suction anything. 

    If your shields are the wrong size it can only grab whats on the surface when they are full. Not great !


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  • Fdpolla92Fdpolla92 member
    I think flange size could be an issue. They seem too big now. They were fine at first but now seem like they are possibly too big. We're yours fine in the beginning?
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  • poupoulepoupoule member
    edited April 2016
    No but in the beginning I had an oversupply, so when I pumped I was thinking It worked great. They were actually too big for regular pumping through the day (should only be a couple millimeters more than the nipple(no areola!)). So when I went back to work and tried pumping it was a catastrophy.

    I meant changing the valves/membranes, they can get used, like the previous posters said.

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  • Court11152325Court11152325 member
    If you haven't seen it, here's an info graphic about flange sizing.
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  • poupoulepoupoule member
    And there is more sizes online, I had to find a 17mm and it still a bit big
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  • glovebugglovebug member
    @poupouleCan you tell me where online the smaller sizes are? I ordered time small and they are too big as well. This post is so helpful!!!
    image



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  • poupoulepoupoule member
    edited April 2016
    @glovebug just checked I actually bought the 19mm ones on amazon byMaymom, compatible with medela, they are a bit big still compared to their schematic but my areola/nipple is not deformed anymore after a 30 min session, and not white either. And I have a steady amount of milk at each session (5oz total every two hours).
    These were the smallest I could find which makes me wonder about nipples on others as mine are like 10mm before pumping.
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  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    poupoule said:
    @glovebug just checked I actually bought the 19mm ones on amazon byMaymom, compatible with medela, they are a bit big still compared to their schematic but my areola/nipple is not deformed anymore after a 30 min session, and not white either. And I have a steady amount of milk at each session (5oz total every two hours).
    These were the smallest I could find which makes me wonder about nipples on others as mine are like 10mm before pumping.
    I'm not sure if they would fit but sometimes the massaging inserts can help reduce the flange size.
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  • tfrangultfrangul member
    Lurker here.  Just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I'm not having let down issues but I do feel that I'm not pumping as much as I should be and I just realized according to that picture my shields are way too big! I will be looking into smaller ones for sure. Thanks again!
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  • LeanneShamLeanneSham member
    I also don't get a let down when pumping, I'll only let down when baba sucks so I pump the other breast when she nurses
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  • Fdpolla92Fdpolla92 member
    So I thought it was really weird when I would hear to watch videos of your baby when pumping to help with let down before I had this issue.  I actually tried this and it seemed to work. 
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