Expressing

Hey! The amount of milk you express in no way reflects the milk your baby is having. There are ways you can improve the amount of milk you are taking. When are you trying to express? Have you tried taking straight after a feed? Or even at the same time?

Hi, today I tried about half an hour after feeding. It was less than an ounce .. I just want to get to the point where I can have a good back up supply rather than formula, although my baby is fine with both it’s just my preference. A few weeks ago I’d get quite a lot from pumping but I haven’t been pumping regular and when I have tried hardly anything comes xx

In in the same position. Lady from breastfeeding support says its best to pump at night to up milk supply but I still only get about 100ml at best

I'm also struggling to pump enough to put in a bottle it's disheartening

It is disheartening isn’t it :( x

Thing is with pumps is that it depends on the pump, flange size etc. Babies are much better at getting milk from your breast than any pump and if she wasn't having enough from your breast then you'd know it because she wouldn't settle after a breastfeed. My baby is only Breastfed and hasn't had any formula. First couple of weeks my latch wasn't great so she wasn't having enough and she would not settle anywhere near as well as she does now it's sorted. I don't get much in a pump either and I've tried electric and hand. I get more out of a hand but still only get a maximum of an ounce. Also, your breastmilk changes with your baby in terms of calories as they grow.

What really helps is getting your endorphins high. Either try to pump from the other breast when baby is feeding. Try expressing in the mornings, and try to do something you really enjoy while doing it, I.e eating a chocolate/candy. And try to relax. One thing that helps me, is only feeding my baby on one side. So it’s easy to always have a boob that is more full than the other. That’s the one I express from. And also, I think it’s important to adjust expectations. 100 ml in one go is a very good amount of milk. Expressing is not as efficient as the baby is, and you can’t expect to have the same amount from it than the baby is getting.

@Vicci 100ml os already very good!! And pump doesn’t get as well as the baby!

I feel like it’s been mentioned before but you really should try pumping early hours of the morning if only just to see if you do have more then - so like 4am when milk hormones are higher. You should also try changing the size of your pump flange as that can make a huge difference apparently most people are actually smaller than the one you start off with. What pump do you have? I know Elvie have a size guide and you can just order different flanges online

Hi @Donna Woods I attend this group weekly mainly. It is really good and helpful. Kat is wonderful and informed me of my little girls tongue tie which we have since had released. I went yesterday and she is gaining weight still, but very little and has now dropped slightly under 2 centile since birth only gained 40g weight in one week. They are contacting gp now. They are reassuring things are ok.. but when I feel she’s not following her line or gaining much I question everything. Breastfeeding is hard I thought all was well feeding every 2 hours or so- I will keep doing what I’m doing and try increase my supply and see what happens. I just have a feeling they’re going to advise more formula :( xx

I’ve tired feeding my little one more regularly today and pumping to try get demand in and more milk but she’s unsettled still. I just topped up with formula and she took the lot and probably more if I had it. So now I’m convinced I’m not enough x