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  | WestiesGirl   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 11 October 2007
 Location: Aotearoa - In the 'Sunny' S.I
 Points: 4550
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Topic: Expressing Issues - Help! Posted: 07 November 2009 at 1:36pm
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   Tomorrow I am going out with a friend for the first time without Jackson, eeek. We are only going to the movies so will be away for 3 hours at the most. 
 So I started to express last night in preparation for DH to feed Jackson but I am only getting a tiny bit of milk (less than 10mls). I also tried this morning and again same result    Im pretty sure that I am relaxed and Ive also had photo's of Jackson while I am expressing but Im not getting a Let Down.
 Help please    | 
 
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     Our Angel July 08    Gone but not forgotten  
   And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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  | FreeSpirit   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 23 November 2008
 Points: 1256
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 07 November 2009 at 2:42pm | 
 
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   There are ladies with far better ideas than mine but here are a couple -
 Try expressing just after a hot shower (the warmth helps, sometimess putting a warm flannel on your boob while you express can do the trick)
 
 Express straight after feeding - feed him off one side, hand him to your DH and express off the other.
 
 How long are you expressing for? When I feed, I get let down almost straight away, when I express the let down happens after 5-10 minutes.
 
 At the start of your pumping session, go easy, lots of little fast pumps (pump, pump, pause, pump, pump, pump, pause) like the little sucks your son does before the letdown to stimulate your flow. Then make each pump longer once you get letdown, like the big drinking sucks.
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  | MrsH23   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 05 June 2008
 Location: Perth
 Points: 666
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 07 November 2009 at 2:45pm | 
 
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   I'll normally express right after a feed while DS is playing on the floor, that way I'm more concentrated on him than the expressing and it usually seems to work better.  Either that or I'll concentrate on a tv programme.
 If he usually goes for about 3 hours between feeds you might be able to work around that if your not having luck expressing, feed right before you go and he should be ready for another feed when you get back.
 
 Best of luck!!!
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     Lisa mummy to Ryan
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  | Jam08   Senior Member
 
   
 
 Joined: 13 April 2008
 Points: 116
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 07 November 2009 at 4:47pm | 
 
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   When you are feeding your son do you automatically get a let down on the other side?  I have no idea if this is normal or not but it happens to me so the easiest way for me to express is when I'm feeding him.  I just wait for the let down  to happen naturally and then start expressing.  It can however be a bit tricky to co-ordinate baby on one breast while using both hands to express from the other one!  
 Anyway, it may be worth a try if you really need more milk.
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  | WestiesGirl   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 11 October 2007
 Location: Aotearoa - In the 'Sunny' S.I
 Points: 4550
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 07 November 2009 at 7:21pm | 
 
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   Great ideas thanks ladies. I am expressing for about 5 minutes and then I get a bit frustrated cos Im not getting a let down (perhaps this is my problem!). When Jackson is feeding I get a natural let down within a minute or so of him feeding and yep I get let down on the other breast too.
 I have an Electric pump but it also has a manual handle too. I think I will give it a go as soon as he has finished a feed so I can still see him and watch TV as well to distract me. 
 Thanks ladies. Will see how I go    | 
 
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     Our Angel July 08    Gone but not forgotten  
   And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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  | mummyofprinces   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 10 February 2008
 Location: Hibiscus Coast
 Points: 8627
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 07 November 2009 at 9:08pm | 
 
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   I found early on that if I only feed Jake off one side through the night and expressed the other side in the morning I could get enough for a feed.... It was the only way I could get milk. Jake is a very efficient feeder and i dont get anywhere near as much from expressing.
 GL hun and enjoy your free time!!!!
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