why doesn't my breast pump get the milk out?

[joyakshi]

when I block feed and I pump the other side I only get 1/2 oz. but other times when I pump I get 3-4 oz in 5 minutes. is there something wrong with my pump, my milk supply, or is the supply different when block feeding?
I have a Medela single pump.

[Bokonon]

The average woman pumps between .5 and 2 oz. per session, so your output sounds great to me! Block feeding is intended to help with oversupply and overactive letdown, so if you are concerned about your supply, it's probably not advisable.

You will likely produce more while pumping first thing in the morning. Is that when you are getting more?

[joyakshi]

giving up

well I was pumping between 1-3 oz before, and now I just barely get drops. how can you feed a baby if it takes a day to get an oz?
I went to LLL mtg last night and it was NO help. what is the point of that group??? and I am so ready to quit BF'ing. I have had 6 weeks of pure pain. baby still won't open wide enough and bites me. I cannot feed her this way and pumping of course isn't working either. so, formula here I come.

[Spiralshell]

Hang in there joyakshi!
Have you by any chance seen a lactation consultant? I found meeting with an LC to be enormously valuable. She gave me advice, and also confidence to keep breastfeeding.
We were having latch problems, and now I am using nipple shields. These make a huge difference -- have you tried them? they make him open his mouth wide so he gets a good latch.

[rachel65655]

DDCrashing but I have been through this many times.

#1. I would make sure the baby is not tongue tied. I can make it almost impossible for baby to latch properly and very painful for you.

#2. Has the baby had thrush? Whitish look to his/her tongue. I have gotten yeast infections on my nipples with each child right from the start and never gotten off to a good start with nursing. I had always attributed it to improper latch but finally discovered the real issue by the time #4 came along.

#3. If it is painful to nurse and also to pump, you are not going to get a good let down reaction and not be able to pump affectively. I usually pump first thing in the am while I nurse one side. I am a large producer and sometimes can get up to 12oz off of that one side if the baby is already sleeping a good amount at night.

#4. Check the little white membranes on the pump to make sure they are not torn. The pump will not function properly if they are ripped or torn at all. They are on the part of the pump that fits inside the collection bottle.

I have a Medela Lactina dual - hospital grade. It might be slightly different but should have the same basic principle involved.

Hope this helps.

[star*mora]

i have to suggest info from dr. newman's clinic
http://nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_...id=3&Itemid=11

(i don't live in the same city as the clinic but i donate to them as i believe in their work). i only discovered their work when ds1 was nearly 3mths old and was having difficulties breastfeeding (he wouldn't latch - at all- until 3mths, didn't help he was a preemie) i pumped exclusively that entire time up to an hour per session 10-14times per day

the info on the site is awesome and they answer questions via email (no cost). i had no support from my local lll with pumping, saw 5 lactation consultants, and finally we figured out breastfeeding on our own with some help from the info from dr. newman

try not to give up...it's so tough!

[Pookietooth]

Some women find that other brands of breast pumps work better, you might see if you can try another brand; some women actually respond better to manual pumps. Also, have you tried hand expression? It's hard but it might be less painful for you. You need to get to the bottom of why it hurts to nurse, though. I have a feeling that tongue tie and/or palate issues are a problem for you. Really, once you have gotten past the first hard weeks, the rewards (and ease) of breastfeeding make it all worth it. You might think about cross posting in the breastfeeding difficulties forum. My friend overcame failure to thrive from tongue tie; here is her story: http://stafl-ivil.tripod.com/id8.html
Please call this woman (she trained with the woman who literally wrote the book on latch issues.:
MaryAnn O'Hara, MD, MPH, MSt, FABM
Director, Seattle Breastfeeding Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
206-595-6643