If I had Pump Resistance Last Time, am I doomed to get it now too?

[Belleweather]

And what can I do to avoid it?

Last time, I had a TERRIBLE case of pump resistance. I would pump and pump and pump and get a couple of ounces and then go back to my desk and leak -- there was milk in my breasts, but it just wasn't coming out for the pump. I was nursing all night, taking handfuls of supplments and drowning myself with water as well as having DH bring the bebe in to nurse at work but he was still screaming and hungry and not gaining I was miserable and hated myself and felt like a failure as a mama.

I just got a great job offer and it looks like I'm going to be bake to work 8-10 weeks after this baby is born, rather than the 4 months I took after DS. I am TERRIFIED of having to pump again -- it was demoralizing, depressing and was a HUGE contributor to my PPD. I'm going to do it and I really want to give this little one the same strong start with BF that I did with DS, but I want to find ways to do it that aren't going to ruin my life.

Honestly, the only thing that I DIDN'T try was Domiperidone. Does anyone know anything about using it for pump resistance or pumping problems? What else can I try? I'm thinking about looking into buying a different pump -- I have a PIS, and I had it all checked out while I was pumping, but I'm using the highest suction setting and still not feeling like I was getting milk out. Would another pump help -- physiologically? I do think it would help psychologically, since I hated pumping SO MUCH last time and the old pump is a big part of that... but I'm sort of reluctant to blow $300 on something that would only be a psychological boost.

[bri276]

I think you wouldn't want to take dom unless you had a true low milk supply, or it could cause oversupply, and there are bad problems that can go along with that.

you could try renting a hospital grade pump, they are considered the gold standard and cost around $40/month, so if it didn't work out, you wouldn't lose much. you could also try learning to hand express. for me, I would hand express after pumping and get up to another ounce. some women have great success with hand expression and can do it quickly and easily, I know of one woman who was able to do it instead of pumping exclusively and still kept up her supply, though I'd assume that level of skill (or luck!) is rare!

the last time, when did you start pumping? I have an odd theory. This is not medical science, it's more like my own observation from ep'ing 21 months and being part of a rather large community of ep'ers- I think it might matter, sometimes, WHEN you start pumping. When nursing is begun, paths, or milk ducts are stimulated inside the breast based on how often they are emptied, and, maybe, how those paths are created matters? I could be wrong, but I think it's possible that the way the baby suckles could create milk ducts that need to be suckled from in the same, exact way the baby always does it, whether that be because of the angle, or whatever. Therefore, while there is plenty of milk inside the breast, and the baby can get to it perfectly well, a pump that creates suction in a different way, different angle, or something, might not access those same milk ducts?

like I said, I don't know. I don't see why else some women who have perfectly good supplies while nursing, cannot get one drop from the best pump. However, IF this is true, there would be a solution, and that would be to begin pumping immediately, to stimulate the ducts that CAN produce for the pump. So maybe if you started right after birth, with a hospital grade pump, it might work this time.

OTOH, if my pseudo-scientific theory is correct, if this baby nurses differently, it might work out perfectly for the pump anyways!

now, whoever wants to come along and rip my theory to shreds go ahead

[annekevdbroek]

Another theory is that you can encourage let-down through classical conditioning (like Pavlov's dogs). Basically, when you let-down while nursing baby repeatedly say a phrase to yourself - e.g. "hungry baby" or "milk for baby" or whatever. Then, when pumping say the same phrase to yourself to encourage let-down to happen. Hopefully the association of the phase with let-down and nursing will lead to let down with the pump.

You can also try this trick by pumping one side while nursing on the other, so that your body gets used to letting down to the feeling of the pump.

A good pump makes a world of difference too.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Pumping & nursing is a good idea. You might also try something like playing the same music CD while you nurse, and then later when you pump. It might trick your body into thinking you are nursing.

[MamaBear1976]

Definitely hand-pumping on one side while nursing on another is probably the best way to start out. I like the Medela Harmony hand pump, though other people like the Avent ISIS (I wasn't too impressed by it, but it could be the shape of my breasts). There are terrible hand pumps out there that are not worth the "savings," like, anecdotally, the Gerber pump (which I hear is awful), and the Whittlestone hand pump, which personal experience taught me is a terrible (and painful) waste of money. I can't tell you what the Ameda hand pump is like, but I can tell you the Ameda hospital grade Elite is very good.

If you want to try out hospital grade pumps before committing, you should probably rent one for a month first. I can tell you the Medela Symphony is good, but I'm not sure if it's $1200 good, kwim? Whereas the Ameda Elite is good, too, but a lot cheaper, particularly if you look for one on places like eBay.

As for relaxing enough to pump well... You could try taking a warm bath beforehand to relax... Maybe some
chamomile tea will help with let-down?

ETA: Breast massage works well for helping to get a few more ounces out. It needs to be done gently and carefully.

[sparkprincess]

I hated pumping with my first ds. I never got much and was always frustrated. This time around is totally different and I'm thrilled about it. Here's hoping you have the same luck!

[savithny]

I did much better pumping for #2...

I only ever pumped with an Avent Isis. I tried with a borrowed Medela Pump in Style and it just didn't work for me at all. Nada. WIth the Isis I could mimic my child's sucking rhythm which helped a lot, but I also had to use a lot of breast compression, etc. I kept up with baby #1, but only because I was only working part time so I only needed one bottle a day.

With #2, I consistently got more with each pumping and didn't have to take as long or use as much breast compression. So it was a lot better. I still wasn't a good pumper, but I was an okay pumper.

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by savithny

I only ever pumped with an Avent Isis. I tried with a borrowed Medela Pump in Style and it just didn't work for me at all. Nada. WIth the Isis I could mimic my child's sucking rhythm which helped a lot, but I also had to use a lot of breast compression, etc. I kept up with baby #1, but only because I was only working part time so I only needed one bottle a day.

I'm glad to hear someone else didn't have the pump in style work for them, because I was starting to feel like a freak! It took me absolutely forever to get the 'hang' of the Isis -- I had that 'valve popping' problem and I don't think I really got it until DS was a year old, actually -- but once I got the hang of it it worked way better and was far more comfortable than the PIS. I just wish I could use it every day, but at work I don't think I'll have time to manually pump both breasts and my carpul tunnels are in revolt even thinking about it! I am thinking about getting a Avent IQ Duo, though... I need to read more about them to see what people think sine they were totally brand new when my DS was born.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Another idea, have you tried hand expression? At least to get started? Scroll down to Marmet technique:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/bf-links-pumps.html

[RubixCube]

Could you elaborate on the "valve popping problem"?

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by RubixCube

Could you elaborate on the "valve popping problem"?

The Isis has a kind of star shaped valve that will make a audible 'pop!' when you're pumping if you put too much suction on the pump, and you have to stop and re-seat the valve and then start pumping again. For me, I kept popping the valve because I thought I was supposed to pump like you'd pump up a tire or an air mattress -- pressing the handle down and releasing it fairly quickly. It turns out that the Isis basically maintains the suction as long as you've got the handle down... so firstly, you don't have to squeeze it all the way, which always made the valve pop for me, and second, you can just leave the handle part way down until the milk stops flowing and then pump again, so you're pumping in longer, slower strokes without putting quite as much pressure on the valve. I ended up getting WAY, WAY more milk that way!

[CathMac]

I'm not familiar with the pump you describe. It sounds like a manual.

I would recommend investing in a good double electric pump and try pumping on one side while nursing on the other in order to try and condition yourself to let down to the pump the way you let down to your baby.

Eventually, you will become conditioned to the pump itself.

Good luck,
~Cath

[bean's mama]

I had this problem as well. Whenever I used the pump in style, I would get less than an ounce after pumping for about 1 hour. I switched to the avent maual pump and was able to get a lot more milk, still not anything to brag about, but way more in less time. For me I think it had something to do with the sound of the electric pump that inhibited my let down. I only have one dc right now but I too have worried about what will happen next time.

[Belleweather]

Thanks again for all the kind words. It means a lot to me to know I'm not the only woman who is freaking out about what to do with a new DC after having a terrible time pumping for the first DC.

It's also frustrating because I feel often like when I'm talking about pump resistence people don't really listen very well... like, I'll be talking about pumping at work and people give me great solutions for pumping at home. It seems like it's really hard for many breast feeding advocates to still be present with mamas when the easy solutions (more water, fenugreek, hot baths, buying a PIS, whatever) aren't working. I had tons of problems with that with my midwives and lactation consultants locally too. And I can understand why it's hard, because we all want all breastfeeding problems to be correctable and for every mama and baby to be able to do it. But I think it makes women with serious pumping problems feel isolated and not heard. And I really DO believe that attitude matters and that feeling depressed and like a failure is counterproductive. But I don't know how to get beyond that -- I wonder if maybe a "Beating Pump Resistance" tribe would be helpful?

[MaryJaneLouise]

Go for it! Start a thread and see if anyone else has pump resistance.

[Swirly]

Most people who use a pump long term develop pump resistance, so I guess you could add many of us EP'ers to your list. My supply is so tanked now. I am considering dom, but maybe at 18 months it is not worth it anymore.

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by Swirly

Most people who use a pump long term develop pump resistance, so I guess you could add many of us EP'ers to your list. My supply is so tanked now. I am considering dom, but maybe at 18 months it is not worth it anymore.

First, :.

And yes, I was absolutely hoping that it would be a place both for working mamas and EP-ers to share. I mean, anyone who can exclusively pump is hardcore and awesome and probably has way more BTDT experience to share than those of us who struggle through a year of pumping at work. But I'd bet the whole worry and stress and desire to smack the 51st person to suggest Mother's Milk Tea are just the same, you know? :