How much milk should I be able to expess?

Question

Its my first try and I only got 30 mls. Does not look like much. How much will baby need for a few if I go out for a few hours and leave her with my parents. Any hints, tips ect using AVENT hand pump.

Answer 1

pump a few different times to get a bottles' worth. if shes anything like my baby, she wont drink much when you are gone. my baby will drink a 4 oz bottle and maybe 2 oz of another is the 5 hours im at work. then when I get home, she latches on for an hour!

when I pump, I get 1oz at a time, except when Im at work and then its 4 ozs. (total)

Answer 2

Unfortunately, it is impossible for others to know how much your particular baby will need if you leave for a few hours.  I would guess between 3 and 6 oz if your baby is still a newborn.

Your hand pump might be the culprit if you're not pumping very much at once.  Electric pumps tend to work better, and the dual pumps work best for many women because the dual stimulation gets the most out of your let-down.(I will add that if you are not going to be pumping often, investing in a more expensive pump may not be worth it to you).  The dual pumps are expensive, so consider renting one from your local hospital.  Also, purchasing a used "Ameda Purely Yours" pump could save you cash in the long run. That particular brand is least likely to have contamination from previous users because of the design.  I have one and it's worked well for me.  When I was pumping the most, I was getting 4-6 oz a session.

If you're stuck with the hand pump, nurse the baby on one breast while pumping on the other. That way, the baby's stimulation will help you get more milk.  It takes a little practice to not make a mess, but you'll get the hang of it.

Good for you for breastfeeding!  It's totally worth it.

Answer 3

It's perfectly normal for a first try.Do keep in mind that your baby will be able to extract more milk from you than a pump ever will-- of course, barring unforseen circumstances like a premature baby.

You did not mention how old or how heavy your baby is, but generally, for breast fed babies up to 6 months of age, it will be roughly about 2.5 to 3 ounces per pound of body weight per day. Just divide the total amount you get by the number of feedings and you shouldn't be too far off.

I'm using the Avent hand pump too, and a handy hint is to change the positioning of the pump when the flow slows down or stops. Usually I can get more out this way.

HTHs!

Answer 4

30mL = 1 oz

That's a perfectly normal pumping output.  Pumps are not as efficient as babies and how much you can pump has nothing to do with how much baby gets; some women can never pump a drop.

Also please understand that you probably have an unrealistic idea of how big a baby's stomach is from seeing bottle fed babies.  A baby's stomach should be the size of their fist -which is not 8oz.  I could get into all the reasons why bottle-fed babies tend to be overfed but its not really worth the thumbs down.

If you are going out for the time your baby would only nurse once you probably only need 3oz. Particularly for a baby that's not used to bottles they just probably aren't going to drink that much.

You may get more milk if you pump one side while the baby nurses on the other.

My "time saving" tip is that I just toss the whole pump in the fridge so I don't have to clean it.  Then I just collect all the milk from that day/ 2 days.  I tell the sitter to leave the breastmilk out at room temp so the fat recombines and then I don't have to worry about giving heating instructions (not that its that important because even if they boil the milk having breastmilk with less nutrients when I go out 3 times a year isn't going to matter).  Breastmilk is good for at least 10 hours at room temp -unless its very hot.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumpi...

What is normal when it comes to pumping output and changes in pumping output?

Most moms who are nursing full-time are able to pump around 1/2 to 2 ounces total (for both b*****s) per pumping session. Moms who pump more milk per session may have an oversupply of milk, or may respond better than average to the pump, or may have been able to increase pump output with practice. Many moms think that they should be able to pump 4-8 ounces per pumping session, but even 4 ounces is an unusually large pumping output.

It is quite normal to need to pump 2-3 times to get enough milk for one feeding for baby (remember that the pump cannot get as much milk as a baby who nurses effectively).

Many moms are able to pump more milk per session when they are separated from baby. Milk pumped when you are nursing full-time is "extra" milk -- over and beyond what baby needs. Don't get discouraged if you are trying to build up a freezer stash when nursing full time and don't get much milk per pumping session -- this is perfectly normal and expected.

It is very common to have more milk than baby needs in the early weeks, which regulates down to baby's needs over the first few weeks or months. When your milk supply regulates (this change may occur either gradually or rather suddenly), it is normal for pumping output to decrease. For moms who have oversupply, this change often occurs later (6-9+ months postpartum rather than 6-12 weeks).  

Answer 5

The quantity of milk you obtain while expressing using a pump depends on different things:

    * The type of pump you are using.

    * Your level of experience expressing your milk.

    * The length of time since you last nursed your baby or expressed your milk.

    * The time of day.

    * Your comfort level and your ability to relax.

The amount of milk expressed can vary significantly from woman to woman. One woman might regularly express eight or more ounces at a time, while another might only get an ounce or two. (or in your case 30mls) These women can both have babies that are absolutely thriving on their milk. The woman who expresses the larger amount of milk may find it easier to let-down when pumping, or she may be a large milk producer. The woman expressing smaller amounts may have a quite adequate or even abundant milk supply. Or she may just not be as comfortable expressing her milk. Perhaps her b*****s produce less milk than the other woman (and her baby just nurses more frequently.) There are wide variations in what is considered to be normal.

You could try using hand-express or (single) pump for 20 to 30 minutes. When you express for a longer period of time, you might find that your milk will let-down again later in the session. This should also increase the amount of milk you are able to obtain.

Have you tried hand expressing? When hand expressing, it is helpful to "walk" your thumb and fingers around your breast, using both hands on each breast to thoroughly milk other areas. You may find that this helps you to obtain more milk. Best wishes!  

Answer 6

Queenie said it all.

I have never been able to express more than 20ml EVER yet I exclusively fed my BIG BIG baby for the first 7 months, and continue to feed him beyond his first year...

As my midwife said, some women just don't love the machine...

Answer 7

Well, to start with...it was your first try and you will get more as you pump more.  Same thing as if your baby was nursing more often.  Also, hand pumps are not nearly as efficient as electric pumps but if that's all ya got then it will work.  It takes a while sometimes...anywhere from half an hour on to get a lot.  I typically get about 3-4 oz before I stop.  Try to pump at the same time every day so your body adjusts.  Be patient...it's not a quick process.  Relax and think about your baby...not how much milk you're pumping.

As far as how much you will need, that depends on the age of your baby, how much your baby is typically drinking, when your leaving your baby, etc.  I usually find that a 4oz. bottle will satisfy my girl if I'm gone for one feeding.  She's 7 mo. old though so I imagine you may need more for a younger tot.  

Good luck!