Can not use a breast pump?????????

Question

My baby is 3 months old and I am thinking about having my first evening out. So tonight I thought I would practise pumping. I have never pumped milk before and my baby has never drunk from a bottle so I thought I had better make sure that all goes smoothly before I plan my night out. I have one of those manual pumps where you move it up and down with a suction thingy on your breast. I tried for 20 minutes and got one drip of breast milk! It just dosnt seem to be working! how long should it take to express? and do you pump it quickly or slowly? I really just have no idea what I am doing wrong?

Answer 1

If you got a cheap one, it will not pump worth anything.  There is a really good hand pump that is not that expensive by Advent.  

First of all  you need to make sure there is good suction, it needs to suck up the nipple into it so it can milk the breast, even a little bit of air will prevent it from working correctly.  Then you need to relax your body and think about your baby, so a letdown can happen.  

I usually did about 10-20 minutes on each side depending on how much was coming out.  

If it doesn't work, how long do you plan on being gone?  Can you nurse right before you leave and right after?  I didn't leave my baby til 6 months and then I nursed for an entire hour right before I left, so he'd have a fully belly and I was gone for about 3 hours.  

Answer 2

I bought one from Walmart for $50 and it was c**p too.  The cups are sooo small, no breastfeeding woman's breast can fit into it enought for it to massage the right spots.  I bought the Medela Mini Electric for $129 and you can get larger cups for it.  Works like a charm.

Answer 3

I never had much luck with a manual pump either.  I got a nice electric pump that I used.  Hospitals rent out electric pumps (all the plastic tubes and cups are new) for a few dollars a month.

Be sure to relax and look at your baby while pumping or think of baby.  This really helps with let down.

Answer 4

The manual pumps are useless on me

I had the Avent one and could be standing there dripping from the nipples and i would go to pump and nothing

If i were you i would get an electric one i know it is expensive but it is worth it

I have the medela swing but i was exclusively pumping

Also at first you will find that you will only get a few oz but it will build up a bit

GOODLUCK AND ENJOY YOUR NIGHT OUT