Teach me...

[KnottyLDSMama]

Teach me how to manually express, please!! I've looked at my LLL book and I still can't figure it out. Break it down like I'm a total idiot, please! lol I'm sitting here dripping, and I can get like, 2 or 3 squirts out, and that's it! I'll even still be leaking, but can't get anything else out. I'm hoping maybe this will work, as I absolutely can't get crap out of a pump.

[mom2zephyr]

I know there are pictures out there to explain this better, but here goes....

Hold your breast on the underside in one hand and run the heel or side of your other hand down the top (moving locations as you express).
If you have problems at first with letdown put very warm washclothes on them.

Some people say it works better than a pump. I can only do it when I'm very full. But once it gets started, it works great. (if you have a strong letdown you better have good aim )

Good luck

[hby]

If you give me your address I will send you a tear-off sheet that shows how to do it. May I ask is there a reason you need to pump? Like do you have to be away from the baby? How old is your baby? What kind of pump are you using? I will send that to you tomorrow. You can PM if you would like with your address.
Hattie

[Mom2Natalya]

It took me a while to figure it out- mostly I did what the pp said and tried it in the shower with warm water running on them. It helped a lot.
Good luck!! I did get a lot more with a pump than manual though- plus it's easier on the arms.
Have you tried the Isis? It's fairly inexpensive and pretty easy to get used to. When you first start pumping, your body has an adjustment period. . . so it may take a little time. . . plus, you can get more than one letdown while pumping. I would regularly get 3. I didn't even know this was possible until someone told me!!

Anyway, I digress. Good luck!

[KnottyLDSMama]

I have my doula class this weekend and while DH and SIL will be bringing DS to me regularly, DH had already said he might skip a feeding or two to conserve gas. (I'll be there for 12 hours, which would be aprox. 6 trips back and forth).

I have a Medelia PIS...do you actually think the Isis would be better? I've just never been able to get anything out of the PIS. Maybe 1/2 oz, but that's it.

[mom2zephyr]

Originally Posted by Moonprysm I have my doula class this weekend and while DH and SIL will be bringing DS to me regularly, DH had already said he might skip a feeding or two to conserve gas. (I'll be there for 12 hours, which would be aprox. 6 trips back and forth). I have a Medelia PIS...do you actually think the Isis would be better? I've just never been able to get anything out of the PIS. Maybe 1/2 oz, but that's it.

That seems awfully tiring!! I work 13 hr nights and use a PIS. It took "practicing" alot before going back to work. I can get between 6-8 oz at a time and I pump 3x a night. Luckily I only work 2 nights a week.
I also found the plastic nipple shields that came with the PIS don't work for me. I have to use the soft shields that you can buy seperately.

[MomsHelpingMoms]

When I was in the icu, the nurses used manual and pumping to get the milk out. Manually, they cupped my breast in one hand and with the other cupped hand, they started way back on the breast (far back from the areola) to where I was hard and worked its way up. I can still get squirts, even though I haven't nursed in 8 months by pinching my areola (not hard) and bringing the pinch forward. I 'm happy that you are going to be a doula. I can't wait until I get my materials! Did you do pp doula or labor?

[wholesomemama]

Like a PP said, I learned how to do it in the shower, with lots of warm water. I just use one hand, cup my breast at the back, and squeeze as I rotate forward. Kind of hard to explain, but, worked for me.

[KnottyLDSMama]

Originally Posted by teresaarrington When I was in the icu, the nurses used manual and pumping to get the milk out. Manually, they cupped my breast in one hand and with the other cupped hand, they started way back on the breast (far back from the areola) to where I was hard and worked its way up. I can still get squirts, even though I haven't nursed in 8 months by pinching my areola (not hard) and bringing the pinch forward. I 'm happy that you are going to be a doula. I can't wait until I get my materials! Did you do pp doula or labor?

Labor. DH was a champ about it, though. He was supposed to stay with a friend, but the friend ended up going to work. So he mostly just walked the halls of the hospital all day long and sat in on the class while DS was nursing.

I can't wait to do my first birth now. I'm thinking of volunteering for Operation Special Delivery.