Is 5 weeks too late to start?

[Arimeh]

thanks guys

was a bit disappointed last night - woke up at 2am and expressed while DH fed Miss M.

GOT NOTHING.. NADA.. ZERO...

so wasnt' very happy with that effort at all.. like there were droplets in the end of the pump, but not enough to go down and go into the bottle....

This morning I got 4.5ml though - and I think I have nearly 30 ml stored in the fridge - so yayy.... she'll get that today

[Aimz]

Great effort Mel!!

Wow you are a wonder woman!!!!!!

[Janie]

Mel, have you been expressing every night during the night? It might just be that your boobs aren't used to producing milk at that time. If you make a regular thing of it () then you should notice an improvement. In fact, prolactin levels (the hormone that makes the milk) tend to be at their highest overnight, so women often find that expressing at say, 4am, yields them their largest amount.

But you know what? Sometimes it's just difficult to trigger the let down reflex when expressing, for whatever reason, and so our time at the pump seems worthless......although it's not, any stimulation is good. I know it's disappointing though when there's nothing to actually show for our efforts! There will be good sessions, and not so good sessions, but with time the 'good' sessions will become more frequent Just an aside, do you think you're getting a let down? You don't actually have to feel it, there are other signs.

4.5ml is another great effort hun! It is so exciting when you can reap the rewards of your hard work, so to speak! But remember that every session of expressing is doing a good job, whether you can see it or not I hope Mehkelti enjoys her mummy's milk today

[Arimeh]

Errr I dunno bout the let down... how can you tell? I know that when the pump starts to suck, I get a chilled feeling, which I thought was the combination of drops of milk coming out and the air from the pump, but I get the *cold* feeling when I leak too.....

And that was the 2nd time I had expressed in the middle of the night...first time I got something...

I expressed again at around 11 and got a smidge over 3ml, Mehkelti is having another bottle now, so will do it again (thats been my routine for the day - bottle, do one boob, settle her to sleep, do the other boob - then do housework till she wakes up.. so much easier without DS here today!!!!

[Janie]

If you feel it when you leak too, the cold feeling is probably you feeling your let down. Some women say it feels tingly, others find that their breast goes a bit hard momentarily, we all feel it a bit differently (and some don't feel it at all). We actually get more than one let down during a feed, or expressing session, but usually only notice the first one.

It's really important to get a let down, because that's what ejects the milk from the breast, which is of course important in building up, and then maintaining your supply. A way to help your let down when expressing (and feeding too) is to watch the milk flowing, and when it slows down after the let down, swap sides. And then do the same again, and again. This will help to ensure you get more than one let down, and will help you get more EBM. Mind you, as many PPs have said, milk often doesn't flow from a watched breast LOL! So distract yourself at the start, and then after 5 minutes or so, have a look and if the flow rate is slowing down, then swap the pump over to the other side. If the milk is still flowing well, then wait until it does start to slow IYKWIM. So you might still spend 20 minutes with the pump, but you swap the pump so you're doing 5, 5, 5, and 5 minutes, rather than just 10 on each side. I hope that makes sense!

Hope you're enjoying a slightly less frantic day today

[Arimeh]

janie - I did your suggestion yesterday - got about 3ml.

Couldn't express last night - DH needed his sleep so I had to do the 2am feed (he had been up till 1am trying to settle her - then DS started screaming.. )

So I just expressed before (for about 15-20 mins each side) as I was feeling a little uncomfortable....

AND GOT 9 ML!!!!!!!

Woohoo!! That's like - nearly a mark on the bottle.. pmsl....

My chest muscles hurt though - especially in the middle of my boobs.. is that normal with expressing??

[Beach Mama]

9mL Mel!!!!!!!!!!!! That is awesome sweety!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not sure about the pain but I'm sure the gorgeous helpful Janie or someone will be in soon to help you babe!! You are doing a terrific job hun!

[Aimz]

9ml!!! :woot:

Well done!!

[{sarah}]

OMG Mel, 9ml!!! Awesome

[jenjams]

Mel, I never feel a let down at all so I couldnt tell you what it felt like.
Wow 9 mls is excellent. you'll be getting double that in no time.

[Jennifer13]

Well done Mel!!!

Just keep an eye on the chest pain - can you describe where it is and what it feels like exactly? Is it a hard lump in one spot or something different? Sometimes you can get a blocked duct. Perhaps try gently stroking it in the shower and see if that eases it. Don't press too hard - it can damage the duct.

9 mLs is awesome - how far you have come in a week!

[Arimeh]

Jennifer - it just feels like muscle pain to be honest... like in the middle of my chest - hurts like if I bend over, but doesn't hurt to just sit here (on my fat butt like i am at the moment) doing nothin...

I had really sore boobs last night so I took a shower and massaged, but I think it was just my nipples that were a bit ouchies so I put that laninsoh stuff on them.. and they are fine this morning.

I am keeping an eye out for any red spots or lumps though...

[tiggerandpooh]

Mel - your a legend hun! something that used to help with my letdown was thinking about a moment when I felt so good with my little person. Like when I met them for the first time, or got the first smile, laugh etc. capture that feeling if you can. Instead of focusing on how much I was going to get, I would think about those moments, which helped me relax and feel good inside, and before I knew it the flow was happening. that "cold" feeling you are describing sounds like let down. Well done hun.

[Arimeh]

Thanks guys...

Another 9 ml just before!!!!

woooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo

(is it just me that finds this incredibly exciting?!!?)

[Aimz]

So so so so so so so excited for you Mel!!

[Jennifer13]

Thanks guys...

Another 9 ml just before!!!!

woooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo

(is it just me that finds this incredibly exciting?!!?)

Well done Mel! I'm excited for you too!

[Arimeh]

Thank you thank you thank you *takes a bow*

[{sarah}]

Nope we're all finding it exciting!! I remember the days of going "OMG 10ml how good is that" now I can get 100ml easily. Just wait til then you'll be like WHAT THE??? LOL