Stopped letting down to pump?

[mambera1]

Is there anything I can do to fix this? I used to get a letdown within 2-3 min of starting to pump but now it can take 18-20 minutes of pumping before I get a letdown. Argh!

I can't pump one side while feeding the other bc I have low supply and baby always empties both breasts at every feeding (and usually takes a supplement in the evening).

Is there anything else I can try to improve my response to the pump?

[Candi]

IDK, but, when you pump one side while feeding on the other, the baby will actually get more out of that one breast. I was just talking to another mom that just started pumping while feeding, and she said that usually baby eats on both sides, but when she pumped one side while he ate, he was satified with just one. She said he even stopped sucking to smile and reach at mommy, then wasn't interested in eating more.

Just saying, you may want to try it.

[Lucy]

mamabera1 you can also try to massage your breasts before pumping or apply warm compresses.... I just started pumping a couple weeks ago, and I was only pumping about 1.5-2oz of milk and thought that was a problem...until I started getting advice from different people to try massaging or the warm compresses...Now I collect about 2.5-3oz...you should try it :)

[crystal555rose]

I always did hand compressions to squirt it out faster. As far as no longer experiencing let down...I found I did pump less as baby approached one year and nursed less. 3 months was my height of pumping, by one year it was taking for-ev-er so I quit pumping and he nurses when I am around. No formula supplement since he was past 1. Still nursing and he will be 2 next month.

[mambera1]

I should clarify... This is only happening at my last pumping, after baby goes to bed. I pump at night to add whatever I can to the bottles for the next day. Daytime at work I am still letting down pretty normally. I guess I could try to pump one side/feed the other in the AM before I leave instead, though as I said I suspect she'd be hungry if I did that.

I do use hand compressions into the pump, which work well for me. The warm compresses never seemed to do much.

LO is 4 months old. The amount I pump during the day, while low, has been stable (1 oz/hour) since I went back to work at 8 weeks. I used to get 1-2 oz from the nighttime pumping but now I just get drops unless I pump past 20 minutes, which often doesn't seem worth it. :(

[debra92691]

I have found that with my pumping my let down comes quicker and easier when I hear my baby. I am doing a giveaway on my blog for the EnJoye breastpump it is a fantastic breastpump and it has a sound feature that might help you. You can record your babies sound. Here is a link to my review and the giveaway http://familyliciousreviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/hygeia-breast-pump-review-and-giveaway.html