low milk

[Shannon]

Ok so I explained in my intro my son doesn't live with me right now, well I
haven't seen him in 5 days and I am handexpressing but I fear im so low I
don't even get an ounce when I express. We went and bought a pump and it
doesn't do anything. I cant even get a drop with it, even when I had more
milk. I don't know what to do. The next time I see my son I wont be able to
breastfeed him and it really breaks my heart. It was so important to me and
it is so important for him. Im going to go get meds tomorrow to help with
getting my milk back but the same thing will just keep happening. I cant
afford a pump that works and its obvious hand expressing isn't keeping it.
Any of you have any ideas or maybe some good techniques of hand expression?
What about pumps that work well, can you give me names and companies and
tell me how much you could pump and if you ever got low on milk supply using
it? Please email me at just take out the (nospam).

Shannon

[Dawn Lawson]

Shannon wrote:
> Ok so I explained in my intro my son doesn't live with me right now, well I
> haven't seen him in 5 days and I am handexpressing but I fear im so low I
> don't even get an ounce when I express. We went and bought a pump and it
> doesn't do anything. I cant even get a drop with it, even when I had more
> milk. I don't know what to do. The next time I see my son I wont be able to
> breastfeed him and it really breaks my heart. It was so important to me and
> it is so important for him. Im going to go get meds tomorrow to help with
> getting my milk back but the same thing will just keep happening.

I've no idea of the circumstances, and it sort of sounded in your
earlier post that your other children don't live with you either....but
an infant really really should be breastfed, and if this is custody
arrangements, I would push for access that doesn't interfer with the
nursing. Arrangements should be "for the good of the child" and nursing
is definately that.

As for affording a pump...an electric hospital grade pump would be best
if you see him so rarely, and they are expensive, btu perhaps social
services, child protection or some other welfare type group could help
make arrangements for you to pump your bmilk and have it available to
your son.

Dawn

[P. G. Chavez]

[posted and e-mailed]

Shannon wrote:
> Ok so I explained in my intro my son doesn't live with me right now, well I
> haven't seen him in 5 days and I am handexpressing but I fear im so low I
> don't even get an ounce when I express. We went and bought a pump and it
> doesn't do anything. I cant even get a drop with it, even when I had more
> milk. I don't know what to do. The next time I see my son I wont be able to
> breastfeed him and it really breaks my heart. It was so important to me and
> it is so important for him. Im going to go get meds tomorrow to help with
> getting my milk back but the same thing will just keep happening. I cant
> afford a pump that works and its obvious hand expressing isn't keeping it.
> Any of you have any ideas or maybe some good techniques of hand expression?
> What about pumps that work well, can you give me names and companies and
> tell me how much you could pump and if you ever got low on milk supply using
> it? Please email me at just take out the (nospam).

Wow, I wish I'd seen your post earlier. I'm sorry no one else has
responded.

Ask at the hospital where you delivered your son if they have a pump you
can borrow or rent. That's the kind of pump you need while you're not
with your baby at this critical time. It will be a double electric
pump. What kind of pump did you buy? What brand? Depending on your
income level, you may qualify for a pump from something like a U.S. WIC
office. You're in Canada? Do you have such a thing?

Don't give up, though. There was a woman on this newsgroup who didn't
breastfeed for the first month and managed to mostly breastfeed, with
some supplementation, until her baby was a year old.

If you're stuck with manually expressing, here are some places to start
for instructions and tips:
http://www.lactationinstitute.org/MANUALEX.html
http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/knack.htm
http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBMarApr96p51.html

Also, here's some good information on developing a milk supply and
getting your baby to the breast once he's back with you:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

Good luck. Follow up if you need more support.
-Patty, mom to Corinne [Mar-98] and Nathan [May-00]
and stepmom to Victoria [Apr-90]

[Dawn Lawson]

P. G. Chavez wrote:

> [posted and e-mailed]
>
> Shannon wrote:

>>What about pumps that work well, can you give me names and companies and
>>tell me how much you could pump and if you ever got low on milk supply using
>>it? Please email me at just take out the (nospam).
>
>
> Wow, I wish I'd seen your post earlier. I'm sorry no one else has
> responded.

Did my post not come thru from tne 14th??

Dawn

[P. G. Chavez]

Dawn Lawson wrote:
>
> P. G. Chavez wrote:
>
> > [posted and e-mailed]
> >
> > Shannon wrote:
>
> >>What about pumps that work well, can you give me names and companies and
> >>tell me how much you could pump and if you ever got low on milk supply using
> >>it? Please email me at just take out the (nospam).
> >
> >
> > Wow, I wish I'd seen your post earlier. I'm sorry no one else has
> > responded.
>
> Did my post not come thru from tne 14th??
>
> Dawn

Well, I didn't see it, but maybe you'd better check with someone else.
I sometimes don't get all the posts. I usually get all yours though, as
far as I can tell. For some reason, I get very few from Emily Roysdon
and none from Michelle Haines.

-Patty, mom to Corinne [Mar-98] and Nathan [May-00]
and stepmom to Victoria [Apr-90]