Dear Rashidah
I want to commend you for putting up this case for discussion.  I hope you find it a good exercise in critical thinking, and that you learn a range of different approaches.  I am one midwife/LC who steers clear of gadgets and other interventions if at all possible.  Often what we tell out clients/patients/friends is not as important as the consistent advice that empowers the woman to make decisions based on accurate information, and to seek advice when she needs it.
I don't know why you would want to suggest that your friend do any extra expressing of her milk, especially not in the period during which she is able to stay home with her baby and breastfeed exclusively.  Perhaps just prior to returning to work she may appreciate some guidance on options for expressing milk, and I encourage a lot of hand work - massage, bi-manual compression, hand expression if there is any concern about volume.  The problems that arose when she returned to work may have nothing to do with her ability to produce milk.  I wonder if she was regretting the separation, and grieving for her baby?

The set of instructions: 
<I will
* Recommend she begin pumping (or manual expression) and storage early postpartum to  build her supply
* Ensure she uses a quality pump (any suggestions)>
sound to me as if she is not good enough as she is.  Many women breastfeed successfully without expressing their milk.  An obsession with increasing supply may be more harm to her than help.  How about the language of empowerment:

"I will seek to restore her authority for breastfeeding.  I will encourage her to make decisions, and I will be there for her if she wants to discuss any concerns or conflicting advice"

With best wishes 
Joy Johnston, FACM IBCLC
Midwife and Lactation Consultant
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www.webrider.net.au/~aitex/joy.htm

PS      I always encourage the woman to decide what method of expression suits her best.  I have been told that city women like a gadget for everything, so they choose the super-duper pumps, and women on dairy farms prefer hand expression, because they don't like to be put on a milking machine like a cow.  A generalisation, I know, but it comes back to the fact that we are all different.
-----Original Message-----
From:   rashidah Abdullah [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Friday, February 06, 1998 4:01 PM
Subject:        better pumping

I usually just lurk and I am currently set no mail while I work on my
master's research so if you have any info for me please e-mail me privately
[log in to unmask]
I am midwifery student, L&D nurse, childbirth educator and lactation
consultant wanna-be
A friend has elicited my advice on breastfeeding her 2nd child (EDC april)
she breast fed her 1st (who is nearing 3 y/o) for approximately 6 months.
she breastfed exclusively before returning to work and her daughter gained
adequate weight, but once she returned to work she was forced to supplement
with formula because she was never able to pump enough (I'm not sure what
her definition of "enough" is because she didn't ask my opinion then)
I will
* Recommend she begin pumping (or manual expression) and storage early post
partum                      delivery to  build her supply
* Ensure she uses a quality pump (any suggestions)
* Teach her to manually express
* Educate her on what quantity of milk to expect in the begriming

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated by me, the expectant mom
and the unborn baby