Hi All,
As you all know I recently donated a bit of breastmilk to a friend who has
an eye infection.  While pumping my milk for her (using a Classic) I found
myself in, what could have been for someone without my education, a
frightening position.  I could NOT get a letdown, and was only able to pump
1.75 oz (total) in 4 pumping sessions.  Now, had I been anyone else, I would
have been immediately horrified and terribly worried about my milk supply.
But, being who I am, with the knowlegde I have, I wasn't too worried.  ;)  I
did all the realxation techniques and tried all the tricks, but nothing
helped.  The first pumping I got 1oz after 15 min, and this was after I had
not BF on the right breast for well over 3 hours.  My son is a one breast
per feed kinda kid, so I know that there should have been at least 4+ oz in
that breast.  (the kid is too big and healthy for me to have a low milk
supply!)  THe breast was not softened as it usually is after a good breastfeed.

Here are my questions and I am wondering if anyone has doen any research in
this area:

1. What is the likelyhood of easy milk collection from pumping, for a woman
who has never pumped, when the baby is older than 2 mo of age?

2. As the baby gets older (and if mom has not been pumping for any reason)
is it harder for mom to respond to the pump or is it a "every mom is
different" kinda thing?

3.  If a mom has an older baby and baby is hospitalized or cannot BF for
some reason and mom needs to pump to either get milk for baby or keep up her
milk supply, will it be harder for her to elicit an MER bc she has never
pumped (do not take into account stress, please, I know that that can cause
probs).


Personally, I am wondering if a womans body becomes so attuned to the baby
that, unless she has been pumping all along, if she needs to pump for an
older child will she have problems?

Please e-mail me privately as well as to the list.  I am SOOOO far behind in
my reading it isn't even funny anymore!

Thanks all!
Jay (who is thinking of doing her own research into this question, but
hasn't the slightest clue as to how to set up the proper parameters to do
anything like true research, let alone write it up!  Hints anyone??)

E-Mail to    [log in to unmask]

Jay Simpson, CLE
Sacramento, CA
"No Miracles performed here, just a lot of love and hard work."