I'd have her try a rental pump.  Sometimes the suction curve on the 
small pumps is just not what "works" for the mother. (Is she sure the 
pump is not defective?)  If she can't find an electric pump that works, 
teach her manual expression.
I was one of those moms that the Lactina only produced drops for, but I 
could hand express 4-8 oz per session!

Another trick that sometimes works is to help the mom trigger an MER by 
hand or by smelling something that the baby has worn.  I usually 
recommend working moms put that newborn hat on the baby, and let it get 
nice and sweaty (sorry, baby!), then close it up in a sandwich style 
zipper closure bag.  She opens the bag and takes a sniff right before 
she pumps, and reseals it to keep the scent in. 

Sometimes pumping pattern matters.  I helped a mom with a PNS Advanced 
yesterday, and she was getting only drops at a time using it the way it 
was designed.  I taught her to use the letdown phase for only about 2-3 
seconds, then switch to expression phase until the sprays stopped, then 
shut it off momentarily to reset, and back to letdown phase for a few 
seconds, and then back to expression phase.  This made a huge difference 
in the speed of milk removal.  If mom's PNS has a speed dial (or for 
moms using a Purely Yours or Elite by Hollister/Ameda), she can start at 
high speed/low vacuum, and then turn down the speed to med and turn the 
vacuum up as much as she needs to in order to get sprays, repeating for 
each MER.

If you want to learn a tremendous amount about pumping and how pumps 
work, have Linda Pohl come out and speak to WALC.
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  NYC

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