The mothers that I work with love the Ameda Elite pump.

You say this is a professional pump. What does that mean? If she is 
using the personal style pump, the Purely Yours, which is smaller in 
size, it may be worn out. If she is using an Elite or SMB or Lact E, it 
also could be worn out but probably unlikely.

And I assume she is using the right collection kit?

Although if this was given to her by someone else, it makes me think 
what was wrong with the machine that it was passed on as a freebie. OR 
something old or used that was passed on.

Is the amount per breast or total amount per pumping?

It doesn't sound that unreasonable if she is nursing and pumping in 
between or afterwards. Actually, this is a good amount for pumping in 
between or afterwards. If she is skipping feedings at the breast, like 
with moms who are working and pumping, we would hope to see more milk 
removed. Two ounces per breast pumped out for a working woman is a good 
amount, in my experience. Three ounces total is what is normal for my 
NICU moms at each pumping.

She should look to bigger flanges. A good photo of too tight flanges is 
in the BF Atlas or in the Pumping for Your Premature baby handout by the 
same authors. The nipple should have room to move in the sides of the 
tunnel of the flange and not be "sausaged" or squeezed into the flange. 
The research on the Symphony showed 77% of the women pumping for their 
preemie needed the bigger flanges.

She could check the pump on vacuum gauge to see if it works properly. 
The Hollister company can tell her the correct amounts of suction it 
should be pulling.

Also, when the valves get worn out or torn, on any pump, it stops 
working properly. So she should try new valves. Sometime the tubing is 
not pushed into the white connector piece enough and loses suction. 
Sometimes the white connector piece is not pushed into the piston or 
tube tight enough and loses suction.

Is she pumping long enough? When skipping feedings at work or pumping 
for a preemie, I have women pump at least 20 minutes or until the milk 
stops dripping and is not coming back after two minutes.

If she has an Elite or Purely Yours, she should try different speeds and 
suction levels and change around when the dripping stops.

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC

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