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not letting down

i hate pumping. with a great passion! every time i have pumped my nipples get so sore that i cant even let anything come into contact with my breast afterwards. its not the same as actually breast feeding my baby. he never has any problem latching on and always is satisfied afterwards. Every time i pump i get maybe 2 oz. i pump right after my son is done eating and in the middle of the night when he does not wake up. even when my breasts are full, i NEVER let down while pumping. so the entire time the pump is pulling at my nipples getting almost nothing. i have tried relaxing, having my baby cry, massaging my breasts while pumping and even squeezing them a little to get some out and it still never works to let down. I need to build up my supply again in the freezer but i am having a hard time with it because of not letting down. PLEASE help!

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Permalink Reply by Bright777 on June 15, 2012 at 12:39am

Are you wetting/moistening your nipples before you put the pump on them? I didn't do this with my first one and had the same problem. It took me 2 YEARS to get sensation back in my breasts. With this one, I learned you are supposed to do that and it has helped sooo much.

Permalink Reply by SarahPeluso on June 16, 2012 at 3:58pm

What do you wet them with?

Permalink Reply by Bright777 on June 16, 2012 at 7:19pm

Get a damp wash cloth to put on your breasts to get them moist, then put the pump right on. When your baby nurses, he/she has saliva. When you pump, you want to try to mimic your baby nursing. I questioned it at first, but it has made such a difference for me. I get a little more milk and its not as uncomfortable.

Permalink Reply by Barrett's Mommy on June 15, 2012 at 9:27am

It probably doesn't help that you're in so much pain! I had this problem early on, and was finally able to relax enough for the pump later, but it was only after I switched the breast shields that I was using. I found a recommendation on here for http://www.pumpinpal.com/ and ordered their kit. I have since recommended them to friends who were having the same issues. They take the pain away in pumping (at least mostly) and it's much easier to "relax" then. I used to go to my pumping sessions like an execution and now they are fine. (I'm sounding a bit like a commercial, so I will stop.) I hope something like this helps you. After I got them, I was able to focus on my son, imagining him nursing and can now usually get two letdowns in a 20 minute session. It took a few months though, but I refuse to use the plain breast shields that came with my pump now.