Hellobee Boards

Can you hear or see a change in pressure as the milk hits the back of the thing that connects to the back of the flange? I can feel letdown but I also have always noticed this. Anyway sounds like you are in an enviable position! It does also take the boobs awhile to figure out when to go into standby mode.

@Danizaur: when I start pumping, my milk leaks and drizzles out, but there comes a point where it really starts to squirt out in little streams. If that happens for you, it's probably your letdown and you can push the button at that point. I don't think it hurts anything if you just let the machine run, though -- I have a pretty quick letdown but have sometimes been distracted or had my hands full and didn't push the button, and it's never seemed to cause any problems. There are pumps out there with only one speed and they still seem to work for people!

I never feel let down. But I can hear it squirting into the bottle so that's when I hit the button.

um, i had never hit the button until now... and i EP. #fail. also, i can't tell when i have a letdown - no sensation and my milk is just a steady dripping stream. so slow. ugh.

@Danizaur: it's nice to know someone else is in the same boat. one of my friends (with kids) visited this weekend and was shocked at how long it takes me to pump. i have a steady stream dripping for like 45 mins. ughhhhh. that's why i'm down to pumping 3-4 times per day. too much of a commitment

i didn't feel a let down until maybe 2 months post partum? i was just leaky in the beginning. i think after your milk supply establishes itself, you'll start to feel it and then it is noticeable. from not dripping at all while pumping, to spraying out forcefully after you let down while pumping. i wouldn't worry too much about it right now. some women never feel a letdown, but their milk supply is fine.

@Danizaur: I can't call myself a noob anymore since I've been pumping for almost a year, however, I'm no expert! I never feel a let down while pumping though! Never have, never will! I let the two minutes go by just like you did.

If you're already leaking, I think you may have had the let down before you started pumping(?)

I go from a slow drip of next to nothing to a forceful stream of milk.

@CHITOWNRO have you tried hands on pumping? it may go much quicker

I've never had a let down. I just press the button every so often.

@danda: this.

I never felt a let down in the first several weeks. I was just a constant drippy, leaky mess. I think I felt it stronger as time went on and my body adjusted? Maybe it was when my LO started going a bit longer between feeds? I very distinctly remember going, "oh! THIS is what people were talking about!", but I don't remember at what point I had that realization...

At any rate, 2 oz from each side is great, so I wouldn't worry about it!

@Danizaur: I can feel my letdown when pumping. When that happened it wasn't a drip, drip, drip. It was a constant faster flow of milk.

2oz each side was my typical output! Hopefully when you're more established your output will increase.

Your pump has a letdown button?!

@Mrs. Chipmunk: do you mean massaging my boobs while pumping? Yah, I do that if possible. But about 50% of the time I'm multi tasking

@Danizaur: I've never felt a letdown either, and I've gone through a year of breastfeeding two kids! I just press the button about 2 minutes after hooking up to the machine, and then again at the 15 minute mark. Haha, I still have no idea what I'm doing and always wondered this same question!!

@Danizaur: When do you pump usually? If I pumped after breastfeeding I wouldn't necessarily let down and would only get a little milk. If I did it in place of breastfeeding then it was noticeable. I will admit I had no idea how pumping worked at first and it scared me so I pretty much avoided it. I did eventually get the hang of it but it just takes some time to figure out. Good luck