Hand Expressing

[whitney4126]

I've posted a couple of times recently about how I've been having trouble with my milk let-down while pumping since I started back to work in January.  I've gotten lots of good input, and some of the things have worked some of the time, but my body just isn't responding to the pump like I need it to.  Anyway, this morning I decide to try one of the suggestions I've gotten, which is to hand express before pumping.  I haven't really hand expressed at all since I started breastfeeding, other than maybe a squirt.  For some reason, the idea of it made me uncomfortable.  Well, I tried it and it was sooooo much more efficient and comfortable for me than the pump!  I ended up just doing that for a whole session.  I doubt it will replace the pump completely for me, but I think I might try to incorporate some hand expression, instead of pumping, into my routine.  

So does anyone who has used hand expression in lieu of pumping have any tips?  Also, I think I need a wider mouth jar than the medela milk storage jars.  Does anyone know of a good substitute?

[jennlin]

i have fairly good response with hand expressing as well. i always recommend people practice hand expressing so that if you're stuck out somewhere with a sick baby and no pump, you can get relief. with my last baby, i used an avent pump/bottles, and those are a lot more wide mouth when compared with medela....or you can use wide mouth nalgene bottles.

[theresat858]

I will use the pump flange as a funnel for the bottles if I am hand expressing.

My mom only hand expressed when I was an infant, as the pumps they had back then didn't work for her (she went back to work when I was 2 weeks old).