[Lesley Silvester]

I've just started trying to milk Cloud and, apart from the fact that she is not impressed with the whole process, her teats are so tiny that I can only use one finger and thumb. Any suggestion how to make her teats grow? I know that milking her will help but I wouldn't have thought it would make that much difference.

[Wombat]

milking usually stretches them, i expect you will have to try a alternative technique, such as drawing the milk down, plenty of lube on her teat will prevent chafing.

[benkt]

I'm not sure there is a lot to be done, we had a an old girl with tiny teats and she'd been milked for six or seven years and they were still just a 'finger and thumb' job. Might have been why she was so cantankerous when being milked?

[sokel]

Our snowdrop was the same when she  had her first kids.  It was as you say a finger and thumb (not easy with arthritic hands ) this year her teats are normal sized and much easier to milk

[Lesley Silvester]

I'm not sure there is a lot to be done, we had a an old girl with tiny teats and she'd been milked for six or seven years and they were still just a 'finger and thumb' job. Might have been why she was so cantankerous when being milked?

She's certainly cantankerous. It takes my OH and a friend to get her up on the milking bench and then to hold her still while I try to get some milk out of her. I'm usually leaning against her as well and trying to avoid hooves that are trying to dislodge my finger and thumb.  As you say, Sokel, not easy with arthritic hands.


Wombat, can you explain what you mean by draw the milk down. I can't quite picture it.


I'm wondering if a milking machine would help or if her teats are too small. There are some on ebay for under £50 although the postage is high as they are from America.

[jaykay]

It was Ellie's tiny teats that got me into using the UdderlyEz hand pump.

[plumseverywhere]

I had this issue with savannah when she first decided to be a maiden milker.  It was finger and thumb milking for a while and then as her udder emptied I could take more into my hand. It took a while but now she has stonking great teats    perfect for milking.
I had to cheat a bit at the beginning as I realised that Scarlett (who was then 4) had the perfect sized hands for smaller teats so I bribed her to do it 

[Lesley Silvester]

Lisa, can I borrow your daughter for a week or two? I'll cook her favourite food.

[plumseverywhere]

Its half term next week, you can have all 4. 

[Lesley Silvester]

I've been looking at these, too, Skirza, but I wasn't sure about the voltage of the charge. Is it suitable for the UK or did you have to buy an adaptor?

[plumseverywhere]

I'm just attempting to buy one too - thank you for the link!! Just waiting to change my ebay password (grrrr).  Do they hammer you for import tax if its coming from the USA?  Tony suffered when he recently bought some guitar parts hence my question 

[plumseverywhere]

I've ordered it now (really excited!) including P&P and the import tax it was about £71. the seller has messaged me to say he's thrown in some small teat cups too.  Can't wait to use it.

[fiestyredhead331]

I have the same issue with a first timer just now, finger and thumb and patience on both sides but already have a couple of dansha milkers so emailed him as the teat cups I have are too big so he;s sent me some extra small 20ml ones for free.

[fiestyredhead331]

Skirza.....getting 20ml syringes are not a problem, getting them to fit the pipes on the milker however is

[Lesley Silvester]

Plums also was given free ones. I've just ordered mine and having to pay for them.