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Infant feeding

Expressing milk - some questions

9 replies

Saffra · 19/10/2011 09:34

My DD is 3 weeks old today (and is ebf) and I would like to start her on expressed breast milk from a bottle for 1 of her evening feeds. Mainly so I can get more sleep as DH is back at work next wk (and will be far less able to do nappies and settling at night). I tried out the breast pump last night and managed to express 1.5oz, which I have stored in a sterilised bottle.

  • Is 3.5 weeks a good age to start bottle feeding? (to avoid nipple confusion)
  • Do I express into a NEW bottle each time? (rather than into the same bottle used earlier that day)
  • If I sterilise the breast pump in the dishwasher, how long does it stay sterile for?
  • How many oz should I be feeding DD in her evening feed? (I was thinking 2.5oz to begin with going off this www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html. Is that enough? (she feeds every 2 hours but sometimes has 3 hrs between feeds)
  • My aerola was a bit red and sore on the side I pumped from yesterday, but is now fine. Should I be worried about the breast shield size?? Or is it possible that the suction was a bit strong?
  • DD is colicky - might feeding from a bottle exacerbate her wind/tummy pains?


Any advice would be much appreciated!
OP posts:
SpannerPants · 19/10/2011 10:16

I think DS was about 3 weeks old when we first introduced a bottle of EBM at night, but I made sure that I pumped at the same time that DP gave DS the bottle, in order to maintain my supply which is crucial in the early days. Expressing is a big faff tbh! We haven't had any issues with nipple confusion, he had a dummy around the same age as well (which he now refuses - prefers his thumb/fingers)

I believe you can add to milk which has been expressed and stored in the fridge but I would probably use a fresh bottle to collect the expressed milk and then cool it in the fridge before adding it to the stored milk.
As for amounts, I found about 3-4oz was enough at that stage but he's always been a greedy baby :)

What pump do you have? I have a medela swing and sterilise it just before each time I use it in a microwave steriliser (but you can just put it in a pan of boiling water for 5 mins). It comes with a bottle but I express directly into bags which then go in the fridge/freezer, and I transfer the milk from the bag into a freshly sterilised bottle before my DP gives it to DS.

I find the pump often makes my nipples/areolas look a bit red and bruised but this goes away after 5 mins.

As for colic, there are all sorts of different teats and bottles you can use, I've heard Dr Browns are recommended because of the valve that lets air out. DS isn't colicky but gets more wind with bottles so needs burping more often than after feeding from the breast.

Saffra · 20/10/2011 03:13

Thanks SpannerPants Smile

I have the Medela Swing too - love how they call it 'fashionable' although don't quite see it myself...

How long did you need to express for at the same time to maintain your supply? Hopefully not TOO long as that would be a faff!

I had heard Dr Browns bottles being recommended by someone else too - will check out. Worried about making colic symptoms worse but I guess this won't be forever...

OP posts:
SpannerPants · 20/10/2011 11:28

I know - can't see myself wearing it round my neck as an accessory anytime soon!

I find that it only takes 10 minutes to empty each breast and I get about 3oz from each side, although everyone is different. I used to get the same amount with a hand pump but it took longer and made my hand hurt.

My mum looked after DS overnight when he was 8 weeks old (emptied my freezer stash of EBM!) so I had to set my alarm and expressed at 8pm, 1am and 6am. I believe one of the hormones involved with producing milk is at it's peak in the middle of the night so it's important to express during this period if you aren't feeding directly in order to maintain supply. 10 mins expressing then straight back to bed isn't too bad, it's certainly quicker than trying to get my DS back to sleep again!

MigGril · 20/10/2011 13:10

I know a lot of people like to go with an evening bottle in order to get a bit more sleep. But as other's have said you'd need to express at the same time in order to help maintain your supply.

Would you DH be up for doing an early morning bottle instead so you can get a longer lie in? You can then express when you wake up and not worry so much about supply issuse.

Saffra · 20/10/2011 15:47

SpannerPants - sorry, what I meant was how many days/weeks did you have to express at that same time to maintain supply? Must say, I'm very impressed that you can get 3oz out in 10 mins from one side. I'm a bit jealous!

MigGril - DH wakes up at 5.30am for work so unfortunately it wouldn't be possible for him to do the early morning one. He's back at 6.30pm, so I was hoping he could do a fixed routine each weeknight evening of bath/feed. I'm hoping this will free up some of my time to do some work (I work from home). I wouldn't mind expressing at the same time in the evening for a couple of wks or whatever, but wouldn't really fancy doing it longer term. Would kind of defeat the object!

OP posts:
SpannerPants · 20/10/2011 16:26

I don't know how long it takes tbh, but my body has got used to me pumping at that time now so I get very engorged if I don't!

Saffra · 20/10/2011 17:09

Hmmmm... I guess that at least it doesn't take long for you to express. That's one good thing, I suppose!

OP posts:
Rupal123 · 19/10/2016 11:53

My daughter is 15 days now. I tried to express milk using pump for first time but could get hardly 25 ml in 25 minutes from both sides. Is it this way only initially or it increases?

Rupal123 · 19/10/2016 11:54

I feed my daughter who is 15 days , for hours but still she always seems hungry and crying? I get tired and frustrated a lot ?

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