Need advice on starting to express

[Moorhen]

DS will be six weeks on Friday, and BF appears to be going well (no pain etc, tho I get knackered at nights). Would like to start expressing so DH can take over a night feed, and DH/mum/etc can give him a bottle and free me for a few hours at a time now and again.

I have a Boots hand pump (present from FF friend who got it as a gift and never used it), some breast milk bags, a cold water steriliser and a Nuk bottle.

What I don't have is a clue when to start or what to do! Any tips much appreciated

[lulumama]

bump for you !

[Jojay]

Firstly, sterilize the pump and bottle.

Then pick a good time to have a go. First thing in the morning is normally good, if you can face it, as your supply is usually plentiful then.

Otherwise, if your DS feeds from one boob per feed, you could try pumping from the other during or after a feed.

It's a matter of trial and error a lot of the time - experiment with different pumping rhythmns to see which works for you.

If you plan to use the milk within 24 hrs, pour it from the pump into the bottle and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

If not, put it into the special freezer bags, and freeze it.

Good for you for giving it a go. I expressed a lot, a nd found it gave my that bit of freedom that I needed, to avoid going bonkers. I'm sure I breastfed for longer because I had a break every now and again. It's also fab for Dads and Grannies to be able to spend some quality time with their babies.

Hope it works out for you.

[farfaraway]

I would suggest you start in the morning after the first morning feed and maybe after the remaining morning feeds. I have heard that you can get more milk than if you express of an evening after you have been feeding all day. (I guess that only works if you not feeding all night too though!) I regularly express for my DD3 and have found an electric pump is more productive. Any chance you can borrow an electric pump? Also do not expect huge amounts when you start but you will produce more milk over time.
Good luck. It does give some sense of freedom as today I managed to leave DD3 with DH with an expressed bottle and even managed to sneak a quiet coffee in too.

[absandme]

agree with expressing straight after morning feed, that way you don't steal milk! I made the mistake once of leaving it far too long after morning feed & ended up giving it to dd as she was still hungry!

Highly recommend a very gentle massage around skin part of boob in smallish circles using fingertips very gently. (takes about 15-20 seconds)

Then gentle strokes towards nipple (with fleshy part of palm of hand)8-12 seconds approx

This helps milk let down etc