Expressing on a night out.

[DaleyBump]

I would love to have a night out but I have no idea how long or how much to express for while I'm out. Any tips?

[CityDweller]

How old is your baby? How many times do they usually feed in the evening (i.e. during the period you plan to be out)?

[Liveinthepresent]

I used this as a guideline.
kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

My DS wouldn't take a bottle for a while and initially drank less and made up for it when I got home so you may not need lots for an evening out!

[DaleyBump]

That's useful, thanks. I've already expressed 24oz so I think he'll be okay. I was really wondering how often I should express while I'm out to keep up my supply.

City it's totally random, he doesn't really have a feeding pattern at all.

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

How old is he? If your supply is well established then you may not need to pump for supply, but you're likely to feel rather full and uncomfortable, which expressing will ease.

[MrsLettuce]

TBH I used to take a jar and just hand express a wee bit as and when needed to stay comfy. A dream feed once I was home and sorted.

[DaleyBump]

Oh great! He's nearly 3 months, should my supply be okay by now?

[MrsLettuce]

I'd say so, just feed as shortly as possible before you go and as soon as possible after. Jar for safeties sake. He might well feed extra that night despite having had plenty of expressed milk - both my DC did

[DaleyBump]

That's fantastic, thank you :)

[Liveinthepresent]

Oh I am so sleep deprived I thought you were asking something else! Sorry ! As others have said it really depends on your DS age - an evening wouldn't require expressing for me really. I think everyone's different but you can hand express for comfort as MrsLettuce said and unless you are in the first mad few weeks am sure your body will work it out.
I have gone back to work at six months with both DCs and my clever boobs seem to cope with me going all day without feeding/expressing on work days and feeding as normal on home days!

[Liveinthepresent]

I think I should give up I think MrsLettuce has it covered!

I will just add - at 3 months don't worry too much just be ready to feel very full and enjoy a well earned evening off!

[LostMySocks]

Sorry to crash, I have a night out comung soon and need to leave milk. I've looked st the link above that suggestsfor an EBF baby feeding 6 times a day I'd need a max of about 4oz per feed. But friends who FF the same number of feeds are on 8 or 9 oz. I thought formukacdesigned to be like breast milk so why so much difference?