TRUE OR FALSE - You must not express within the first 6 weeks if you are B/feeding

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Answers please?

[Quootiepie]

I did... Went fine.

[kbaby]

i did it fine no probs and even gave it in a bottle and never had supply or nipple confusion problems

[nailpolish]

i did too

[NotQuiteCockney]

I did, both times.

It's probably a bit unwise to go mad with the expressing in the early days, though - it can help cause oversupply issues.

[compo]

false

[LucyJones]

false - lots of babies in special care units get breast milk this way

[WigWamBam]

The hospital's bf counsellor taught me to hand-express on the ward the day after dd was born. She was perfectly happy with the idea of expressing from day 1 - although she did suggest not giving it in a bottle before 6 weeks to avoid confusion.

[yomellamoHelly]

I did - from day 1 of milk coming in. Felt helped to balance out ds2 not always latching on properly and to toughen my boobs up. Also have had no growth spurt issues this time (with ds1 ended up giving him formula to get through those times). Ds2 also had the ebm in a bottle (from day 11) no probs.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Hmmm - i thought false also.

Was chatting to some 'mums' at pre-school today. A friend of one of them has just had a baby a few days before xmas. Had a emergency c-section so had a bit of a tough time.

Baby is wanting to feed often - as they do. MW has said to her (apparently), that she must not express in the first 6 weeks. I immediately scoffed and said "er, that's crap - as far as I am aware".

Then someone said "Oh, they are always changing the advice arent they". To which I replied "Actually, I rathermore think its that the advice you get depends on the individual mw you get - they all say different".

So, anyway, I now feel terribly sorry for this poor woman who thinks she cant get a break for at least 6 weeks, having just had a c-section over xmas etc etc...

It sucks.

[nannynickers]

False - I was given the breast pump as soon as dd was born (she was taken into special care) they said it would stimulate and increase my supply.

I suppose if your body produces whatever is demanded of it, expressing would only create extran milk? Non?

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

I think, some mw's think that feeding from bottle may confuse a baby's ability to latch.......maybe there is a little truth in that???

[nannynickers]

Is there a special reason she was told not to express because there is an exception to every rule...did she tell you VVVQV?

[prettybird]

False - I was encouraged to express by breast feeding counsellor at matrnity hospital at c.2 weeks, when ds wasn't gaining weight. Used to give him EBM after a feed - and for a while was alternating EBM with "standard2 feeds. Ds didn't have a problem with nipple/teat confusion - more with being a lazy sod who wouldn't open his mouth, and pretended to swallow!

Was able to exclusively breast feed till he was over a year (weaned him earlier of course!

[nannynickers]

I had emergency c section too, I was told that once baby is given a bottle sometimes they refuse to go back to breast... Maybe that is why?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Yeah, bottle feeding in the first 4-6 weeks can cause nipple confusion and latch problems. If the baby is inclined to suck on just the tip of the nipple, if they are bottlefed, they will find that works just fine, so it will encourage them.

[shonaspurtle]

I gave a bottle of ebm at about 1 week as I was so sore and ds spilled most of his milk when we tried with a cup or syringe (also v stressful when it had been so difficult to collect!)

I cried (hormones...) giving him that bottle as I thought it would make him refuse me but it was fine.

Doesn't mean it would work out that way for everyone though I suppose and the breast pump is definitely not a efficient as a baby so my supply was all over the place for a while.

[Kelly1978]

It isn't advisable but I did with no problems.

[Plibble]

I had heard that expressing can interfere with the supply/demand thing established by the baby feeding and your body responding. I also think that the instructions for the pump I bought said not to express until your supply was established. But this must be one of those things where there is no black and white answer. I expressed at 2 weeks and my DD had a bottle of EBM each day from 4 weeks and we had no problems at all.
I think that midwife sounds a prime example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. After all, there is a difference between "thou shalt not" and "doing so may have the following effect..."

[Pablothelittleredfox]

Dunno but I did! ooops! Was that part of my problem then?!

[TheBlonde]

False

[twickersmum]

i tried but got so little until about 5 weeks in.
i thought expressing helps to increase your milk supply?

[Enid]

i never did

always thought that if i was feeding from a bottle then i wouldnt be feeding with my bosoms - so therefore mikl supply wouldnt be as great?

[KathyMCMLXXII]

I am, but with a cautious eye out for potential problems.

I think they just like to simplify things because us silly little mummies can't be trusted to understand anything more complex than a blanket rule.

[Chandra]

I was told in the hospital by the midwives of the maternity guard never to express, never to have bottles in the house and some other ridiculous
advice that was kindly rectified by my community midwife.