Advice needed on when to start expressing for occasional use

[Scrowy]

My EBF baby is two weeks old. Breastfeeding has fortunately gone really well and I seem to have a good supply and DD is gaining weight nicely.

We are having a lovely time sat on the sofa feeding at the moment but in the next 'few' weeks (I don't really have any specific timescale) I would like to try and have the option of being able to leave her with DP or DM and a bottle for a few hours.

I don't want to start expressing though this early if it is going to create supply problems down the line, but there seems to be conflicting information about expressing for occasional use so I'm not sure when to start giving it a go.

I'm also not sure what to do about pumps/expressing. I've not had much success with hand expressing so dark but some of that has been bad timing (PILs have a habit of walking in unannounced at very inconvenient times... but that's a whole other thread!) It seems silly shelling out for expensive electric pumps when I'm not planning on using the regularly.

Any advice welcome!

[littledinaco]

Can you try with a manual pump first as they are cheaper and then if you want to express regularly invest in an electric one.

Some people really struggle to express at all though.

Also, don't forget if you leave baby for a few hours, you will probably need to express in that time as you can become engorged if baby is normally feeding from you.
I found expressing for feeds for someone else to give baby and then expressing when was away was harder than just feeding the baby so wasn't worth all the effort of leaving them! Everyone is different though.

Look up 'paced feeding' for whoever is feeding her while you are away.

Congratulations on your little girl!

[Sparrowlegs248]

I didn't manage to express with Dc1, only ever getting a dribble. He also refused a bottle.

I've started early with dc2. Ten days old, expressed and gave bottle. Going to express daily for an evening bottle.just to form the habit really. I think you might struggle with occasional bottles, so might be an idea to do one bottle regularly.