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Original poster

Positive stories of mams expressing day 1

149 replies

Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 14:23

Posting on here for traffic and can't find where chat is on topics.

Feeling like 💩 lots of pain with my PGP so would like some positive breastfeeding stories of mamas who pumped from day 1. I did post in pregnancy but only got a few commenting which I appreciate but want to know more 😊

I know the risks and willing to still do it. Dad wants to do nights and will be pumping once between 2am and 4am as that's when you produce the most milk. I'll still be breastfeeding during the day and pump on the other boob.

Tia

OP posts:
Mammabear12345 · 21/10/2023 17:27

I think if you want to pump, I would start by expressing every 3 hours, so 3am, 6am, 9am, 12, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 12 etc in a 24 hour period. After two weeks or so you can see whether you have built up a little stash in the freezer and then reduce pumps to every 4 hours, 4am, 8am, 12, 4pm, 8pm, 12 etc and then probably maintain every 4 hours for the next 6 weeks or so. Then you might be able to drop another session. I've known people to be able to get it down to about 4 pumps every 24 hours as the baby grows and their milk supply establishes...

BUT it's definitely worth considering if breast feeding would be easier (can leave the house without taking a pump with you!) Or if you would prefer to just formula feed. Some of the benefits of breast feeding are that the baby gets some passive immunity as there are antibodies in the breast milk, but when you freeze breast milk it does lose those antibodies.

Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:28

K4tM · 21/10/2023 17:21

I expressed from day 1 (might have been day 2) because I had to have a CT scan the day after he was born by c section and the dye they use had to clear my system before I was allowed to feed him. So we gave him bottles and I did pumping for 24hours using the electric pump on the Labour ward … I remember it was quite traumatic at the time, but I was later able to establish feeding and all was well with bf for the next 6 months. Carried on doing expressing after that so his dad could give a late night feed about 11. I would go to bed around 9 and by the next time baby woke around 1am I’d already had 4 hours sleep. It worked very well for us.

I have to say though, I don’t think it would have made the slightest bit of difference if that late night bottle had been formula!

Thank you. This is what i want to hear and I know everyone's experience is different. And just because it didn't work for you doesn't mean its not going to work for others. Just got to keep thinking positive and it'll work out 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:31

Mammabear12345 · 21/10/2023 17:27

I think if you want to pump, I would start by expressing every 3 hours, so 3am, 6am, 9am, 12, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 12 etc in a 24 hour period. After two weeks or so you can see whether you have built up a little stash in the freezer and then reduce pumps to every 4 hours, 4am, 8am, 12, 4pm, 8pm, 12 etc and then probably maintain every 4 hours for the next 6 weeks or so. Then you might be able to drop another session. I've known people to be able to get it down to about 4 pumps every 24 hours as the baby grows and their milk supply establishes...

BUT it's definitely worth considering if breast feeding would be easier (can leave the house without taking a pump with you!) Or if you would prefer to just formula feed. Some of the benefits of breast feeding are that the baby gets some passive immunity as there are antibodies in the breast milk, but when you freeze breast milk it does lose those antibodies.

Thank you for the advice. I won't be adding formula. Prefer to be all breastmilk. frozen breast milk doesn't lose antibodies. It may lose some but not all and ill still be feeding her from the boob

OP posts:
Mammabear12345 · 21/10/2023 17:33

Ooh and I would make sure you buy a pump and also a back up pump (in case it breaks), some freezer bags for breast milk and a marker pen to write the date on, some bottles, a sterilizer (though some people say no need to sterilize breast milk bottles as it doesn't grow the harmful bacteria that formula bottles have), nursing bras, some formula just in case supply is a problem, and some syringes for the v early days.

IfIHadAHeart · 21/10/2023 17:38

This seems to be all about what your partner wants not what’s best for the baby. Very odd.

Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:38

Mammabear12345 · 21/10/2023 17:33

Ooh and I would make sure you buy a pump and also a back up pump (in case it breaks), some freezer bags for breast milk and a marker pen to write the date on, some bottles, a sterilizer (though some people say no need to sterilize breast milk bottles as it doesn't grow the harmful bacteria that formula bottles have), nursing bras, some formula just in case supply is a problem, and some syringes for the v early days.

I've already got all that from when had my son. Kept everything. 😊 but will get another pump. Do need more breastpads. Been giving syringes. Got sent in the post. Won't be getting formula tho.

Still breastfeeding my near 19 month old. Really what to tandem feed till he's 2.

OP posts:
Itsalongstoryy · 21/10/2023 17:39

Its one of those things that some people can’t understand why you’d do it but everyone is different! I chose not to directly breastfeed, I pump and give formula (only one or two bottles before bed). I gave a bit of formula from day 1 because I was a bit scared I wouldn’t have been able to produce enough but also wanted her to have formula before bed because my son slept so well and was formula fed (one of those things I just wanted to do) 🙈

I did colostrum harvesting, gave the syringes in hospital then pumped from the day after I got home so probably day 3 of baby’s life. I was amazed that I produced a few ounces so quickly when I thought it would just be colostrum still. I aimed to do it until 6 weeks because any stories of celebrities etc I read seemed to stop at 6 weeks and I thought that would be a great start. I’m nearly at 3 months now and it’s still going really quite well! I have the Elvie and it’s been amazing to slip in my bra on to go. I’ve stopped pumping during the night as of this week but it means I need to stay up quite late and if I sleep in at all to anywhere near 7/8am I wake up in agony with it! I’m trying to stretch it to 4 hours during the day if I can now instead of 3 but when I hit 3 I can really feel it. I’d like to get my life back a bit in the new year (and take one time consuming task off my list) so I’m thinking of slowly reducing the number of times per day throughout December until I produce less and less. I do feel slightly panicky when I think about stopping because I seem to have such a good supply that I worry itl never stop and il be trapped doing this forever 😂

It has been way more positive than I could ever have imagined and the fact I felt sad at the thought of trying to stop at 6 weeks really surprised me, so I kept going. Some people are just very against pumping because of the extra faff, I really struggled to find any straightforward info on it before she was born so have just sort of fumbled along myself but it’s gone fine 😊

Birch101 · 21/10/2023 17:45

Good luck and make sure you have all the relevant helpline numbers to hand if needed and a lactation consultant details

K4tM · 21/10/2023 17:49

Just to add to my earlier post … second baby was a girl. She refused to take a bottle, so knowing I could bf I just did that. Anyway, had to go into hospital when she was 3 months for a general anaesthetic and overnight stay. Expressed a load of milk before hand directly into bottles of 100 ml feeds, then into freezer. Her Dad fed her and she took the bottle because she had no choice. All was well. Straight back to bf after though.

Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:49

Birch101 · 21/10/2023 17:45

Good luck and make sure you have all the relevant helpline numbers to hand if needed and a lactation consultant details

Thank you and I will 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:55

Itsalongstoryy · 21/10/2023 17:39

Its one of those things that some people can’t understand why you’d do it but everyone is different! I chose not to directly breastfeed, I pump and give formula (only one or two bottles before bed). I gave a bit of formula from day 1 because I was a bit scared I wouldn’t have been able to produce enough but also wanted her to have formula before bed because my son slept so well and was formula fed (one of those things I just wanted to do) 🙈

I did colostrum harvesting, gave the syringes in hospital then pumped from the day after I got home so probably day 3 of baby’s life. I was amazed that I produced a few ounces so quickly when I thought it would just be colostrum still. I aimed to do it until 6 weeks because any stories of celebrities etc I read seemed to stop at 6 weeks and I thought that would be a great start. I’m nearly at 3 months now and it’s still going really quite well! I have the Elvie and it’s been amazing to slip in my bra on to go. I’ve stopped pumping during the night as of this week but it means I need to stay up quite late and if I sleep in at all to anywhere near 7/8am I wake up in agony with it! I’m trying to stretch it to 4 hours during the day if I can now instead of 3 but when I hit 3 I can really feel it. I’d like to get my life back a bit in the new year (and take one time consuming task off my list) so I’m thinking of slowly reducing the number of times per day throughout December until I produce less and less. I do feel slightly panicky when I think about stopping because I seem to have such a good supply that I worry itl never stop and il be trapped doing this forever 😂

It has been way more positive than I could ever have imagined and the fact I felt sad at the thought of trying to stop at 6 weeks really surprised me, so I kept going. Some people are just very against pumping because of the extra faff, I really struggled to find any straightforward info on it before she was born so have just sort of fumbled along myself but it’s gone fine 😊

Yes it is 🤣 like they aren't going to change my mind. I did give my son some formula in the beginning as he had tongue tie but once that was sorted I stopped. Was very early on. He was a good sleeper from 11 weeks. Slept through since then and still a good sleeper. Helps I love my sleep lol.

I'm so glad it's still going well for you!! Ooh might have to get that instead of Hakka maybe.

Haha I'm sure it'll be fine 🤣 and hope it ends up being fine for you! My son is near 19 months and down to just one feed. I know. Like i said in early posts. Everyone experience is different and doesn't work for everyone but doesn't mean I'm not going to give it my all.

Another thing I've noticed is the fact that when dad's don't help they get slated and when they do they get slated. Can't win on here.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 17:57

K4tM · 21/10/2023 17:49

Just to add to my earlier post … second baby was a girl. She refused to take a bottle, so knowing I could bf I just did that. Anyway, had to go into hospital when she was 3 months for a general anaesthetic and overnight stay. Expressed a load of milk before hand directly into bottles of 100 ml feeds, then into freezer. Her Dad fed her and she took the bottle because she had no choice. All was well. Straight back to bf after though.

Edited

I'm glad it worked out in the end. 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:05

IfIHadAHeart · 21/10/2023 17:38

This seems to be all about what your partner wants not what’s best for the baby. Very odd.

Dads can't win can they. Baby is going to be well cared for so please take your negativity elsewhere.

OP posts:
AfterWeights · 21/10/2023 18:05

I had to pump because of a tiny baby in nicu and a lot of time in hospital on feeding tubes.

You need to pump a lot. once in the night won't cut it. I did about every 2.5-3 hours so 9 or 10 times in 24 hours, and ended up with a supply at the lower end of the range even though 3 weeks in she was feeding directly (we had subsequent hospitalisations where i had to pump).

In that few weeks before your supply stabilises, you need to be mimicking a rapidly growing cluster feeding baby, if you don't, you end up stuck with a supply thats only enough for an 8lb newborn. Nothing I did materially increased my supply after about that 3 or 4 month point where it settled down - i could only ever get about 24 oz per 24h and it was hard work to maintain it at that level - i pumped 3 hourly day & night.

I had had both a bigger supply and bigger storage capacity with my first born, ebf, who had cluster fed a lot in the first 6-8 weeks.

Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:07

AfterWeights · 21/10/2023 18:05

I had to pump because of a tiny baby in nicu and a lot of time in hospital on feeding tubes.

You need to pump a lot. once in the night won't cut it. I did about every 2.5-3 hours so 9 or 10 times in 24 hours, and ended up with a supply at the lower end of the range even though 3 weeks in she was feeding directly (we had subsequent hospitalisations where i had to pump).

In that few weeks before your supply stabilises, you need to be mimicking a rapidly growing cluster feeding baby, if you don't, you end up stuck with a supply thats only enough for an 8lb newborn. Nothing I did materially increased my supply after about that 3 or 4 month point where it settled down - i could only ever get about 24 oz per 24h and it was hard work to maintain it at that level - i pumped 3 hourly day & night.

I had had both a bigger supply and bigger storage capacity with my first born, ebf, who had cluster fed a lot in the first 6-8 weeks.

I'll be both pumping and feeding of the boob. Thank you for your experience.

OP posts:
AfterWeights · 21/10/2023 18:10

Oh and I'd echo pps that it was:

  • the worst of both worlds. To manage to keep a supply up while pumping i got way less sleep faffing with pump and bottles than simply feeding.
  • when i dropped to only one pump at night it was not good for supply, it immediately dropped.
  • it was a nightmare with toddler as well as baby.
  • it dominated my day, it made it much harder to get out and about without thinking about pumping/storing milk.

I did it for 6months because i saw it as the only option due to baby's health issues, if there had been the option to simply feed directly, my god would i have jumped at it.

AfterWeights · 21/10/2023 18:13

I'll be both pumping and feeding of the boob. Thank you for your experience.

I was too. I strongly recommend pumping at least 3 hourly at night, i tried to do exactly as you are suggesting and let DH help at night & sleep more myself, and reducing the feeding/pumping at night really killed my supply, even with lots of direct feeding during the day.

Summermeadowflowers · 21/10/2023 18:14

God, I hate these smug ‘oh it’s soo easy feeding at night’ posts Hmm

@Cowlover89 , I pump for DD as we are crap at breastfeeding, to be frank about it! My main advice is to get a hands free pump. They are expensive but it’s so handy being able to pump when driving or pushing a pram or during Bath time. I also rent a hospital double pump and I use it three times a day, once overnight, once first thing and once before I go to bed.

DD is mix fed. She usually has six feeds a day and two are formula. She’s three months so I may have to introduce more formula but any breast milk she gets is good. I like the fact I know exactly how much she’s had and I don’t have the issues of not being able to have a hair appointment or similar. So it’s working for us although I am sad I couldn’t breastfeed.

Everydayimhuffling · 21/10/2023 18:17

I don't think it's that dads can't help, it's more that there's more helpful ways of helping than feeding baby while you pump. Holding/ entertaining/ bathing/ changing while you nap, for example. That way you are not both awake and you get some sleep rather than waking up to pump at the same time.

I pumped to build up a freezer stash for hospital visits. It was doable, but I wouldn't have wanted to be reliant on it because I definitely pumped less milk than the baby was able to get.

Coffeerum · 21/10/2023 18:20

A haakaa isn’t a real pump and it won’t collect the higher fat milk. If you are planning to regularly bottle feed breastmilk then a haakaa isn’t enough, you need a proper medical grade pump. Particularly for times you plan to pump to replace a feed like during the night, the haakaa won’t collect that much if you aren’t feeding and it also won’t stimulate supply either.

Coffeerum · 21/10/2023 18:22

Also if dad doesn’t work it seems like the easiest way for him to help if you are only wanting to feed baby breastmilk is just to take the baby during the day and stretches in the evening between feeds so you can nap.
That’s actually going to help a lot more than regularly bottle feeding, pumping and feeding from the breast.

Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:25

Coffeerum · 21/10/2023 18:20

A haakaa isn’t a real pump and it won’t collect the higher fat milk. If you are planning to regularly bottle feed breastmilk then a haakaa isn’t enough, you need a proper medical grade pump. Particularly for times you plan to pump to replace a feed like during the night, the haakaa won’t collect that much if you aren’t feeding and it also won’t stimulate supply either.

I've got a pump also 😊 gonna get a spare. I'll just use it for the let down

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:27

Coffeerum · 21/10/2023 18:22

Also if dad doesn’t work it seems like the easiest way for him to help if you are only wanting to feed baby breastmilk is just to take the baby during the day and stretches in the evening between feeds so you can nap.
That’s actually going to help a lot more than regularly bottle feeding, pumping and feeding from the breast.

I'll give him this suggesting. We will work something out and be a team. It'll all fall in the place. Reason he suggested night feeds as he has insomnia

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:29

Everydayimhuffling · 21/10/2023 18:17

I don't think it's that dads can't help, it's more that there's more helpful ways of helping than feeding baby while you pump. Holding/ entertaining/ bathing/ changing while you nap, for example. That way you are not both awake and you get some sleep rather than waking up to pump at the same time.

I pumped to build up a freezer stash for hospital visits. It was doable, but I wouldn't have wanted to be reliant on it because I definitely pumped less milk than the baby was able to get.

Gonna stick to what I've already stated. But thank you for your input 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowlover89 · 21/10/2023 18:29

He can also do this things as well*

OP posts: