Is it possible to express from the get-go?

[expatinscotland]

K, I had an AWFUL experience of bf'ing w/my first child, our DD, two years ago. She wouldn't latch, I had a traumatic birth and every feed brought me tears of pain. She went on the bottle after just 3 days b/c I couldn't take it.

Believe it or not, I'm willing to try again.

I have to return to full-time work after 4 months, however, as I'm the chief earner and 4 months at full pay is all I can get.

It would also be nice if DH and other family members can share in feeds.

Is it possible to express feed exclusively? If so, anyone know where I can get some help for this??

We're very poor and have no money for counsellors or NCT classes, etc. I've tried to find some free services for women who want to bf and unfortunately they're limited in our area.

Any advice appreciated!

You don't need to pay to see an NCT counsellor, EPIS.

And the NCT offer reduced rate or free classes for people who can't pay the full rate. Can you contact your local branch? They may have a counsellor who will talk to you before the birth and help you afterwards.

Yes, it's possible to express from the very start (some MNers have done this), but far easier is to sort out the way your baby's latching and express once breastfeeding's off to a good start.

You can do it! And you have MN for support too.

And don't just try the NCT, try the Breastfeeding Network, La Leche League and Association of Breastfeeding Mothers.

EPIS, Scotland has about the best services in the UK for breastfeeding support, and it is all free. HM is right - get a discussion going before the baby is born about what your options are. If you ask again, you will fnd there is help where you live, or on the phone. Good luck

EIS, I started using my breast pump every day from the day I left hospital (24 hours after birth) you don't get much at first and it is sore but I did it to get my milk supply going and it worked really well. I have no idea if you could do this as your only way of feeding tho...sorry!

expat - I had lots of problems with bf, but was determined to give breastmilk to ds2. I read an article in an NCT magazine, about a woman like me who couldn't get the baby to latch effectively due to the size of her breasts. I did get quite a lot of help from the hospital, but to no avail.

Anyway, this woman expressed exclusively using a hospital grade pump, hired from the NCT I think.

She expressed for months and produced so much milk, she was able to donate a lot to a breast milk bank.

Inspired by her, I gave it a go and managed to give breast milk to ds2 for 6 weeks. It's hard work, because effectively you are doubling the workload for instance in the night, you need to get up to express and then feed the baby, but it is possible.

I didn't crack going on for longer because I did get worn out doing it whilst also managing ds1 who was just 2, but I was pleased to have managed the 6 weeks.

I don't know if the NCT keep an archive of the articles in their magazines - it would have been in a 2003 edition.

My DD was jaundiced and wouldn't latch on properly from the outset despite horrible midwives stuffing my nipples in her mouth. She slept for the first 2 days of her life as well. I was doing everything to wake her to feed.

Anyway I was being threatened with formula/IV feeding but one midwife suggested expressing so thats what I did, was only getting 1-2 ozs to start with but she was taking it happily. But at the start of every feed I would offer her a boob and eventually she got the hang of it. I think it was only my sheer bloody mindedness that meant we continued breastfeeding. I kept up the expressing and could happily get 5ozs at a time.

Expressing is a faff though and putting them on the boob is much easier.

Good luck x

expat, I had problems with ds refusing the breast at most feeds, so for the first few weeks, until we got bf sorted, most of his breastmilk was EBM. I was never great at expressing, so for those 4 weeks I reluctantly mixed fed him. However, the expressing certainly kept my milk there until we'd cracked bf.
I know that throckenholt and fastasleep expressed exclusively for months. Maybe see if they're around?
Like you I am the main (in fact the only) earner and will be back at uni teaching some days when ds is 5 months (working from home rest of time). In your position I would bf for the 4 months you're at home (better for milk supply than expressing, too) and 'practise' expressing and getting baby to take a bottle as you prepare to go back. But many others know far more about this than mr.
Good luck! When are you due?

than me of course

Due 18 December, berolina! Thanks!