Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

The expressing clique

455 replies

popsycal · 11/09/2005 20:22

I'm Popsy and I am a pumper

DS2 is 6 months and i am bac at work 4 days a week mon-thurs. I express and lunchtime and get around 5oz.......
He needs 2 7oz feeds during the day but i am hoping to reduce his lunchtime feeds as his solids increase.
BEen back at work properly only one week but am having to express during every feed and every time on my day off to get enough.
my boobs hurt

Who else is in my gang

OP posts:
Original poster
popsycal · 12/11/2005 00:03

302 now

OP posts:
mum2evie · 13/11/2005 00:01

hi ladies, i was wondering if anyone of you experienced expressers could give me any tips on getting more milk out, i know it may sound odd but one min it's flowing like a river then suddenly nothing. I've tryed mothercare pump now on medela electric but not much in it, dd feeding fab in the day (apart from wind) have been expressing for 5 weeks for bedtime feeds, but it takes soooo long i do it when she's i bed, should i try in the day time as well? would this help (supply/demand?) p.s glad to join you all in this long thread.

alux · 13/11/2005 11:47

how old is dd? pumping is a skill so it takes a bit of getting used to plus if baby is under 6 wks, your body is still establishing its supply therefore posibbly less milk. Some people, or maybe most people, have a better output with a double rather than a single pump. I do. flowing like a river then nothing is how this pumping thing goes. its natural. the flowing bit is the letdown. if you keep pumping away and not stress out about it, you can get a second smaller letdown. the milk from the second letdown looks visible creamier as its hindmilk. When my dd feeds from one boob I still attach the double pump and get a creamier milk but smaller amt from that boob.

chipmonkey · 13/11/2005 13:42

mum2evie, welcome to the expressing clique! I agree with alux on the double pumping. In general, and this is just me, I have found the Avent pumps very good, both the hand-pump and the double pump. You have great control over the suction and speed of the pumps, so can control the flow a bit better. However , everyone has their own favourite pump, it would just be a bit expensive to try them all!

chipmonkey · 13/11/2005 13:44

Oh, and breast compression, as advised by jabberwocky has been very helpful for me, there's a description and a link to a website further down the thread if you scroll down!

mum2evie · 13/11/2005 19:47

thank you for advice, dd is 14 weeks, am going to check out link.

mum2evie · 13/11/2005 20:34

What a fab site, great reading, thank you popsycal

Original poster
popsycal · 14/11/2005 19:29

HI girls
I was off work last week as ds2 had croup...he was off solids and feeding like a mad man...
back to work today feeling like dolly parton!
8oz at lunchtime!
HOw are we all!

OP posts:
mears · 14/11/2005 19:41

And I rememeber the time that you had worries about expressing and returning towork

Original poster
popsycal · 14/11/2005 19:49

thanks mears
it is down to people like you that things are working out so well
thansk so much

OP posts:
Original poster
popsycal · 14/11/2005 20:36

a question i have been meaing to ask but keep forgetting....

does anyone freeze milk in bottles?

I only tend to freeze milk over the weekend....so thrusdays ;expressions; go inthe freezer for monday,,,i also have a few extra ounces inthe frreezer too.

I am sick of freezer bags expoloding and also think it will be more cost effective in the long run,,,,

any adivce?

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 14/11/2005 21:41

Popsycal, I always freeze in bottles! I freeze it in the little Avent bottles I pump into. In fact, one of the reasons I bought my pump was so I could pump into and feed from the same bottle, but do you think ds3 will oblige me by drinking from an Avent bottle? NO! I have to decant into playtex disposable bottles. Incidentally, am I the only person on MN who uses washable nappies and disposable bottles?

chipmonkey · 14/11/2005 21:44

By the way, if you do decide to freeze in bottles, /link{http://www.mothersmilkmate.com\mothers milkmate} looks like a handy thing. It won't take the avent bottles so I got a similar thing thats meant for drinks cans. Keeps them all in order in the freezer!

chipmonkey · 14/11/2005 21:45

Sorry, mothers milkmate

mears · 14/11/2005 22:48

Popsycal - I often froze in bottles. Has problems with bags exploding. Froze milk in a combination of EBM bottles from Boots and ordinary feeding bottles.

chipmonkey · 14/11/2005 22:52

Exploding bags!!! Girls what are you eating to make your EBM so dangerous! I did find my EBM went a bit funny-looking after storing in bags though.

Tinker · 15/11/2005 15:17

alux - thanks for answer way back!

Original poster
popsycal · 15/11/2005 19:28

i have the small boots bottles that i used to used on my medela which i have givem up on as the noise drove me mad and I find the avent hand pump more effective......

do I screw the lid on as tight though///

where have i got the idea that I need to screw it on slackly....

Right. Next batch is going in bottles.....

How are we all anyway?

OP posts:
Original poster
popsycal · 15/11/2005 19:29

can i just double check..I am talking about normal run of the mill bottles......

OP posts:
alux · 15/11/2005 19:33

Tinker: what did you decide to do? bottle or cup?

Tinker · 16/11/2005 14:01

Hi alux. Only just got the steriliser out last night in order to express. Need to stock pile first.

jellyjelly · 16/11/2005 14:20

Why do the bags explode?

chipmonkey · 17/11/2005 01:04

Too many curries?

foundintranslation · 20/11/2005 20:00

hello all you wise expressers!
can I gatecrash and point you and your wisdom to my 'expressing for 1 day' thread please?
cheers!

notasheep · 20/11/2005 20:41

Hope my note helps