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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:
corblimeymadam · 30/03/2006 22:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fastasleep · 30/03/2006 22:32

I haven't sterilised anything this time, it's been proven to be worthless by scientists :) unless you wore and changed latex gloves whenever handling the items after sterilisation it just doesn't actually do anything!

I find washing things with washing up liquid is fine... have done since the birth of DD, she's only had one slight cold even though the rest of the family has been sick on and off with things like D&V all winter!

Shivs1974 · 23/04/2006 20:39

It's been a while since there were any posts from the expressing girls - hope all are well & enjoying pumping Smile.

I'm nearly at my goal of exclusively pumping for a year - however supply has dwindled considerably. I'm 11-12 wks pg so am guessing this is my body's way of saying "can't feed dd & grow another baby!". Back up to 4 pumps a day and only just managing to produce enough - and I only have 1 bottle left of EBM in the freezer!
Goal is now broken down into smaller chunks - get to end of April, get to dd's due date, get to dd's 1st birthday (she was 12 days late!). However I have a feeling that I won't make it - and I bought some formula as a back-up.....has anyone else had to do this?? I really can't do any more pumps in the day and it's so disheartening to only produce 30-60mls when i used to get double or triple a few weeks ago!

popsycalindisguise · 23/04/2006 20:44

Hi Shivs!

I was just about to post here myself! First of all CONGRATUKATIONS!!!

Secondly, I think you have done fantastically exclusively expressing for so long! I am not sure I could have done what you have done!!

I now work only 2 days a week - 2 half days and 1 full day at the moment. And since starting this, my lunch time expressing has gone from around 6oz to around 2 oz. DS2 normally has just one day time feed (mid morning or mid afternoon) when I am away so for the half days I dont need to leave any milk. Have been on hols for 2 weeks and have a feeling that when I try to express on thurs lunchtime, there will be nothing there. He won't take cows' milk and am half tempted just to leave no milk for him. He is 14 months almost so can happily have food if he is hungry.

Maybe
ARGH

Shivs1974 · 23/04/2006 20:58

It's just so difficult, isn't it! I think half the battle with me is my stubbornness......I know I've done well expressing for this long - but I just feel a little disappointed that I won't reach my goal.....looked at the fridge just now and we've using our last frozen bottle for her bottle at the childminders tomorrow pm... And I have such a love/hate relationship with my pump - you'd think I'd be happy to be putting it in its box a few weeks early, but no!

Have you tried mixing cow's milk with EBM and gradually reducing the EBM so that he'll take cow's milk? I guess this might not work so easily though if you're bf'ing in the evening....

kiskidee · 23/04/2006 20:58

congratulations shivs.

hi popsy.

dd is still a little boobie monster. she turned 1 last Wednesday still thinks solids are optional. we went to Barcelona for 4 days and in total she hasn't been at nursery for 10 days.

she has taken to bf more than ever in the interim. my supply has undoubtedly increased as she hardly ate anything when we were in Spain. I am hoping to leave 5 oz of bm which she can have from a bottle and 5 oz of whole cow's milk to have in a sippy cup when I go back to work tomorrow.

popsycalindisguise · 23/04/2006 21:20

just given me an idea. Wonder if ds2 would have cows' milk in his sippy cup.....

I have no ebm in the freezer now and will have to express hile feeding for the next few days to get some for thursday. Hoping he can just go without soon and feed when i am there. he is still a real boob monster but isnt fussed at all when i am not there

chipmonkey · 24/04/2006 02:14

Congratulations, shivs!!!!!!!!Grin
popsycal, ds3 will only take one bottle of cows milk /breastmilk during the day now and will take some water from a sippy cup later on. But only a sip.

Kiskidee · 01/08/2006 22:39

anybody on here still expressing?

EducatingMinds · 01/08/2006 22:39

moi

Original poster
popsycal · 01/08/2006 22:40

whoops

moi

OP posts:
Kiskidee · 01/08/2006 22:41

moi

(i thought i was the only lunatic.)

Original poster
popsycal · 01/08/2006 22:41

you know there are other lunatics here!

OP posts:
quootiepie · 01/08/2006 22:45

Hiya... quick Q, Do any of you find using the Avent hand pump you have to ajust how far in your nipples are? I find I have to pull myslef out of it, and start again to get it going again. I dont express often anymore as DS latches on fine now, but when weaning I was hoping to express again for adding to food and things. Am I doing something wrong?

Kiskidee · 01/08/2006 22:52

Q: your nipples swell and extend during a letdown (i hope i am not pointing out the obvious here) so it will fit the pump differently from when you attach the pump. sounds like your nipple is largish? Mine are and remember it happening with the Avent handpump. I only used it for a little while as have a Lactaline. The silicone attachment on the lactaline is designed the same as the avent one but i don't have that problem with the Lactaline.

Kiskidee · 01/08/2006 22:53

popsy, still pumping? wow. I was hoping to give up before september rolls round. would be a drag to take it back to work. dd still loves her milk at nursery and i find it hard not giving her what she wants.

quootiepie · 01/08/2006 23:04

Got BIG nipples, and after about 5/10 minutes they are sucked right in, and the flow isnt good, if at all. Its like its pumping behind the ducts.

chipmonkey · 02/08/2006 00:06

Are you all still here then? I'm down to once a week on my 12 hour day in work, ds3 drinks cows milk mostly during the day now, I just feel 12 hours is a long time not to feed/express.

Kiskidee · 02/08/2006 00:17

i wish i could get dd to accept more cow's milk. she won't entertain it in her sippy cup. only in cereal. any tips? she won't have ebm in sippy cup either - the minx.

chipmonkey · 02/08/2006 00:20

Have you tried mixing small amounts of cows milk with EBM, then gradually increasing the cows milk? When in doubt, disguise!

Kiskidee · 02/08/2006 00:23

that would mean putting cow's milk in her bottle which i didn't want to do. yes, ignoring advice to take away bottle at 12 months as she goes to sleep with it at nursery.

as i am sitting here typing, i have spun an idea. she likes to drink out click spouts on sports bottles. she fights for my water bottles. Will put some cow's milk in one. wish me luck [evil emoticon]

chipmonkey · 02/08/2006 00:53

Ds3 now drinks out of sports bottles as opposed to bottles with teats, which he has ditched of his own free will! He will also drink from an open cup but has to be carefully watched at all times, as his poor minder found out one day. Poor girl got soaked!

chipmonkey · 02/08/2006 00:54

There should be an evil emoticon on MN really, shouldn't there?

Original poster
popsycal · 02/08/2006 09:51

I was expressing at work more for comfort until the summer hols. think i will stop in september though as I only get a few ounces and he really isnt bothered in the day when i am not there......and i oly work 2 days a week now

and the old avent is on its last legs

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 02/08/2006 10:10

Not sure if my avent electric is on its last legs now that you mention it. There's a light at the top which is supposed to be orange when the pump is working but it keeps flickering to green, although the suction seems fine. I did read on another site that in a hard water area the valves and diaphragms can lose their elasticity but at once a week it really isn't worth replacing even those!

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