Expressing makes me feel so low???

[mollycuddles]

Dd2 is 6 month and despite having taken to blw in a major way with nappy evidence of significant intake she is still somewhat of a milk monster. Which is great for her and she's really thriving. She feeds about 2 hourly in the day and 3 hourly at night whether I'm here or not. I'm back to work doing 3 long days and 2 short days which including commute mean about 10-11 hours away and 5-5.5 respectively. We've reduced the amount of ebm she gets as low as I think we can to about 3oz a feed. Any less and she complains. This means on a long day she's having 15-18oz ebm depending on timing of feeds. Yesterday she was really hungry in the morning because dh was late with her solids - she gets toast and cheese and fruit after the school run which didn't happen as dd1 is off sick. On weekend days I express 3 times a day. On half days I express 3 times at home and maybe 3 at work. On long days I express twice at home and 5 times at work. At home my yield is about 1.5oz a time and at time 2-3 oz a time. Over the course of the week what I express just about stays up with her intake. I do have a freezer stash but it's mostly untouched and my supply is staying ok. I've had some great advice here already. Thanks.

What I'm wondering is expressing somehow affecting my mood. I feel fine when I'm at home and at the start of the day at work but every time I express I feel on edge and it definitely makes me tired and hungry. Is there a biological explanation for this or am I imagining it? I love feeding her and just feel myself relax when I get her on the boob after a long day. I have a week off next week which will be bliss. I know I could take the pressure off by introducing formula but I would rather not as dd1 never had formula and that is my goal for dd2 as well. With dd1 I was working shorter hours and she was much less hungry!

Sounds like she's having more than she needs during the day so I wouldn't be afraid of trying to reduce it further.

Before 6 months, DD was on 1oz per hr I was away, so about 12oz. By 7 months we had got her down to 6oz and from 8 months we (but a bit of struggle) have her on 3oz. She has milk now every 4 hours. Solid meals are also given every 4 hrs but in a way so that she has either milk or solids every 2 hours (plus snacks). Hopefully it won't be too long before she takes a little less. Since she is feeding still every 3 hours at night, I wouldn't worry about her not getting enough (which I don't).

DD is able to be distracted by lots of fruit and toast throughout the day.

I would also try only putting 2oz in a bottle and then topping up if required. Making sure teats are slow flow and making sure DH gives her lots of breaks to try and slow the feed down. Apologies if advice has been given before.

hth

Thanks climberchick

We are doing most of what you suggest - slow teats and breaks but any feed of less than 2oz is greeted with disgust. She has about 10 feeds in 24h so going by the top end of what kellymom suggests (and she is and has always been a hungrier baby than dd1 hence I'm assuming the top end) this would mean about 2.5oz a feed. I am lucky enough to have my own office 4 days a week so try to express 2 hourly which is approximately when she feeds and from one side only and easily get 2-3oz in about 10-15 mins which suggests to me that when she feeds she is getting at least this and possibly more.

Anyway, it's manageable at present and we are trying to push it downwards. I just wonder why expressing makes me feel so rubbish :(

I wonder (and this is just supposition) if the oxytocin isn't released in as high a level with expressing as bfing direct (being that you aren't trying to bond with your breast pump) and it is just the bio-mechanical side of making milk.

Would having a top/toy/blanket that belongs to your DD so you could smell and touch it whilst you expressed help?

Sorry if that's a crap suggestion but it's all I can think to help

I find expressing depleting and emotionally a real chore. At least with the feeds their happiness offsets hormonal downs and tiredness. I'd imagine you get low because it's a pretty horrible job and you do it LOADS. I feel heavy just at the thought of going to express.