Advice on expressing

[runnermum2]

I'm going away for 24 hrs in about a months time so need to leave EBM for DD. I've read she's likely to consume 25-28 oz milk over 24 hrs so reckon if I can express 40 oz of milk then that will be more than enough (do you agree). So being new to expressing I plan to express 2oz per day for the next month.
My questions are:

Should I express at the same time each day or whenever I feel full or relaxed

Should I express straight after feeds or half way between feeds

Should I express both breasts or just one

I used to express first thing in the morning with baby feeding on one side, pumping the other side. That's when I'd get the most off.

I'm fullest first thing in the morning so I express straight after the first feed of the day, when DS only needs one boob (as there's so much in it). I get about five oz out of the other and there's always at least three hours for both boobs to refill in time for next feed. Later in the day DS empties both boobs so there's never any left to pump.

Hi runnermum2

What age is your DD?

To answer your questions...

I used to find that I got ALOT more milk if I expressed in the mornings. I used to always express after my DD had her first feed of the day. I expressed from the breast my DD fed less from but always expressed from both. Now, at 9 months, I find that expressing is easier in the evenings. Not sure why there has been a change.

Have you given her a go with the bottle?

I have an over supply (my own fault) and i always express on a morning after he has fed as i find it emptys my boobs and usually get 4-5oz, i do this at roughly the same time (around 11am)

Def agree with first feed of the day, while DD is feeding, pump from the other boob. I get oodles more this way, was struggling to get any milk when he wasnt feeding (recently. not a prob when he was littler)

Pumping one handed may require some assistance though, lol!

DD is 12 weeks currently. Will try expressing one handed! I currently can manage about 2oz at a time tops. Will this increase with practise?

Hi runnermum,

You will probably find that if you express at the same time every day the amount you are able to express will increase.

I'm not very good feeding and expessing at the same time!