Expressing is depressing

[SingaporeMummy]

As if sitting alone with a machine attached to your breast wasn't bad enough... I've got two probs/ queries:

1. I have a problem with leaky bottles/ pump. I use the medela swing with medela bottles (although they are newer than the pump) and if the bottle is not upright milk leaks out. Just leapt up to see to crying DS and when I came back 100ml of lovely breastmilk had spread all over the rug... Baaahh!!! This has happened each time I've pumped recently to a lesser extent and just wondering if I just need to take more care or if it's a mis-match between bottle and pump/ breast shield bit?
2. On a slightly different note- does anyone else find it soul destroying pumping? Am doing it so DH can feed once but don't know why as I'm up anyway and DS such an efficient feeder that it is hugely more efficient to just feed him rather than try to squeeze it out with a machine/ sterilise etc. Is it mean to take away DH's feed?

Thanks, SM

how old is your DS? before you know it, he will be eating solids and then your DH can feed/help him every meal, if he wants!

I find the very occasional carton of formula much better than having to pump, and doesn't do any harm.

After expressing for ds1 in NICU I refused to express so dp could feed. I found it a miserable experience and there were so many other special things dp could do which weren't feeding instead (eg bathtime). how important is it for your dh to feed him? have you explained how expressing makes you feel?

To address the bottles/pump question, there isn't supposed to be a seal between the bottle and pump. Relighted is a seal (where you twist), but there are also holes. There has to be to stop the pump building up pressure in the bottle ....

There should have been a bottle stand with the pump. That will help, but you just need to keep them upright, or at least propped mostly upright.

On the 'soul destroying' bit, I am the opposite. I am just smoothly bit addicted to pimping and have to ration myself so I don't get over supply issues . Each to their own, I guess. I certainly don't think it's cruel to 'take away' the feed from your DH - mine doesn't feed unless I am not there so there is no other option (has only actually done it once I think, while I was sleeping. The kind man was trying to lt me get some sleep by doing a feed. But I wonks up during it and had to pump because i was full. So he sat with a bottle and me with a pump at one in the morning! Strangely, he hasn't done that again ...)

Hope you figure out the pump - use water to find the holes

Oops ... I am 'a little bit addicted to pumping', not 'smoothly addicted to pimping'

If you've lost your stand, the medela bottles sit nicely in mugs. :)

Oh, and there's no way I would pump "just" so DH could feed too.

Yeah pumping for an emergency stash or to get more sleep or to go out I understand, but what a faff just so your OH can feed!

I always found it easier to express from one breast whilst feeding the baby from the other. You don't waste precious time doing it then and your milk tends to flow much better, allowing you to express more milk, more quickly. If this doesn't work speak to your other half about how miserable a chore this is for you. I'm sure there ar plenty of nappies, walks, general comforting of crying baby, he can do instead.

Thanks for the advice and tips :)

1. I was just being cack-handed then- you can tell I failed physics gcse, clearly the bottle would explode if the seal was tight, doh!

And 2. DH does nappy off chillout and bath so that is so much more fun and less stress and I can do useful wide awake things whilst he does it, like read Hello with a cup of tea... so only pumping for if I had to go away etc rather than a daily thing.

Once again mumsnetters save the day.

PS HappyAsASandboy I was excited about being smoothly addicted to pimping, far more exciting than expressing milk :)