When is the best time to express?

[threelittlebabies]

I thought it was after feeding, but just tried that now and got a measly ounce after pumping for 45 mins! It seems gone are the days when I got 5 ounces in 10 mins. I'm worried my milk supply is dwindling, but why? Although the last feed was relatively fuss-free, for the first time in ages. DD is 10 weeks old and feeds frequently every 2.5-4 hrs during the day, but rarely without crying and pulling away mid feed. Any ideas what could be causing this and how I can improve this expressing business will be gratefully received!

Gina's book reduced me to tears when I was pregnant! And it is still scary if I read ahead of my current stage! I personally find the book is good to follow so long as you use it for guidance and not a strict regime.Otherwise I find I get bogged down in routines and then it is not enjoyable! For eg, at the start of each new age group there is a little summary box with feed and sleep times. I just try to bear those in mind, without getting too bogged down with what your baby MUST be doing etc!

gina ford scared the living daylights out of me too - i am still in a quandary about how far to follow it - do i have to put ds down for naps in a dark room if he sleeps better where i am? do i have to bath him every night (against m/w's addvice)? Do i have to pull the dummy out of his mouth before he falls asleep? he;s only 2 weeks old and im so stressed im ruining him!!

I htink its different for everyone. I used to feed her from one side then express the other. I used to get 10 OZ or so. I used to find watching her sleep or play while expressing made it easiest.

I also found expressing wise that just pumping squeeze squeeze squeeze did nothing for me and just hurt and got me irritated. I used an Avent pump and used to pump and hold while it did its impression of a shower nozzle and try to gently rub the breast towards the nipple to make sure I had cleared all the ducts. I htink this came about as I has mastitis and had to pump to clear the ducts. It worked a treat anyway and I kept expressing everyday for her til she was 11 months old.

I am probably not the best person to advise you as my dd would not latch on at all, so I didn't do this bf and expressing thing - but I expressed exclusively for 41/2 months so I am a dab hand at that bit!!

I used the Avent Isis pump too and I can't recommend it highly enough, although different pumps work better for different people. I tried about 4 including 2 electric ones and found I got the most in the least time with the manual Avent one. Some I got almost nothing from but with the right pump I got 8oz a time in about 15 minutes, so finding the one that suits you makes a BIG difference!

As someone else mentioned, I would express at pretty much the same times every day and I think that really helps. For you I would probably choose a time bang in the middle of when the longest gap between bf feeds is. I also found massaging my boobs in varying places during the process really helped too.

My dd just woke up so have to go, but will add more later if I think of anything!

3littlebabies my lo started doing this around the same as your by the sound of it. Doc thinks he has reflux because he makes funny breathing noises and cries during feeds (he is not usually sick on bm but sometimes is with bottle. She advised Infacol before feeds (I keep forgeting about it till midway through feed - will have to keep it in my bra )It has begun to get better maybe because his tummy muscles are getting stronger. I am no expert (have mastitis right now) but I have found it helps to be chilled out and not worry if he comes off the breast (sometimes he smiles at me instead of crying if i smile at him instead of trying to shove him back on the boob), standing up burping him then resettling him sometimes works (wind is a prob cause) as does switching breasts. Lately i have begun digging the elbow of the arm i am cradling him with into the chair or cushion for extra support so that he doesn't come off with every little tug.

Those who know more about BF - If I have given any bad advice please correct me.

Sorry waffling on and not really on topic .

Just to let all you helpful ladies know, over the last 3 days I have been persevering with the expressing, doing a little after each feed even though it's a drag, and I do think I can see an improvement. She is still not feeding for a great length of time, but not fussing any more and continually sucking and swallowing, so it must be having some effect. Also noticed I am getting more each time I express now- 6oz yesterday and 5 so far today- hurrah! Oh and last night, dh and i went to the cinema to see the new Harry Potter (yes we are HP geeks ) and my mum fed dd at 10.30pmish and although she didn't go properly off to sleep until 12.30am, I didn't feed her again until 7.15am and only got up once or twice to settle her (she has been poorly, v bad cold) so it seems it all came together last night...and am probably in for The Night of No Sleep tonight!

pogface, just my humble opinion, but don't bath lo every day if you don't think you should or don't feel like it. I take it Gina Ford suggests we should do this? HV (my own, absolute gem and not one of the crones from the clinic the other day) said not to, so does Tracey Hogg I think, can be a bit drying for newborn skin, so could just top and tail if you wish?