Exclusive expressing - need to express overnight?

[KD0706]

I'm expressing for DD2 who was born at 32 weeks. She's two weeks old and still on tube feeds and in hospital.

I'm lucky to be able to express good amounts. Much more than she takes (she's on about 300ml per day), I tend to get about a litre a day and am freezing the excess.

I know it's early days and I'm being a lightweight but I'm getting fed up of getting up in the night to express. My routine was to express at 1.30 and 4.30. But last night I decided to give myself a break and just expressed once, at 4am (didn't set alarm, that was when I woke).
I expressed about double my usual amount at the 4am session, so my daily amount stayed the same.

My question for any body who knows about such things is whether I can get away with doing this longer term or will it mess up my supply? I know you need to express overnight, just not sure if once is enough. Or if 4am counts as overnight.

Thanks.

I believe that at least once during the night is strongly recommended. I certainly dropped the night pump too early. I had supply issues and it can't have helped (exclusively expressed for 27 week DS).

However your supply sounds brilliant, it must have been hard work to get it established so well done. I reckon once a night you are likely to be ok. They say with a young baby one gap of 4-5 hours in 24 hours is ok so long as you get enough feeds in overall, so I would say that would be ok with expressing too. If you find it affects your supply significantly you can always revert back.

Congratulations by the way! How is your little girl doing?

Gosh my post sounds a bit schoolmarmy reading it back, sorry I didn't mean it to.

I expressed for three months with DS1 and found that once my supply was established I could just about get away with pumping at 11pm and 4am, as long as I was pretty strict about pumping again no later than 7.30am. But if you have a lie in or another long gap you may see your supply dip for the next day or so. However if you're managing to freeze the excess then you have a " safety net" for that sort of thing.

Good luck to you and your DD

Thank you both.
I ended up expressing twice overnight last night. Partly because DD1 had me up half the night and partly because I've got a blocked duct (ouch) which I'm desperately trying to unblock it.
Unfortunately the pump isn't doing nearly as good a job as a baby would, but DD2 just isn't cooperating!

Hi again- Ouch! Is it blocked at the nipple or further in? I had one blocked at the nipple and NCT line recommended olive oil on cotton wool in my bra to soften it. Worked for me! The relief was amazing, as was the amount I expressed afterwards! Hope yours is sorted soon.

I wish you all the best, and I hope your DD is home with you very soon.

I exclusively express for my lo & was told to try to continue at least one pump between 1am and 4am. This is when prolactin levels are at their highest. Try to keep this up for 12 weeks, until your supply becomes established. Then I think you can start looking to dropping pumps x

Ouch! That sounds sore

What pump are you using? Not a hand pump i hope! I can recommend the ameda Lactaline.

Just thought I'd pop back.
I am still getting up twice in the night as I feel I need to to stay comfortable. I generally express about 9.30/10 ish before bed then at 1.30 and 5am. If I leave any longer I'm finding I'm getting all blocked up

I'm lucky that a friend has lent me her medela freestyle pump which seems almost as good as a hospital grade pump and from my Internet googling would set me back about £250 to buy.

I just hope DD2 works out how to breastfeed sooner rather than later so I can ditch the expressing. She's not even due till 17 April though so I need to cut her a bit of slack I think!

Thanks for all the responses.

If you are looking for a new pump to buy then try this I used it and it was fab, have recommended it and even got a lovely PM thanking me cos the lady found it so great!

Oh izzy that is the one i am using at the moment and its wonderful. Was recommended to me by a lovely Mumsnetter. Its just like the Medela Symphony that i used in the hospital.

It is so good isn't it? My mum did a lot of research for me cos I was stuck in hospital for 4weeks after my dd was born and she bought us this so I could have a wee break.

It was so good, doesn't look like much when you open it and I remember kinda looking at it and saying 'spectra' what kind of brand is that?! BUT I loved it!