That is exactly how I expressed for 10 weeks for my dd on special care, my milk took a few weeks to increase but never faltered at 3-4 weeks, just gradually increased and increased. By the time DD could latch on and BF, each boob was producing 100-150mls (3.5-5oz) at each expressing session...:o And i would expereience a let-down response by picking up my expressing bottles/funnels!!! And I certainly wouldn't have said I started with a naturally good supply compared with some of the other mums.
Although I was very proud of this, it was obviously far too much for DD by the time she could feed off me, as she was taking about 1.5oz per feed. It has gradually down regulated to her demand over the last 6.5 wks since discharge, and am still BF, although she's not gaining weight v quickly unfortunately. I also still mainly feed her off one side per feed due to the large supply.
Like I said, although I was v proud of the amounts I was able to express in the end, in retrospect I wish I'd stopped continuing to increase my supply, and just stuck to expressing what she needed in the later weeks, as I felt like I was drowning her when she finally managed to BF, and that she was only getting a fraction of a boobs-worth at a feed, which although was adequate volume for her, only consisted of the more watery fore milk until my boobs down-regulated. I also got a lot of v sore blocked ducts and engorgement because they kept increasing their production.
So my recommendation is to use those techniques for first 6 weeks, then stop emptying breasts fully/using compression etc to stabilise the supply to the rough volumes your LO is taking in each feed.
I ended up donating 8 litres of my unused breast milk to the milk bank, as there was just no way my DD would ever need the amount I had produced. I still have 4 supermarket bags full in my freezer at home too!!!
The main things I found helped increase/sustain supply were:
- breast compression
- massage
- double pumping
- sniffing blankets of DD and looking at piccies
- lots of water and calories!
- afternoon naps
- making sure I carried on expressing til it had stopped coming/slowed considerably.
The main message to any expressing mum is that it is possible to continue if you really want to, and use all these techniques to keep up/increase your supply. :)