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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Expressing questions!

9 replies

Bobley · 02/04/2006 12:48

Hi,

I am expecting my first baby and I am getting lots of mixed information from my friends about expressing!

Is an electric or hand expresser better? When can you start expressing? I have heard you have to be in a certain frame of mind for it to work too?!

Any advise will help loads!

Thanks

OP posts:

hermykne · 02/04/2006 12:50

6/8weeks for starting
electric if u can afford but i got mine of ebay

and u dont need a certain frame of mind
you'll be in full swing of breastfeeding it goes with the territory!

good luck!
oh morning times were best for me - got more.

hermykne · 02/04/2006 12:51

ps
its wehn your supply is well settled , then start expressing. baby will be feeding alot in those first 6wks so dont out yourself under pressure to express as well, or you'll be permantly feeding!

Original poster

Bobley · 02/04/2006 12:55

Thats great info! Thanks,

Also, how long can I keep expressed milk in the fridge for? I presume I can only re-heat it once!!

OP posts:

MagicGenie · 02/04/2006 13:36

Hello Bobley. I'd agree with other advice - only start expressing once you're comfortable with breast feeding and once you and baby are settled into it.

I had a hand pump but hear that the electric ones are better (more expensive though). Wish I'd known that at the time - my right breast was bionic when I was breast feeding and I had to express a bit off before DS could latch on. So I'd be there feeding him from the left side whilst contorting to express the right one at the same time!

You can keep milk in the fridge for 24 hours (not in the door of the fridge though - in the main bit) but I bought some breast milk freezer bags...brilliant.

Good luck x.

moondog · 02/04/2006 13:37

Kellymom is the site everyone recommends for good b/feeding advice.
I would keep mine in the fridge (body,not door) for max of about 2 days.
Good luck with it all and come back for more help as and when you need it.

koolkat · 02/04/2006 14:34

bobley - best not to express in first few weeks to get baby totally used to bf and your milk supply up. Baby suckling is the best way to get supply up and bf well-established.

I had an electric one (new about £80 I think), but some of the hand ones (Medela) are excellent too. You can also lease the electric ones, but the money you pay to borrow is better spent on buying one IMO.

Highly recommend kellymom.com which will tell you almost all you need to know about bf including expressing.

Good luck !

Coolmama · 03/04/2006 20:49

Hi bobley - have to agree with the idea of waiting a bit before expressing as it is much better to wait for Bfeeding to settle - that said, I didn't because DS had problems latching on and without my blessedly-wonderful-hired-hospital-grade-breast-pump I swear my boobs would have exploded! I would definitely go for an electic one rather than the manual pumps - mine came with a "double-breast" attachment which meant I could empty both breasts in about 20 mins - fabulous -

the unfortunate part with BF is that you can make all the plans you want, but you really just have to wait and see what happens after lo arrives - good luck!

Mfer · 03/04/2006 21:56

Agree wait at least 6 weeks until supply is well establishd - if you can afford it electric and hospital grade v.good. I used Medela. Other tips eat loads to get your supply up!!! Get a breastmilk storage kit and you can freeze your supply as well as keep in the fridge - if you find in the longer term you are managing to express loads its nice to be able to build up a milk bank - just in case you want/need to leave the baby with someone. After about 6 weeks you might be ready for an hour to two away with DP.
This site is good for cheapest bags for milk |
\link{http://www.infantcaredirect.co.uk/acatalog/Bottle_Liners.html\this}

Good luck.

Bellybee · 22/06/2006 20:40

Hiya - as for advice, go to expressyourselfmums.co.uk as they have loads of dr jack newman articles on the site (all bf-related)including one on storage of ebm. re: pumping - I have spoken to lot sof mums, some prefer hand-expressing, some get on brilliantly with hand pump and som ecan only use double pumps/ electric. i think it will depend upon you and your breasts and milk supply. get supply and bf established first 9about 6 weeks) and then give it a go - you can always hire electric pumps (from expressyourselfmums)before you buy, to see what you get...

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