How do I start expressing for exclusively breast fed DS?

[Cherrychopsticks]

Hi, just after a bit of advice on the best way to go about expressing and introducing the occasional expressed bottle.

DS is 6 weeks old and has been exclusively breast fed so far, with no problems.
He feeds for about 10/15 mins at a time, usually on one side only, alternating sides for each feed. He feeds approximately every 2hrs during the day, and cluster feeds in the evenings with no benefit of longer sleeps at night, then feeds every 1-3hrs at night. No real routine or pattern.

All visitors have gone (I live abroad) and breast feeding appears to be well-established so I'd like him to take the odd expressed bottle for when I need to go out, or so DH can do night duty etc.

When and how is it best for me to express without upsetting my supply?
Any tips for introducing the bottle?
Do I need to give him a bottle regularly to keep him used to it?
If so, can it be random, or should it be the same time each day?

We've been really lucky with everything so far, so I don't want to mess this up! TIA.

You have most milk in the morning, so I would try expressing after DS is full at his morning feed. You probably wont get much the first time, but don't worry.

As for giving him his first bottle, if you've collected a bit, try getting someone else to give it to him a little before you expect him to be hungry, in the afternoon or evening. Often best if you're not too close so he can't smell you.

Kelly mom has heaps of good info, try here: kellymom.com/category/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/

Hello Cherry! Fancy seeing you here! I'm hanging round for similar advice tho my needs are but different as back to work start if March. I need to introduce regular expressing to get us up to daytime feeds being with expressed milk. Not sure if this will be possible!! I can second your first piece of advice there. I was expressing few weeks back due to complications and def get more in morning. May just get a little at time but will increase. If u happen to hav energy after a through the night feed, should work well then too. Prolactin levels higher.

I am answering my own question!!!

I have however stopped again due to problems but need to get going once current thrush cleared up.

Anyone any experience of doing reasonable amount if expressing whilst still mostly BF and ending up with over supply?!

I'm my naïveté if pregnancy and planning I assumed expressing purely physical, did not realise the hormonal and emotional triggers were so important!

Oh and bottles are important Cherry. If u hav v hungry baby like mine he will empty regular bottle too fast. Lovely MNer on here advised me to try Medela Calma. They are v weird and tricky for baby to get used to but they mimick breast flow and baby has to work hard for! We used Avent at start and he guzzled all up, crying for more! Not good!

Good luck! X

Thanks for the great advice MrsMerryMeeple and huffle!

Got the pump out and DH is figuring out how to use it (instructions all in Japanese). I think I'll give it a bit of a trial run after a night feed tonight, then will hopefully know what I'm doing for after his first feed tomorrow morning.

If I do that, do I need to clean it between the 2 pumpings?
Also, as I usually feed from one side at a time should I pump from the other?
Sorry I couldn't find the answer on Kellymom, but looks like there's loads of great info on there - thanks again.

Huffle, I have Tommy Tippee Closer to nature or something, only have 2 though so will also get a couple of the Medela.
See you on the other thread - I have so much catching up to do now my parents have left!

Cherry the advice I got on other thread was to sterilise every 8 hrs or 3 uses, whichever came first. In between wrap in clean towel and store in fridge. I tended to clean every other use tbh.

Which boob when is the tricky q. Do not be surprised if u don't get much this eve, especially if he is a cluster feeder. Morning one hopefully better. I feed one one then pump the other. Panic happens if DS wants a feed again soon tho!! I think it is hard to get a head start and not end up using nearly straight away!! We actually used few ready made formulas just to bridge gap. Nearly broke my heart but at time I was a mess and needed breaks.

Try the tommie tippe, may be totally fine for DS. I just hav such a hungry boy! Medela ones are £15 each so no rush!

Is ur pump electric or manual? Oh and it can take 5 mins for milk to Start. Dont hurt yourself . Good luck!!

Seconding/thirding the rec to pump after your morning feed. If your LO only takes one side at the feed you can possibly even pump the other one while feeding, though I never managed it myself. It can take a while for your body to get used to letting down for the pump, so don't be put off if you only get a tiny bit at first. Also agree with trying the trial bottle from someone who is not you in the afternoon/early evening. If he doesn't go for it now, don't worry, DS1 didn't consistently take a bottle until he was about 13 weeks, we discovered he liked it a)warmed to his liking and b)in his bouncy chair and definitely not in any position resembling breastfeeding.

Oh, and for me personally I never experienced the notorious "they need to have a bottle EVERY DAY or they will REJECT IT" - my DS1 would have taken EBM from an old sock once he figured out there was milk in it and we only did a practice bottle maybe once a week or so. Your baby may vary.

Mad how expensive they are, isn't it huffle?!
Pump is electric.

Did my practice run and got 40ml, no idea if that's good or bad? It took a couple of mins for let down, but also full flow didn't last long and I got pretty much nothing for the last 5 mins (pumped for 10). But DS had been cluster feeding all evening.

Thanks for your input leedy, glad to hear I might not have to give a bottle every day as I'd like to mainly stick with breast feeding. I just want to go watch Skyfall soon
Interesting that it seems to work better when nothing like breast feeding.

Will see how it goes in the morning. (Or later this morning I should say.)

I expressed loads at the beginning due to mastitis and a VERY painful start to bf. So often I expressed and ds got a bottle. We gave a little top up formula to get started, but very quickly I had enough in the fridge/freezer that he got previously expressed bm. We used medela Calma, but I would say try what you've got and if it seems not to work after a few tries, maybe try a different bottle.

I did give myself oversupply, but I pumped a lot, when ds was very small. As I was so scared of mastitis coming back, I was paranoid about not emptying properly. Had to get over that to get my supply more in sync. I was told initially to keep pumping after nothing came out, to increase supply, and I guess I kept that up for a bit too long. So if your supply is fine, be wary of pumping for too long after nothing else is coming out.

Once I was back at work, my CM (DH) smsed me with how much DS had drunk, and I expressed that amount to take home again.

I washed my pump after every use, sterilised every night.