What time of day to express?

[CityDweller]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I've searched and searched and can't find the answer (either here or other baby/ bf websites).

I have a 4 wk old that is ebf and in two weeks (when I understand my supply/ her demand will have settled down) I'd like to start expressing so that my DH/ mother can feed her should I need to be away from her for a couple of hours. I won't need a huge supply (yet, I'm not going back to work until she's 9 mnths old). Currently, she feeds every 1.5 - 2 hrs during the day and every 2-3 hrs during night. I'm feeding her from only one side each feed as I have a bit of an oversupply that makes feeds a bit fractious and stressful (she splutters and pops off a lot and gets quite upset at times - has been like this for 2 weeks).

My question is when do I express milk? As in, what time of day? And does the fact that I only feed from one side per feed play into how/ when I should express? I was thinking I could express from the side I've just fed her from after that feed, and then from the next side after the next feed. Or should I leave longer btw feeding her and expressing? I don't want to do anything that's going to increase my supply and add to the problems we have with spluttering/ getting upset (although hopefully that will have calmed down by 6 weeks?)

Just bumping this as I have the same questions and issues. My DS is nearly 6 weeks old and I would like to express enough for DP to do one feed each night. Currently feeding every 3 ish hours day and night.
When do I express without getting horribly engorged or disrupting DS?

citydweller - we had terrible problems with spluttering, spraying etc but its just calmed down a lot in last couple of days. Hopefully it will for you too - it horribly frustrating.

We've introduced a bottle from 3 weeks using EBM. I'm trying a variety of times but I usually find after her 7am feed is most effective. Supply tends to improve overnight and so at 7 after feeding my breasts feel full (usually one more than the other) and I can usually express about 50-100ml off. I had a few attempts yesterday and got about 130ml with 3 attempts using a hand pump. If I have a good day I'll freeze some in case I need it another day.
It's usually easier to express a while after feeding - sometimes I just can't get anything off if she's fed well but I can if I wait a while, sometimes if she feeds from one boob I get plenty off the other.

I always pump after the first morning feed (usually between 5 - 6 am). Milk production peaks between 2 and 4am, so breasts are usually at their fullest in the morning.

If I were you I'd pump to empty/ near empty the side you were NOT feeding from straight after the early morning feed. The pumped breast will then have enough time to refill itself before the next feed; or, if you find that it doesn't do this fast enough, you can offer the other side (which would have also been at its fullest) as a top up.

I started to stock up my freezer by doing it this way. If you get into the habit of doing this regularly your breasts will soon respond and adjust. I think you'd be more likely to trigger over-production by pumping from the already emptied side, as this simulates baby asking for more.

I have been told to express and give the milk at about the same time of day. Because of the sleepy or awake hormones in your milk, so don't express first think in the morning then give it in the middle of the night and expect your lo to go to sleep HTH x