Starting to express

[Littlemissexpecting]

I'm thinking about starting to express so my dh can help with feeds. Currently ebf 5 week old ds on demand. Any tips or hints or things I should be aware of as I don't really know where to start. I've got an electric breast pump and bottles, steriliser etc.
what feed would you recommend I start with?
I think I read you can keep BM in fridge for 5 days? How should I warm it?
How much do you recommend I start with per bottle?
TIA and apologies if very stupid questions

Personally, I would start to express after the morning feed and freeze it in 2-3 oz batches (labelled with the date)

I started by replacing the lunchtime feed but some people like to replace the 10pm feed first.

Defrost overnight in the fridge and warm by standing the bottle of milk in hot water.

Small babies tend to take between 2-4 oz at a feed so if you have 2 lots of 2-3 oz defrosted you can do one first and then warm the second if needed without wasting a lot of milk.

Hope this helps - good luck!

Thank you for all your advice gives me something to get started with.

Hello! Depending on your supply and how easy feeding is etc I find expressing while I feed to be by far the most efficient way to do it. It's a bit of a balancing act but I sit on the right side of the bed with DD in a rugby ball type hold supported by pillow on LHS and express on the RHS. This has worked really well for months, impending on what she is demanding and therefore I have been producing ive been getting 2-4 oz a day from one session. DD always spends a few minutes finishing off the expressed boob so I don't feel she is being deprived if that makes sense! Personally I just found trying to express after a feed didn't work, even if the boob felt full it just wouldn't let down which was stressful. Obviously needs to be an electric pump unless you are an octopus......x

Express in the morning an hour after you've last fed the baby. This way there will be enough milk for him/her for the next feed.

Expressing in the morning is best as much more milk is produced then. If I express in the morning I can get around 4-6oz in one sitting. If I express in the afternoon or evening it drops to about 2oz!

Also, express for a maximum of 10 minutes on each side, any longer and you're unlikely to get more out. Babies can but that's because they're better at getting it out!

I replace the middle of the night feed with my expressed milk (DP does it, bless him) and get a better night's sleep! DP can reliably go back to sleep when the baby wakes, I can't...