Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Expressing in the evening?

23 replies

NoTeaForMe · 25/07/2013 16:15

Would I be really silly to try expressing for the first time of an evening? Am I then unlikely to get much?

OP posts:
glossyflower · 25/07/2013 16:38

Well everyone is different, but I found with expressing it took some practice to get a good amount.
Firstly, I started off with a manual expresser, but could only get a small amount, I invested in a Tomee Tippee electric pump, and honestly could not live without it. It's by far my best buy.
With my 13 week old, she sleeps through the night from about 7pm until 6am, so I tend to pump last thing at night around 10pm, and get between 5oz and 6oz. This way (as I've gone several hours between feeds) I'm not feeling the engorgement first thing in the morning.
To be honest I don't think it matters when you express as your milk supply adjusts to the demand soon enough, but probably best to do it around the same time each day.
Just give it a try.
Hope this helps.

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 25/07/2013 16:45

Thanks for that. I'll give it a go tonight then.

Is it true that I should try and give milk around the same time of day as it was expressed. So I should give milk I expressed in the morning to her in the morning? Does that mean I can't mix different expressed milks together? What about from different sides? They're probably all really stupid questions!

OP posts:
glossyflower · 26/07/2013 10:53

NoTea - they are not silly questions! If we have never experienced this before how are we supposed to know?!

I haven't heard that about giving milk at the same time it's been expressed.

I mix both sides into one freezer pouch.

In the book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding it says its best to express once or twice a day right after you have fed baby, you probably won't get much to begin with, but after a few days of pumping it will pick up

Try Kellymom it's a great website with lots of useful info.

Hope this helps. xxx

glossyflower · 26/07/2013 10:54

...and let us know how you are getting on Smile

DreamsOfAShower · 26/07/2013 14:55

I've read from a few sources that breastmilk does vary throughout the day. The milk we make at night time is (supposed!) to promote sleep more than daytime milk. So, for that reason, it may be better to give milk at a similar time to when it was expressed. I haven't really heard of it being a problem if you don't though.

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 26/07/2013 15:40

Thanks! I couldn't try last night as she fed quite often and I was tired do went to bed. Tried this morning and got approx 2oz. Prob expressed for around 5 mins. Is that good? How long should you express for? I'll try giving it to her later. It's in a bag in the back of the fridge. It says you shouldn't microwave it to re-heat it. Is this just because of hot spots- cant I just give it a good shake? Or is there a real reason with breastmilk?

OP posts:
DreamsOfAShower · 26/07/2013 15:46

2oz in 5 mins is very respectable!
You can express for longer than that, providing it's still comfortable, but you might find that after a 10 mins or so it's no longer productive. If you're trying to increase your supply it's a good idea to keep pumping for a few mins after the milk flow stops (only if comfortable though)

DreamsOfAShower · 26/07/2013 15:47

Not sure about microwaving - probably is just hotpots.
Shaking can break down some of the molecules, apparently.

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 26/07/2013 16:00

I had to stop this morning as my toddler needed the loo, then a drink etc etc! I'll try again tonight!

Ah, so if you can't shake I guess you can't get rid of the hotspots!

The thing I had heard about the milk is that the milk produced in the evening has something in it to help calm the babies?!

OP posts:
Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 26/07/2013 17:21

My husband says we shouldn't try her on this amount in case it's not enough. He thinks going from bottle to breast in one feed will be too confusing for her...is he right?

OP posts:
Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 27/07/2013 18:34

Oh no! We tried her on the bottle and she screamed the place down. Happily breastfed and had a big feed instead! I've just expressed again (another 2oz) and have put them in 1oz bags in the fridge and will try again tomorrow. I'm a little concerned we've missed the boat with this!

OP posts:
DreamsOfAShower · 27/07/2013 18:54

How old is your dd?

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 27/07/2013 18:59

Nearly 10 weeks

OP posts:
Bazoo23 · 28/07/2013 19:53

Dont give up hope my daughter was 6m when I tried to introduce a bottle. Tried Tommee Tippee, MAM, Nuby and the Medela Calma with ebm in.
She screamed with all of them, arched her back, thrashed her head, it was awful.

I left it about three weeks and then one day when she was happy in her little bouncy chair I casually popped a Tommee Tipppe C2N bottle in her mouth and she drank it straight away without a peep!

Now she grabs the bottle from me when I walk in with it and happily switches between breast and bottle. I think the key is to keep trying but dont force it.

Formula on the other hand she will not entertain!

KeepTheFaithBaby · 28/07/2013 21:03

Hi tea. I think everyone is different time wise. My DD feeds a lot in the evening still. I tried but struggled to express then!

I express first thing in the morning - I tend to feed her one side and express the other (that took practice!). I aim to get 3oz and if I don't I try again when she's napping in the day. I read advice that said either tandem feed or wait an hour after feeding to express. DD takes the bottle from DH in the evening but she still wants to come to me to feed to settle! Works for us though.

What bottle did you try?

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 28/07/2013 22:20

We have Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles. I don't want to start buying lots of different types of bottles-when do you stop? Could cost a fortune!

I'm kind of expressing when and if I can-depends on my toddler too really! Should I be concerned about having a pattern to it? What about when I try
her on the bottle? Should I try the same time every day? Once a day? We tried again this evening. It seemed to go a bit better, she was really upset so I fed her and then tried again towards the end of the feed, she did kind of suck/chew a bit but was gagging on the milk.

OP posts:
Impatientwino · 28/07/2013 23:01

You may find it easier if your partner or someone else gives her the expressed milk? My DS was ok with a bottle of expressed milk when daddy gave it to him but with me he was a bit fussy. You may find a 'doidy cup' is easier for her too. My DS loves his even now he's a year with milk or water.

Impatientwino · 28/07/2013 23:05

ps don't worry about a pattern or anything else - feed on demand and express when you are able to - don't put anymore pressure on yourself!

In reference to your question earlier about different times of day - your milk at nighttime will contain sleep hormones hence why it's easier to feed them to sleep! Well only for an hour or so at a time for my baby!!

KeepTheFaithBaby · 29/07/2013 08:09

I get out the way when DH offers the bottle. I imagine its confusing to be able to smell milk on your Mum but have the milk coming from another source. They can smell your milk up to 20 feet away apparently so I go and sit in the garden or go and talk a walk while DH does bath and bottle. Easier for him and half an hour's baby-free peace for me!

We use C2N bottles. I did find the teats block after a time. What size teats did you use? She might want faster flowing ones. I know what you mean about trying different ones - I've tried 4 different types of dummies with no joy, will not spend any more money on them!

RubyGoat · 29/07/2013 08:16

My experience was that I had loads of milk by morning, especially when DD dropped her night feed aged 4 months. So I used to get up in the night to express, as well as express after feeding her in the morning. By evening I would have very little, certainly not enough to feed her and then make any more to store. I think with me it was mostly tiredness though - as evidenced by the morning/evening imbalance.

YY to getting a good electric pump. Fabulous.

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 29/07/2013 08:25

My partner did try to begin with and she made some attempt but then got frustrated and was just hungry. So I fed her and then tried sneaking the bottle in when she'd calmed right down and I felt she was nearing the end of her feed. She still then went back on the breast to finish off, but at least had some kind of attempt at the bottle.

I don't need to worry about trying the bottle at the same time of day then?

Thanks

OP posts:
SheerWill · 29/07/2013 08:32

I used to use an electric pump (medela) expressed at 2 feeds everyday -I think first thing and about 4ish, before ds fed as the best milk at the back of the breast is the most nutritious, filling and fatty, and nothing will empty it as effectively as a suckling baby. Also having ds empty increased production, which helped when he was going through a growth spurt. Helped burn off lots of calories too :-)

Breast milk is really amazing stuff, cured ds of conjunctivitis - so worth storing as much as possible.

Original poster
NoTeaForMe · 29/07/2013 08:38

More replies while I was faffing!

We have the number 1 teats, just the ones that came with the bottles. She's gagging on the milk that come out though (or is she gagging on the teat?!) so does she need a quicker flow?

I can try and pump in the morning, sometimes that's harder though with a baby and a toddler. When toddler is napping or sleeping is easier as long as it works for baby!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page