Exclusively expressing?!

[babybellsmum]

Has anyone any experience of exclusively expressing? My lg is 7 weeks old and for the first 4 weeks we were getting literally no sleep. She was on and off breastfeeding from about 10pm til 6am then finally falling asleep for a few hours in the morning. After lots of reading and research I put it down to me having a low supply in the evening and/or her not taking enough during the day. For about 10 days I have been expressing for all her day feeds (so I know how much she's taking) and giving a bottle of formula in the evening before attempting to put her down to bed and then breastfeeding for nights feeds. After 2 days of this she has been only waking once between 12 and 7/8 for a feed and going back down reasonably well. I had the hv round on Wednesday and she scared me by saying my supply could dwindle if I continue expressing most of the time so I went back to breastfeeding for the last couple of days but she has been really restless during the nights since this. I fear it's because she just doesn't take enough during the day and I would like to go back to expressing so I know she's had enough but don't want my supply to dry up. Basically I just want to know if anyone else has successfully express fed for any length of time? Sorry for the long post!

Hi there - don't panic, for lots of reasons but mainly because I have found you make less milk if you do! I had a similar experience in that my son was not taking all I had and was therefore losing weight. I started to express feed more than breast feed and it has worked and he is back in track weight wise again. To make this work for me I have either feed direct or expressed at least ever 4 hours to keep up milk supply it has been hard but once in a routine it is not so bad. One tip is to express after breast feeding if possible to ensure you have taken everything. I also bought a manual pump so I don't get caught out if out and about. Good luck.

I expressed for about 3 months because DD had lots of problems latching, I found I had to express regularly through the night as well as the day to keep the supply up, make sure I always emptied the boob completely - sometimes it would stop but if I kept pumping for a couple minutes lots more would come. It is exhausting and can get really sore so if you have the option to breastfeed normally I would do your best to stick to that.

Have you looked at [[http://kellymom.com/category/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/ kellymom]? There's a lot of good advice about low milk supply and expressing.

Thanks everyone. Sunny, I'll have a look there now thank you. I'm just a bit stumped cos she latches on and guzzles away really well for her night feeds but doesn't seem to do quite as well during the day :/ I've only got a manual pump but manage to get 6-9 oz 4 times a day as well as full feed in the night and one or two top ups during the day. Do you think since she is going directly on breast at least 2 times in 24 hours this will help me keep my supply up?

Hi, see my am I drying up post. I had a similar experience to you early on before settlung on a mix of bf, ff and expressing. 10 weeks later I believe my supply is dwindling, that said the advice on here is that I can get it back if I bf lots. If I were you I'd carry on doing what you're doing just be aware that at some point you may have a supply issue. In those early days you need as much sleep as poss!

I'm exclusively pumping, and it's something you have to work at, you can't pick and choose otherwise your supply will dwindle. Once you get into a routine it's brilliant though :)

I have a friend who is exclusively expressing at 7 months. No problem for her milk, or for baby.
It's as if the baby is formula fed.
So no mechanical or volume problems, but you lose the snuggly closeness.