Expressing: is there a right time to start and should I go with Medula?

[BabyLove2014]

Hi my LO was born on 5 Jan and I have been mostly at home since then as he tends to feed a lot during the day. I have been to see family and fed comfortably there and also once, this week in public at M&S cafe. I felt self conscious but proud once I had managed it and aim to do that again next week to keep my confidence levels up. I was with my sister who provided good moral support.
I know however I will always feel uncomfortable bfing in front of male relatives.
If I can express milk and bottle feed, this would maybe help.
It is a massive investment to buy the kit though! Everyone seems to say Medula and it is around £100. Although bfing is going great for now - 3.5 weeks in - I keep thinking that this may not always be the case and if I do have to switch to ff, then this would be a waste of money at a time when money is tight. I definitely couldn't borrow or buy second hand. There is nothing wrong with this, it is just I personally am a bit squeamish about it.
From experience, is there a time when people have started to express? Did your LO take to bottle feeding expressed bm, combined with bfing? Is the Medula the best option?

With dc 2&3 I started expressing straight away, using Avent hand pump (8 year gap so one was the old classic pump, then the new "natural" pump) The manual ones were ok, but I decided to go for electric once ok realised I'd have to go back to work sooner . than anticipated (own family busininess going thorough a rough time)

I researched and avoided the medela swing because it wasn't a closed system -see here, and it kinda grossed me out.

mythnomore.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/why-you-shouldnt-buy-sell-or-borrow.html?m=1 sorry link didn't work above

I use the Avent manual pump too, takes a bit of getting used to but works well for me (I got 1/3 off in Boots with the parenting club, maybe you have too?). My ds is 19 weeks and we're still breastfeeding along with bottle feeding expressed milk with the odd formula feed thrown in. Now is about the right time to try your lo with the bottle, its slow going but persevere and they will get used to it. Mine now isn't bothered if its breast or bottle as long as there's milk (although bed time is always breast!). Good luck and congratulations on your lo.

Hello. Congratulations on mastering breastfeeding! I dont know when the best time is to start expressing but I just thought I say Ithat totally understand how you feel about breastfeeding in public. And, like you, I absolutely can't bf in front of older,male relatives! So, when I've been visiting relatives, I've just taken my self off to sit in a separate room to feed and nobody has minded - in fact, my DH says that my male relatives looked quite relieved that I didn't get my boobs out in front of them! When I've been out and about to cafes. I've found that proper breastfeeding tops and bras have really helped - I've a couple of tops that enable me to get just my nipple out very discretely and you'd hardly even know that I was breastfeeding which makes it really easy and comfortable to do. And I've actually got to the stage now (my daughter is 10 weeks) where I really couldn't care less if a stranger gets a brief glimpse of my nipple!

FYI - I started expressing at about week 7 and I feel I might have left it a bit late cos she's still refusing to take expressed milk in a bottle after a few weeks of trying. But I had read that if you start them on a bottle too early, they can get "nipple confusion" and have trouble breast-feeding... It's so difficult to know what to do... Good luck!

Thanks for the advice guys. Think I should start trying to express now. It also may solve the problem that my LO seems to prefer the left side, so maybe I will express on the right while feeding him on the left?
I read the piece about second hand pumps and that is exactly why I would always buy brand new. But to be honest like I said earlier, it is personal preference as I don't buy anything preloved as I'm a bit squeamish if I don't know where something has been previously : D
Will definitely take a look at the Avent hand pump as it seems to be a popular choice on here.
I am glad to be bfing but as my LO cluster feeds for most of the day at the moment, I am finding it difficult when we have visitors or when out. Your words rang very true with me NooNooMummy! He tends to feed regularly with only cat naps as he falls asleep at the breast from 7am until around 7pm when he then sleeps until midnight or one am. Then he tends to feed again at 3am and at 5.30. If he could do these types of gaps during the day, it would be great. But then I can't complain as he is doing so well at night.
I have been tempted to ff at times because of how limiting bf is in terms of doing anything during the day - especially as I have a very active toddler!!
Maybe try expressing first this week and then if that doesn't work, I may have to at least consider combination bf and ff. has anyone else made that decision and if so, how had that worked out? Really appreciate your advice.

It's going to get easier. While your baby is still so little, he's feeding lots to help build up your supply. I know it feels limiting, but your confidence will increase and it should get easier to be out and about (you're missing nothing in this weather...). The worry about mixed feeding is the effect it may have on your supply. I think experiences of it are mixed - some end up doing more ff than they set out to, others manage just the odd ff feed with no bother.

I have an Ameda Purely Yours pump, which is brilliant. I have borrowed it from a friend (who bought hers when she lived abroad), but I think you can still buy Ameda in the UK. I started giving a bf bottle at 12 weeks when I started working again. It's only once a week, but it seems to work out ok so far,

Once your lo is used to a bottle, combination feeding should be fine - I was discouraged from it by a breastfeeding counsellor, but as said earlier, we breastfeed, bottle feed expressed milk and use formula on some occasions (mainly when visiting people I don't want to get my bits out in front of! I'm also freezing some expressed milk for when I'm back at work) and this is working really well for us. I know a few people who have done this too and seems to be quite popular. Breastfeeding can be hard work and it is a bit limiting especially in the early days so you've done really well. When I first started I thought I'd never get past the first week! Also, for us, using expressed milk or formula gives me a break and dh some bonding time with ds, so everyone's happy. But ultimately do whatever you feel is right for you and your lo, there's no right or wrong way of doing it. Hope it all goes well.

Thanks again everyone - MoonMrs, can I ask which pump you use?

I used a Tommy Tippee hand pump for the first 6 months, then bought a Medela for the last 3 months (I stopped expressing at 9 months). To be honest, the Tommee Tippee was fine. We only bought it because I was finding feeding directly too painful and it was a way through the difficult early weeks.

As I was at work full time from 14 weeks, I had to express a lot, and the Tommy Tippee was absolutely fine until it broke. The Medela was also fine - a lot easier to use than the Tommy Tippee one but 10 times the price.

I use the Avent manual pump and only got it because I had money off but actually it's been very good. I don't have any experience of any other pumps though.