expressing for late night feed

[Pinchypants]

Hello all,
my daughter Bridget is almost seven weeks and I have been expressing in the morning a couple of times a week since she was three weeks so DH can give her the 10.30 feed from a bottle. I'm getting on really well with the Avent Isis IQ single electric pump, and get at least 3oz every time. We find it much easier to do the 10.30 feed when she is very sleepy with a bottle than a breast, but as a result my breasts are getting quite uncomfortably full cos they are not being emptied between the 6.30pm feed and the 3am-ish feed. As I am hoping she will be sleeping through the night soon, which will make my breasts even more engorged, what's the best way of dealing with this situation? Should I express and dump at 10pm before the feed, for instance? basically I'm looking for experience and guidance from other full-time breastfeeding mums who give one bottle a day - any guidance much appreciated!
Thanks a million,
Pinchy xx

You could express and freeze it so you have some ready for an extra feed occasionally or for weaning or store it for the next evening and then you won't have to do it again during the day. May only be short term discomfort lasting a few days if you do leave it but watch out for blocked ducts or, worse, mastitis and that is a long gap at this stage.

As the pp says, I would express between 9 and 10pm and freeze it. This way you can build a store up.

I found this immensely reassuring for those occassions when I was ill and my milk supply dropped (or when I was on medication I didn't particularly want being passed on!) or for those rare times when you actually leave the house without the baby! hard to imagine at the moment I'm sure! lol

Use this early excess of milk to give yourself some breathing space for the future. It also means that you can have a day off from expressing every now and then too, which will be a blessed relief if you carry on for months and months like I did!

Good luck. Maria xxx

Great advice ladies - thanks very much indeed. Anyone else got any other suggestions for how best to manage this?
Pinchy xx

yes I agree with barmy - when I expressed with joey I used to do one at 10, or when he would have had a feed whilst DH was feeding him then DH would sort out the bottles/pump etc so I could go back to sleep quicker. (althou morning pumping never seemed to agree with my body)

If you WANT to keep making milk, then keep expressing... However if you dont then you need to stop and your body will adjust soon enough and the engorgement should stop

Definately great to have a good suply in the freezer tho, and dont forget to freeze some in tiny amounts ready for weaning in a few weeks-you can get 1oz ice cube bags somewhere but I cant remember where from. It'll last 3 months in a good freezer and 6 months in a deep freeze.