Optimal time for expressing.

[Writerwannabe83]

DS is 20 weeks and EBF.

I woke up this morning and decided the time has come to start introducing a bottle. I just feel like I need the option of being able to leave DS with other people so I can start regaining some 'me time'.

I don't really know how to go about it though as if I'm expressing on top of feeding then won't my milk production go into overdrive??

I fed DS from the left breast at 1.30pm and he fed very well. I offered the right breast but he only fed for 5 minutes.

At 3.25pm I thought I'd try expressing and got about 65mls from the right breast (which he hadn't fed from) and about 5mls from the breast he had fed from.

I know the volume that can be expressed is no reflection on how much the baby gets but the amounts were a bit deflating

Should I have left it longer than 2 hours after the feed before expressing in order to have let the milk supply replenish? But if I express too close to when the feed is due does that mean I will drain off all the milk and DS won't get what he needs??

I'm only intending DS to have one bottle a day (if he takes it) so thought 8oz would be enough? Can I express small amounts throughout the day but just keep decanting it into the same bottle or do I have to express the 8oz in one go?

Any advice or shared experiences much appreciated.

Ok, expressing can be a bit of a bugger - some mums don't manage to express anything at all & others could probably feed the entire maternity ward with what they produce! But there are lots of things you can do to help make it a bit easier.

Prolactin levels are higher at night so, if you can, express as soon as you wake up in the morning. Your baby needs to be as near as possible to you when you're expressing to stimulate the let down reflex & maximise how much you produce so, this does require a bit of ambidexterity, try expressing from one breast while your baby is feeding from another. Top tip - if you've got a manky feeding bra you don't mind ruining, cut a hole in the centre of each a bit larger than your nipple, then you can connect up your pump with the tube through the hole and the bra will keep everything in place so you don't have to hold whilst you're expressing! Does that make sense?!

You can express small amounts throughout the day & decant; you don't need to express the whole feed at once.

You'll probably find it easier once you get into the swing of things. Bear in mind though that your baby might be a bottle refuser, but whoevers looking after him/her can always use a cup for feeds.

Hope that helps!

I found I always had most success expressing first thing in the morning after DD had fed. Still only got max 100ml though - normally more like 50-75ml. Bit of a pain but I did like the flexibility of having a couple of feeds stored in the freezer!

Hi OP - I too found I got lots of milk if I expressed first thing in the morning. I only ever bothered expressing maximum around 4oz though - dd never wanted more than that anyway. Some other things that helped: expressing while feeding the baby (not the most comfortable thing with a hand pump but you get used to it), expressing after a hot shower and expressing while looking at dd - this is meant to stimulate the milk production.

Good luck

Also agree first thing is ideal time. I usually express a couple of oz before feeding DS & then whatever is left after I've fed him so often get 4-5oz to freeze. I also keep a stock to avoid suddenly needing to produce.

If you give baby a bottle it's a good idea to express to compensate for not doing that feed for comfort & to maintain supply & demand. When I worked & DD was 8mth she had about 8oz at lunch & I expressed that in my lunch break which made the bottle for the next day IYSWIM? So if you're expressing instead of a feed you may manage plenty whatever time of day but if in addition to normal feeding first thing often best. Hope that helps.

Thanks everyone, I will definitely try morning expressing!

It was never my intention to introduce bottles but I've had a few of those days where I step back and look at life and realise how annoyed I feel about DH still being able to have so much 'me time' whereas I don't have any. He's been out playing cricket for 8 hours today, dashed in, got changed and headed out again. I just keeping thinking that the time has come where I should be allowed to have a day to myself, why shouldn't I be able to leave the house for 10 hours to do something I want to and leave DH be responsible for DS??

Maybe that sounds selfish, I don't know, I just feel a bit resentful maybe.

First thing was best for me.

I think generally it is easier to express in the mornings (in terms of milk supply). I don't know if this would work but I used to express at the same time as feeding my son from when he was about 3 weeks old. Did take a little propping if I remember but I could do it (electric pump). Also found that really upped my yield as baby was doing all the work to get the let downs. I used to offer my son both sides each feed. So when pumping and feeding at same time I would start him on one, pump from the other, and then switch over. Never seemed to affect how hungry he was / when he asked for his next feed (as I think baby much more efficient at getting milk out than the pump so there was plenty for him, plus your milk regenerates all the time like a tap rather than a storage tank so you can never run out).

This is a great page if you have time to look, it also has a caluclator on it which would help give you a guide to how much you are likely to need for a full feed (although I wouldn't take it too literally as sure baby will let you know if they not happy!):

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

Writer that doesn't sound selfish at all. You have been amazing to have given every feed yourself so far.

Having a whole day out at this stage would probably mean you needing to express regularly whilst out for comfort. Maybe a few hours is a good start to see how it goes for all of you. Meal out with the girls?!

I find lansinoh storage bags good for freezing.

Fingers crossed your DC takes to the bottle. My DS is 6 wks. So far he's had 3 & he will take but not that keen so we'll be trying regularly as it's important to me to be able to leave him sometimes esp as I want to be able to take DD out on her own.

Hope morning expressing does the trick.

Thanks everyone for all your advice

I just offered him his first bottle and I can't say he was too impressed

He probably won't take it from you as he normally gets if from the boob off you & prefers that! Get DP to give him a bottle while you pop out for a few mins & see if he takes to it

Yes agree with gingin. You've got the least chance of getting him to take a bottle! He knows you have something better - take it as a compliment!

Well we are having our 2nd attempt this afternoon and I will take your advice and leave DH to it.

My concern is that DH wants it to fail so he may sabotage it [grin[