when do you express?

[RudyTuesday]

Hi, I breastfeed my five week old son. I bought an electric pump and so far tried it once where I expressed a small amount that was devoured in seconds. I want to express so that DP can give a bottle when I go out ( planning first night out this week). It would also be good to have some bm in fridge for times when ds has fussed so much at breast during colic episode that we've resorted to ff.

The thing is ds seems to feed so often from both breasts that I don't know when to express. If I express will it empty boob and mean he won't be able to feed? Or can I express anytime and body will adjust to demand??

This really confused me too. At this age once they have finished a feed just pump for a little while afterwards. If they have fed from both sides try the side they fed from first, first then the other. Your supply will go up slowly to match the pumping. Mornings are best if you can get organised.

Find your local Baby Cafe (nation support group for BFing) and/or call the Breastfeeding Network for more tips. Both are great.

A peer supporter once told me breast are factories, not warehouses. Meaning, you are constantly making milk - not just storing it, so even if breast feels empty milk is still there. Just takes longer to get it out.
Agree with cold mornings seem to be a universally good time - especially after a warm shower. Express after a feed.

When I have tried expressing I've found mornings the best. I've also found that if I put some tv on and don't think about the actual expressing then I get loads more milk. Of course, it's all been to no avail as DD still won't take a bottle....

I've had most success expressing first thing in the morning when DD is still asleep and it is several hours since her last feed. She's now 4 months old and I can get 125ml out in 15 minutes using a double hospital grade pump. DD doesn't seem to have any problem feeding if I have just expressed.

I also have success expressing on one side while DD is feeding on the other side.

I express occasionally for the same reasons. I started off expressing in the mornings after his first feed. Now that DS1 is regularly taking his night bottle from DH I just express at night when I'm 'missing' that feed.

So pleased to find this as I'm getting really confused with it!
My 8 week old is EBF but I want to start expressing a bottle for dad to feed her in the evenings.
Ive read so much conflicting advice - it'll increase / decrease milk supply, can cause mastitis, can interfere with breast feeding egg niw I'm confused and scared to try!
This afternoon while she was asleep I expressed my first 3oz (took about half an hour lol.
Is it best to do small expressing throughout day yo make one bottle? Or get as much as can in one sitting?
Do you just express enough for one bottle it some to freeze too?
Those of you who do this regularly has it affected your supply?

Sorry for all the questions I just really don't want to mess things as feeding is going so well right now.
Tia xx

Luna I'm pretty sure that expressing can only increase your supply rather than decreasing it, as your body interprets it as additional demand. I agree with everyone else that morning is a great time to express, but particularly if you don't have other DC. I find it's not really practical for me to express in the mornings as I'm too busy trying to get DS up and to nursery alongside feeding DD etc. So I express before I go to bed, which DH then feeds to DD as a dream feed. At this time of day I only get 3-4oz but that's enough for the dream feed. Occasionally I will express during the day if I have a spare half hour. This goes in the freezer in 2oz portions. Hope that helps!
Oh, and does anyone else find the cost of breastmilk storage bags outrageous?!

Thanks Baking Bunty
To me that makes more sense that expressing would increase the milk. The hv had said my body would stop supplying for that time as it would think I didn't need it and to me if the milks still being pumped out the body must think it needs it!!
Will aim at expressing some in the morning for freezer stash and think how you do it for my partner is best - express some in the evening for nighttime feed before we go to bed.
Thanks again xx
Ps chuckling at your 'spare half hour' im sure you get plenty of them.... Xx