When and if to start expressing?

[shandybass]

Hi I'm new to Mumsnet talk, but have been reading the discussions and getting a lot of useful advice prior to the birth of my lovely DD. I am wondering if Mumsnetters could help me about when and if I should express as I have been given different advice and am confused.
I have been breastfeeding on demand and things are going well except for a few fractious days and nights. I was keen to express milk for one feed to enable my husband to give the late feed for me to get some rest, for him to take part in feeding and to have a bit extra for those difficult days. The problem is I have been told yes this is fine and no this is definitely not recommended by different health professionals midwives and health visitors. From what I've read it seems to be ok if breastfeeding is established, but when is this? Any advice please, I don't want to make things go wrong! My DD is almost 4 weeks.

Hiha
Thanks for all the great advice, I have now realised that I just need to chill and go with the flow, I did the spending all day in bed in pjs with laptop and baby snoozing and have just accepted that evenings are going to be fractious at times and it is getting a lot easier. DD is still feeding for a long time in the evening and waking quite frequently, only ever going for a max of 3 hours, however I have relaxed and just taken things slower and I feel a lot more in control.
Can't believe how the weeks are going and she's no longer a newborn, was thinking I'll be back in work before i recover from the birth at this rate! It is confusing all teh different advice you get and it doesn't help that my health visitor is very black and white but I speak to another one who is far more chilled and not horrified by any suggestions of formula/dummy etc and I've taken control now.
Ta for the posts anyway.
Happy Christmas.
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