How to start expressing

[Spudlet]

Little lad is three weeks old today and is doing really well with breastfeeding - latches on well and is gaining weight like a champ. I'd like to start expressing enough milk for one feed in the evening so I can get my head down for more than two hours, but no idea when or how to start! Got my pump and bottles, but don't know when the best time of day to express would be, or how much to get out. Do I have to express a whole feed in one go, or can I get a little at a time to make a full one over the course of the day?

Any tips please?

I've found mornings to be the richest in terms of availability of milk

However I generally also tend to express after feeds sometimes the milk then looks thicker and has more fat I presume

Milk can stay in room temp for 6 hours so I express off and on over those hours and then refrigerate

If you add now milk to the one in fridge it would need to be cooled down first before adding

Ah right, thanks. So I could do a little every time and leave the bottle out as long as it's for that day?

Might try tomorrow, today is out as little man just fed for two hours so I am pooped! Having a lie down while dh holds the fort. Don't know where he puts it

You may find expressing easier whilst DC is feeding off the other breast or you are holding him close, as this encourages let down.

Sterilize the pump and bottle you will be putting it in, and pump away until you want to stop. Allow the contents to cool before putting it in the fridge. When you pump again use a different, sterilized container to collect the milk, allow to cool and then add to the container in the fridge. You can then decant the fridge bottle in to a feeding bottle if you have more than a feed in the fridge.

Thanks! I tried it this morning, didn't want to overdo it and send the boobs into overdrive so just pumped a couple of ounces after the morning feed and another later - both hotels are in the fridge, I'll mix them up and see if he will take a bottle this evening. I'm sure I'll get more out as I get braver, suspect I could have had more today but I want to avoid overproducing. Hopefully in time this will let me get a bit of rest from my little boob shark!