expressing breast milk- how much & how?

[Junosmum]

My 4.5 week old DS is currently exclusively breastfed. I intend to continue to bf for as long as he wants however he is a terrible sleeper. Someone suggested expressing and giving him a 'good amount' from a bottle before bed, hoping he may sleep a bit longer.

So... I have bottles and a sterilizer and I have an over abundance of milk (I leak loads at each feed and have just hand expressed an ounce in 3 mins). I've just tried hand expressing as I don't yet have a pump, and don't want to invest in one if it doesn't work (I'm happy bfing). What I want to know is:

1. Is this correct 'procedure' I hand express in to a sterilized bottle, wait to cool, place in fridge. Second go at expressing, express in to new bottle, wait to cool, pour in to first bottle, store in fridge, repeat for subsequent feeds until desired amount is achieved/ I run out. Always using a freshly sterilized bottle to express in to.

1. Come bed time, pour amount in to new bottle and keep remainder in fridge if there is enough for a second feed? I believe it can be stored at 4 degrees for up to 5 days (or frozen).

1. Will 3oz be a sufficient bedtime feed for a nearly 5 week old? Any links to quantities?

1. I understand that he may not take a bottle (he won't take a dummy) and it's time consuming but other than that can anyone see an issue with this approach or offer any advice?

Thanks

Hmm, well I am no expert on the subject but I bet you'd get more out of a pump.

Sorry I've just realised you said that you don't want to invest in a pump if he won't take a bottle.

You probably already know this, but if you're mixing milk from different expressing sessions, you need to time from the oldest milk.

In terms of quantities it really depends on the baby. They will often take more from a bottle because it's less hard work than breastfeeding, ifyswim.

The theory sounds fine but there's no guarantee he'll sleep longer sorry. Although your DP could give him the bottle which would mean you could sleep.

3oz is probably fine. If he wants more you/DP could pour some more in to the bottle from the spare in the fridge and hold it under running hot water to warm it up. This is what DH did when he was giving DS EBM.

I don't think btw that I waited for the milk to cool before putting it in the fridge. I just put it straight in.

I know he may not sleep longer, and I'm fine with that. It's just one thing to try. Plus DH could do the occasional night feed!

I did also feel that it got DS used to bottles. He had one ff a day from 8 weeks. Good luck