Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Any tips on expressing please

19 replies

Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 18:24

ds 3 weeks old tomorrow decided to express and feed so i can see how much he is having.Been expressing after feeding him at 2pm only managed to get 2ozs off and thats swapping breasts.thanks in advance for advice.

OP posts:
WigWamBam · 31/12/2006 18:26

How much you express bears no relation to how much he's having - don't worry on that score.

How are you expressing - by hand or using a pump?

tiktok · 31/12/2006 18:40

Debby - wwb is right!

A) you don't need to know how much he is having

B) expressing won't tell you anyway!

Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 18:45

wwb ive got the medala electric pump.
Why doesnt it tell me how much he is having confused (sorry)

OP posts:
TheBlonde · 31/12/2006 18:51

your baby will be more efficient than the pump

Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 18:56

but i dint think he is getting enough as he pulls off,goes to sleep for ten mins i offer him the other breast he refuses 15mins later awake again and crying.This is wearing me out im tearful my hormones are allo ver the place i dont know whether im coming or going.

OP posts:
Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 18:56

See i cant even type properly lol.

OP posts:
WigWamBam · 31/12/2006 19:11

It can take a few weeks for breast-feeding to really establish itself and to get any sort of rhythm going - feeding like this not unusual in the early days. Forget about expressing for now, just feed him as and when he asks for it.

I know it's hard when it feels as if you're constantly feeding, but you are doing really well, and it will get better.

kiskidee · 31/12/2006 19:20

one reason is that breastmilk is like a knockout drug to tiny babies why they fall asleep then wake up crying again. don't let it stress you out hun. just pick your baby up and feed.

there are other reasons out there, just don't fret about it. you have enough milk and can feed your baby. your body didn't bring both of you this far along to let you down now. trust your body and trust your baby.

kiskidee · 31/12/2006 19:21

one good thing to remember is that we are the only mammal who expect to see our own milk or even have the ability to see it. now all those other mammals get on just fine without ever seeing a drop of their own milk. that is my convoluted old logic anyway.

Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 20:17

thanks all just feeling hormonal i think.its new years eve and i still cant believe i have my own baby after we tried for 2 years he still feels like a dream come true and i dont want to fail him in anyway.

OP posts:
kiskidee · 31/12/2006 20:25

aaahh, debbsy, that is so touching. i can't believe your little post gave a lump in my throat. [misty eyed emoticon]

i just recommended these 2 books to a new mum on another thread and it sounds like you will like them too:

the Social Baby by Lynne Murray and Liz Andrews

and Baby Bliss by Dr Harvey Karp.

go on. treat yourself to a late christmas pressie i promise you will find them very helpful for these early days.

Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 21:13

thanks kis i will ive been looking on amazon for recommrndations on baby books so i will purchase the ones you have recommended thanks xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Debbsyandson · 31/12/2006 21:27

ordered

OP posts:
yomellamoHelly · 31/12/2006 21:53

Considering you'd just fed your ds I don't think this is bad. You didn't say how long ds spent feeding, but generally he should be able to empty a breast in 25-30 mins. (I assume this'll be slightly less for your ds who is a week older than mine.) My let-down reflex disappears too when ds has emptied my boob (so I can feel when it's empty). My ds then spends 15-20 minutes on the second breast. Ds2 is 9 lb and is 2 weeks old.

Currently I am expressing at 6:45 am (supposed to be 3 oz on fullest boob- usually manage 2 (in 15 minutes) before ds2 demands his share) and 10:45 am (supposed to be 2 oz on second boob- generally manage this (again in 15 minutes)).
Also supposed to express from both boobs instead of bfing for 10 pm feed and to give a bottle of ebm. Did this 2 days ago and managed to get 5 oz but took 45 minutes to get this (he had 3-4 oz). This was following a roast dinner and left-over Christmas pud and 2.5 hours sat on my behind.
Not done last 2 days as following 2 feeds then took ages so think he wasn't fully established with bf after all and therefore not quite ready for a bottle.)
It could be related to how relaxed you are etc while expressing, though. You may find looking at a photo of ds helps or going and sitting in his bedroom where you can see him. Some of my friends found it easier to express while feeding their baby on the other breast too. (I found there wasn't enough space to make this a simple task - prefer a manual pump.) You should also make sure you drink lots of water too (you should also drink a large glass while bfing from the second breast). You also need to make sure you have a proper breakfast straight after the first feed of the day and have a proper lunch following the 10-11 am feed and dinner following the 5 and 6:15 pm feeds (I find it takes an hour for my breasts to fill up following food).
Generally though I wouldn't worry about how much milk your ds is getting. So long as he's doing lots of pooey and wet nappies and is settling well for naps he's fine. Your ds'll always manage to get more than you can express too so expressing isn't an exact science anyway.
Congratulations on your ds too btw.

worleywinterwonderland · 31/12/2006 22:12

hi yomellamohelly- what tyoe of expresser do you have? i have a tommy tippe at the moment and dont really get on that well with it. so i have ordered the medala pump as going back to work soon and need to be getting more out than i do with the hand pump so he can cope at nursery.

i can get about 2oz from right boob when he is feeding from the left but cannot get a drop out of the left boob. has anyone else had this problem? ds2 is 6 months now and i need to keep expressing as he has a milk allergy and so cant have formula.

does anyone have a preferenc eto which pump to use?

sorry to hijack !!

yomellamoHelly · 31/12/2006 22:56

I just use the Avent manual pump.

If you're having trouble expressing have you tried massaging your breast with your hands. Particularly in early days I find it can take a couple of minutes to get any milk and this really speeds the process up. Heat also helps with the let down reflex. You could try massaging your breast with a hot flannel, or use a hot water bottle for a couple of minutes and then masaging your breast.

The other thing that springs to mind is whether you make sure your db empties your left breast every other feed. My understanding is that you should alternate sides for the first breast you offer baby. So one feed you offer right, then left as the second breast. The next feed you offer left, then right as the second breast and so on.

Original poster
Debbsyandson · 01/01/2007 00:25

thanks yo great advice there thank you for the congrats too

OP posts:
kiskidee · 01/01/2007 01:05

yomellamoHelly: i understand that this website is not supposed to be entering into discussions, etc about the routines of a certain baby guru, which correct me if i am wrong, sounds like what your earlier post is all about.

kiskidee · 05/01/2007 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread