expressing and bf

[littlethings]

hi, i've been bf my 11 week old ds pretty successfully and since he ws 3 wks old i've been expressing so his dad ca give him a late night feed. My qu is: how soon after pumping can I bf? So far I have been using the pump immediately after DS has fed but now his feeding is more effective i only get around 20-30 mls per session on the pump so it takes several session to get enough for a EBM bottle (around 200 ml) - and no hope of building up a stock in the freezer. Any advice?

I used to have the best results by pumping on the side my DS wasn't feeding on, first thing in the morning.

If he feeds right after you've pumped, he'll still get milk, anyway, as he's better at getting milk out than any pump.

(Are you not feeding at all in the night? That's not best for your supply, tbh - night feeds are better for your supply than day feeds. That being said, if his weight gain is fine, then you're fine.)

thanks nqc - thanks for the advice re feeding him right after pumping that's reassuring. how in the world do you pump at the same time as feeding? thik that's a bit too dextrous for me and my little man! and don't worry he is feeding in the night as well, we're just trying to get him a late night bottle so I can get some zzs in before he wakes me around 3-4 am.

I think I would have my DS1 feeding from the right side, resting on my knees, while I pumped on the left? Not sure, it's been ages.

Another (much lazier) way to get more sleep at night is to cosleep. Is it an option for you?

also - with the supply/demand thing, how soon does your body catch up? DS is starting another growth spurt and last night cluster fed with lots of screaming in between sides from around 6 pm til 10 pm and I don't think he was gettig enough so was v thankful we had the EBM bottle to give him @ 10.30 ish - but will that muck up my supply? blimey this is all hard work isn't it!

I think it's meant to be 48 hours or so to ramp up. But you're right, using a bottle from the freezer means your body isn't entirely supplying everything he needs right now.

Your body should still catch up, though. If you're really struggling, you can take a babymoon - just go to bed with your baby for the day (or part of a day) and give him lots of skin to skin, and encourage him to feed a lot.

IIRC with DS2, I got into the habit of feeding him from one side first thing in the morning and then expressing from the other immediately after - that seemed to get me about 8oz every time

I could never grasp the pumping while feeding thing either!

thanks. 8 oz! that's loads isn't it - i've never managed that much apart from those few inexplicable times where he's gone right through the night ad i've had to pump just to le tthe air out of the tyres, so to speak.

am liking the idea of a babymoon !