Expressing-how much are you getting??

[TootsieBootsie]

Hi, DD is 10 days old and I've been advised to top up feeds with breast or formula milk. I've got an electric pump but managing less than 1oz from both breasts.
I'm feeding on demand and also finding it hard to give a great deal of time to it. Don't really want to go down the formula route quite yet if possible
Has anyone else tried to express and how much are you getting each time?

I've bf two babies and at your early stage 1oz would have been good for me. The amount you can express is NO indication of the amount your baby is getting from you as babies feed much more efficiently. Drink plenty of water, try expressing in the morning when your supply is best. Can you speak to a breastfeeding support worker? Quite often advice from gps or midwives is out of date and inappropriate so if you are being asked to top up I'd want to make sure it was right for you to be told that. Good luck :)

You can get good advice here if you aren't sure about local services.

www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk

Ditto to Cake's post - expressing is hard work and baby (usually) can bf a lot more efficiently than the pump. I agree that contacting NCT or La Lech League for advice to check if top ups are really needed is a good idea.

yes, talk to a bf adviser.
as pp said, the amount you express is no indication of what your baby gets when she feeds herself. You say you are finding it hard to give a great deal of time to bf, but really with such a tiny baby you shouldn't really aim to do anything else except establish bf and get to know your baby, I know that can be hard if you also have a toddler. I hope you are getting some practical help in RL.

Sorry I meant that I'm finding it hard to give time to expressing as I'm feeding whenever she wants and it's quite a lot of the time! Spending a lot of time sat on the sofa with DD. I do have a toddler but hubby is off so he entertains her whilst I'm looking after DD. Was hoping to get established before he goes back to work!
I've been advised by pediatrician as she's dropped over 10% of birth weight. I don't really want to top up but ....experts opinion really?

Well, is she alert when awake, plenty of wet nappies etc? You really need to discuss it with someone personally, in depth. The 10% of birth weight is a guideline and only part of the picture.

Yup, absolutely everything is fine and she's had all tests come back clear etc it's literally the slow weight gain.
They're going to tell me to follow advice of experts but I want someone to tell me to crack on with ebf, trust your body etc but I know that's not going to happen really!

Over 10% weight loss at ten days old is concerning and there are all kinds of complications from a baby being malnourished at such a young age. You should listen to the medical people who have seen our baby and follow their advice. If you look hard enough, of course you will find someone to say breastfeeding never fails and keep doing only that, but those people don't have a duty of care for the health of your newborn. Formula is an excellent safe nutritious food for babies, if out can't pump enough, why not use it?

Google 'the Milk Meg topping up' and question the doctor about whether you really need to be topping up. BF on demand is by far the better option, providing you know from nappies etc that she's getting milk. It sounds like you're doing a great job with it!

One of my Dc had slow weight gain and ended up being diagnosed with tongue tie which needed snipped. He was my second baby so I knew he wasnt latching and feeding properly but I doubt I would have known if he'd been my first. Maybe worth just having this checked by a midwife. Just a thought.

All tests have been done and DD is not malnourished at all and I wouldn't even think of endangering my baby by not giving formula.
I just hoped they'd explore alternative ways first rather than just saying top up straight away I guess.