Getting anxious about expressing milk for Christmas visits - how and how much

[Jellybabie3]

I need to express milk for visits to family over xmas. My ds is currently 7 weeks old so 11 weeks by xmas. Two questions....

How much do i need to express per feed?

Secondly I'm worried how best to stock up. Ds has just fed and fallen asleep in carrier (i cant put him down). Ive just managed to express with him in it but only managed 1oz.

How best do i ensure i have enough? I will need enough for xmas day, boxing day and another.

I'm already stressing

Would a feeding cover help?

Agree that expressing is likely to be a load of stress, plus a risk of getting engorged if you are missing feeds.

I do have a cover..god knows how to work its though lol. Ive only been to mum and baby groups so far and there were so many boobs i just went for it lol.

Maybe i will practice

I know you will express in the run up but I mean you will need to express while you are there too if you aren’t feeding. Or your boobs will be sore and engorged and you put yourself at risk of mastitis etc. So not expressing to feed while you are there but expressing to relieve pressure and maintain your supply you can’t just skip several days of breastfeeding with such a young ebf baby.

I sympathise but I think you’re making extra unnecessary work for yourself and that’s not going to make you happy. If you really can’t feed in front of them could you use formula? I never managed to express much at all, it was a total waste of time. Have you got decent breastfeeding clothes? I had some nice tops last time and you could barely see what I was doing, it was very discreet. Anyway you might find once you’ve done it the first time you get used to it and not worry any more. Also as others have said, if you’re not feeding the baby you’ll have to express while you’re there to keep up supply. Again, more hard work!

Yeah your right i hadnt thought about it effecting supply. After 6 hours sleep at night by boobs are full so it would be a prob.

Thanks for your advice.

I fed both my babies in front of various relatives, including FIL, BIL, uncles and male cousins. They just avert their eyes and look anywhere other than at you and the baby.

You'll be fine OP.

Covers are easy. The neck is generally boned so it stands away from your body and you can see baby underneath. Hang around neck, expose boob underneath, put baby underneath cover and latch on. It occasionally doesn't work because some babies don't like feeding in the dark, but it's worth a try and about 1000 times easier than trucking expressed milk with you AND having to pump when you'd normally feed.

I do hope yout right that hes feeding less by then. Time wise i mean

He currently feeds for around 45min!

Obviously every baby is completely different and I'm not trying to suggest otherwise if he is feeding all that time - but my first would feed for AGES until I realised that actually she wasn't, she was feeding for a bit then using me as a dummy for half an hour. Once I realised this, it made feeding a lot quicker and more straight forward! Could this be the case?

Also, I found each new situation stressful/embarrassing at first but got over that so so quickly and just got on with it.

@RebeccaCloud9 he does comfort feed abit and if so i take him off. Largely though i can hear him swallowing. So its a long time to excuse myself

I expect you'll find he speeds up a lot in the next few weeks. Breastfeeding does suddenly seem to get easier and quicker after the first couple of months. I'd just go for it.
I do know what you mean about feeling more self conscious in front of people you know well than strangers.
Good luck

Op try feeding baby in front of a mirror. You will get a good idea of just how much can be seen and th reality is not a lot.

I have fed in front of all sorts of people including young children and they are the least concerned about it all.

Treat yourself to some lovely right Muslins to deal over yourself if you are still worried s

Yeah as i say its my dad and bro im not sure about. Im seeing mum tomorrow who is also hosting xmas so will broach the subject. I don't even feed in front of her

op! you are doing a great thing by bf your baby. you are fighting the good fight for all those who come after you to feel comfortable breastfeeding wherever the baby needs it!! no one should give a shiny shit, it's not a sex act!!

the most discrete way ime is to have one top for down one top for up. covers, shawls etc are ridiculous and faffy.

Bollocks to expressing. It’s a real ball-ache.

By 11weeks you’ll probably be more adept at feeding discretely (if that’s what you want. I was never bothered really)

If anyone else is uncomfortable,they can just leave the room, can’t they?

thanks all. Just don't want us to miss out either by being ushered away for an hour a time. Its xmas after all!!

Thanks

People will look away OP. Also remember baby is between the boob and onlookers for the most part.

You worked hard on your supply in these early weeks. Do not let worries about feeding in front of others impact on feeding now!

You'll make yourself ill if you try to go for six+ hours between feeds at this stage. The baby's getting fed, but you'll be getting engorged (I used to get feverish and have to do nothing but feed to make myself feel better) and demand will be less so supply could start dropping.

Yeah i think it's fair to say i won't be expressing. I had a failed attempt of bottle feeding ds this afternoon. It may be i need the next stage teat but im not gonna waste money finding out. I will bf its just a case of whether its in a diff room. I guess it depends on my concerns about dad/bro really

Great video