Please help - I want to express and occasionally bottle feed but I'm totally clueless!

[heidihii]

My baby is 4 weeks old and exclusively breastfed. Feeding is going well so far, however I would like to express some milk so my husband can give her a bottle occasionally in the evening, and so I can pop out for a few hours without her. I'm really lost with how to do it! There is so much conflicting advice online. Has anyone successfully done this and have any tips?

I'm looking at either the nuby digital pump or the Medela swing, does anyone have experience of these? When is best to express? What bottles/teats are most like the breast? Also, would we need to give her a bottle regularly (once a day) so she is used to it or could I just do it occasionally?

I'd like to know this too... Anyone?

Have you looked in to the Haakaa? Low cost, easy to clean and very effective in the early days. If you want an electric pump I recommend going for a closed system so something like a Spectra or Ameda Lactaline. Try to pump at the same time the bottle is being given so as to not affect supply. Also try to pump as much as is given. It is not recommended to pump until 6 weeks when supply should be well established. I think get into a routine of giving one every day is best so they get used to it but you might still find that they will randomly start refusing it!

Hi. I use the Ameda Lactaline at home. I pumped breastmilk for 4 weeks exclusively as my baby was prem. She also had 1 bottle of 10ml breastmilk mixed with meds from around 3 weeks this was also before she was able to latch.

I would remove all worries of "nipple confusion" as in my experience my daughter had a bottle introduced regularly and very early on and can switch between the two without any issues.

If you are EBF I would start by pumping once a day (after a feed) around 5am-6am as this is when your milk production is at its highest (12am to 6am but I find the 5am-6am a good pump).

I would pump on the highest setting for 20mins. You may not get much at first, but over a couple of days, doing it at the same time, you should see an increase in yield.

If your baby feeds from one breast per feed even better, as you can start pumping the other breast once the feed has ended. This will help establish a store of milk that can be used when needed.

I can't comment on the advice of not pumping before 6 weeks as I have no knowledge or experience of any complications it may bring.

I ebf and pumped regularly as I was used to doing so and my premature baby is thriving at 11months old.

It is tough to pump so you have to be strict. But it has its benefits as you are able to leave the house knowing your baby has milk if needed.

This is only my experience and it worked well for me. I wouldn't want to speak on anyone else's behalf.

I hope you get the answers you need.

I like my medela swing, works nicely, isn't too loud, goes hands-free, and you can buy nipple shields for it in different sizes which increase a the likelihood you'll be able to pump successfully.

Pumping from one boob while baby eats from the other works great because you're working with your natural let down reflex. Just be careful not to take too much out, because that tells your body to make more and you really don't want painful, swollen boobs, blocked ducts or oversupply. One PP suggested 20mins on high - you're quite likely to hurt yourself if you try that. A few minutes on a comfortable setting either after feeding or while you feed from the other side will quickly build you a stash without risking causing problems.

I got given a Medela swing but also use a Medela hand pump. The hand pump is easiest if I'm not at home. Medela have a whole series of bottles and slow/medium flow teats that match their pumps. In addition you can use sterifeed or axifeed bottles which fit the pumps and are cheaper to buy to store breast milk in. My baby refuses to use any bottles that don't have a slow flow teat.

My baby has no issue swapping between bottle and breast but my OH initially did the bottle feeding which he started at about a week and a half old. It was only a bottle a day. Unfortunately as I have to go back to work before my daughter is 6 months she has to be able to feed from bottles.

In regards to nipple confusion I have friends who have had use a mixture of breast and formula due to medical reasons and none of their babies who are now toddlers had nipple confusion. Talking to my HV, plus the HVs and pediatricians I know before I was even pregnant, it isn't actually an issue instead they frequently deal with babies losing weight. A couple of my friends' who had medical issues were made to feel like criminal parents by midwives due to pumping plus mix feeding with formula but their babies were the ones who were losing weight. The midwives gave them FO useful advice while their babies where ebf and losing weight. Instead the midwives accused them of not breast feeding properly. In the end they had to contact the HCPs I personally know for help.