When can breast milk be expressed?

[beansprout]

I keep hearing various answers - not until 3, 6, 8 weeks.... any views on this?

Thanks

I expressed from very early to relieve engorgement (just an ounce or two). I might be wrong but think they advice about leaving it until so many weeks is so you b/f right first and to avoid the much debated nipple confusion if you decide to bottlefeed the expressed milk.

I don't know the "correct" answer (hopefully tiktok will be about for that!), but I found that it was a lot easier to get into a regular pattern of expressing before supply "settled down" at 6 weeks. It didn't affect my feeding at all.

I did however always stick to a same time/rough quantity a day to get my body used to the new demand - I don't know if that makes a significant difference in terms of supply issues.

(incidentally, this time around I started both expressing and offering one EBM bottle a day at around 1 week old)

It's a good question beansprout and one that I have had various answers to also. The NCT say 8 weeks,e mw 6 weeks and the health visitor 3 weeks!! FFS- how is a first time mother supposed to know which one is right!

The consensus that I found from friends who have done it have said 3-4 weeks.

I think new mums shouldn't muck about expressing until at least 3 weeks because that is when breastfeeding has usually got more established. The purpose of expressing if often to give EBM out of a bottle instead of breastfeeding. That is something that is best avoided until you know breastfeeding is going well. Depends the purpose of the expressing.

Babies who are poor feeders benefit from their mums expresing to stimulate further milk production and to cup/spoon feed babies who aren't feeding well. There is a danger that expressing can actually encourage you to produce too much milk because your body thinks the baby needs more .

I expressed from day 1 for my last 2 babies because they were in special care. I continued to express once they were breastfeeding so that I could build up a stock for going back to work and also to donate to a SCBU. I did not have engorgement problems at all.

Really the answer is you can express milk whenever you like

If you need to from, day 1. If you don't need to then wait until your milk supply and feeding is established 6-8 weeks probably.

On the advice of my mw I waited until 6 weeks but I wish I'd started earlier, as even though I have no problems expressing, I can't guarantee that dd will take a bottle . Perhaps if I'd started earlier, I'd have less of a battle on my hands now.

Do it whenever you like and whenever it's convenient....I am absolutely positive NCT does not say 8 weeks, as we don't do prescriptive stuff like that. There are various points to think about, though - doing it very soon (unless you have to) can add to the list of chores and pressures you feel when you have a new baby, for example.

I agree - do it whenever you are confident in all the other areas of babycare - don't give yourself additional pressure.
I waited until about 6 weeks - but only from sheer laziness - I kept looking at the expressing machine and putting the deed off!
But physically I don't think there's a right or wrong time to start it.

Thanks to everyone for posting. Seems the best thing is to just play it by ear and see what me and db need. That feels a lot clearer now (ie no right or wrong, just what we need to do). Am due tomorrow so one less thing to worry about is appreciated!!