Why do I feel so guilty for expressing for the last feed....

[Rach35]

DD is 4wks and doing brilliantly bf and is such a poppet but am feeling pretty tired (DH had to work abroad last week so I don't feel bad about being tired) but since DH is back he has offered to feed DD with expressed milk at the 11pm feed so I can crash out at 9pm (oh lovely bliss - kind DH) but why do I feel so guilty about expressing? I know I am putting this on myself and shouldn't but it is so easy to feel guilty about the choices you make for your baby - it's like you are damned if you do and damned if you don't...... (Self pity from tiredness I am sure as I am not normally like this......)

Blame those pesky hormones!

Honestly, if you're happy that bfing is going well, you can express a reasonable amount fairly easily and your dh is happy to stay up and give lo a bottle then just do it. It's still bm, even if it's not direct from the source. An early night will benefit you hugely and it will be lovely bonding time for lo and dh.

Get that pump out and look forward to several hours of uninterrupted sleep.

(I'd make sure you had decent breastpads in though. You could be quite full when you eventually wake up. I used to fold a muslin and put in in my bra if I knew I was having a longer than normal gap between feeds.)

on the breastpads i'd go for a folded towel under you if your anything like me!!! i used to leak buckets if it was a big space between feeds, especially so early on....

i didn't express properly till after 6wks with my ds and never had to once with my dd my midwife said to let my milk come in and then i could pump...... however if you are happy that feeding is going well and you can pump easily then i dont see there should be any problem there....

as for the feeling guilty....DONT!!!!! it gives you time to sleep properly, gives Lo time to bond with daddy, and she's still getting the same thing as she would if it was tiring you out getting you up again!! it wont do Lo any harm!! relax and enjoy your few hours off!!!

Rach, if you are like me, then the 11pm EBM feed allows you to catch up on all important sleep. I'm a grumpy cow when I'm tired and I figure that the uninterrupted sleep makes me a happier and nicer person - and this has to be better for my baby surely!
My advice is don't beat yourself up about it if it makes everyone happier all round.

Think about what you are giving her instead - an opportunity to spend some intimate time with her dad. Feeding a little precious baby is such a special thing and it's brilliant you're giving your DH chance to do this, and lovely too that she will learn that dad can be there for her too. Good for her, good for him and good for you too.