Expressing without overstimulating?

[Nellle]

I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 6 week old, but am trying to build up a store of milk in the freezer for when I want a couple of hours away or for my husband to do the odd nightfeed.

How do I express using my Elvie without overstimulating my supply? Do I literally need to do a tiny bit at a time?

I first tried expressing in the morning, on advice that this is when I'd have the most milk. I think I have a good supply and 10 minutes on each boob would give me 200ml. I obviously shouldn't pump this much in one go as within a couple of days my boobs were tender, massive and engorged. Should I pick this up again but just do it for a minute or two?

Any advice much appreciated!

Bump

Don't have advice, sorry (you'd think I would because its my 3rd baby and all been BF) but following as I am also expressing as I'm hoping to go to a wedding in 5 weeks.

My current plan is only to express every other day and at different times of the day. I know that if I over stimulate I will end up with a let down that will half drown the baby.

I use a Hakka pump about twice a week for DH to give my 8 week old a bottle.

I get about 30ml each time I use it (at the same time as feeding DS) using it a few times a day soon adds up to enough milk for a bottle and doesn’t cause any over supply.

I’d have thought that pumping 200ml in one go would only really work if you were missing a feed.

If your baby is now six weeks old and this is the first time you are pumping the risk of causing a oversupply will be low as your supply will have stabilised now at six weeks. So you could pump at a time that suits you. If you do the same time each day (morning usually works best) you can start to have a freezer stash. Congratulations on your baby 🥰

Also 200ml is an amazing amount to express some mums don’t get much at all pumping (I never got more than 50 ml so start low amounts and see how your boobs adjust.

Thanks for the replies. I've started pumping very briefly (like 5 mins) once a day. Sometimes I get 60mls, sometimes much less, but I'm gradually building up some stock in the freezer and no robo-boobs yet!