Another stupid 'expressing' question from a first-timer... please help!

[designerbaby]

HI ladies, apologies if this is a really dumb question - but I'm SO clueless...

My little one is six weeks old tomorrow - was a BIG baby (9lbs 8oz) and now weighs about 11 lbs 1oz.

I finally expressed for the first time this morning (having put it off for ages worrying that I wouldn't have enough milk then for the next feed - which DIDN'T happen, of course - I had more than usual!) after the morning feed. The hope is that DH will then be able to do an evening feed when I'm usually feeling tired and all dried up!

Using a Tommee Tippee hand pump I managed to express about 3oz in about 10 minutes or so.

Having only breastfed exclusively thus far I've no idea if this represents a full feed for my LO or only a bit, and whether I should express some more now so there's enough, or just give her that bottle and top up with breast if she's still hungry?

I'm concerned about expressing too often in one day and what effect it will have on my supply, concerned about mixing bottle and breast in one feed, and concerned that she'll get enough to eat.

Just concerned, basically...

I just have no idea how much roughly represents a full feed at this age and weight?

Please help, I'm stressing about it, and this expressing lark was supposed to help me stress less!?

Many thanks,

Clueless and embarrassed of London...
AKA Designerbaby

p.s If it's relevant, she usually feeds every 3-4 hours during the day up 'til about 8pm, (although sometimes wants to eat more often in the evening) then wakes once a night at about 2am, before sleeping until 6.30-7am. Although in the last couple of days things have been a bit haywire, which I guess could be down to either a growth spurt or the fact that I have my inlaws staying and she's therefore getting much more 'awake' time and stimulation as they fight for custody and have 'lets see who can make the baby smile more' contests... ssheesh...

The only way to know if 3 oz is enough is to let DH give it to DD, and see if you still need to top her up after.

3 oz may be enough, but IME it is harder to get the milk out by expressing than by baby.

However I am no expert on expressing, so hopefully this will bump the thread to get someone who is.

Bless you both... thanks SO much for taking the time to reply.

I know there's really nothing to stress about, my little lovely is mostly contented, alert and happy, but confess that I'm finding it all a lot harder emotionally than I'd expected - particularly the feeding issue... I'm constantly worried she's not eating enough, or too much, or not often enough, or too often - the poor little bugger can't win!

I never thought breastfeeding would be such a worry!? I think it's because I'm a control freak - I like to know what's going on, how much she's getting, which is just impossible with BF...

Well, we'll see how DH gets on with giving a bottle this evening... I think he's worried about it TBH - still, he can have a bit of the worry for a change and give me the evening off!

She's taken a bottle of EBM before - very early on (around 2 weeks?) when i was panicking about milk supply and, well, everything really. My mum gave it to her, and she downed the lot, no problem. However, we've tried to give a bottle of formula a couple of times since and DD has screamed the place down as soon as she got a taste... I'm hoping this was more the formula she didn't like than the bottle? Is this likely? She's always been a good feeder and we never had any problems with latching on or anything...

We'll see how it goes, I guess... I only want to introduce the odd bottle here and there, just so that in due course I can maybe have an evening out sans baby, or an afternoon shopping or something - not as a regular occurrence...

Thanks so much for the advice and support...

DB
xx

3oz is good for a newbie pumper. It takes a bit of practice to get up to a reasonable amount.

Whether that represents a full feed for your LO depends on her feeding pattern. If she is a snacker, then 3oz is probably plenty. However, if she is a clockwork four hour feeder, then you are probably pushing it.

Don't expect to have it sussed in one or two attempts - expressing is a process, and you really do get better at it with time.

If you always have DD with you, then the easiest way to get quantity is to express from one side while DD is feeding from the other. She is old enough not to lose her latch, and you will probably find that you only have to pump once or twice and let the let down take over and fill an 8oz bottle.

Starlight's advice sounds really good - and I hope it goes well for you!

I echo what she says about it being trial and error as to how much she needs.

I expressed and let DH give DS the late feed in the evening and I found it a life saver, beingf able to have an early night, or the odd night off.

Try not to worry about it though - there really is nothing to worry about!! If you haven't pumped enough and she's still hungry, you'll be around to give her more, and you'll know for next time.

If she doesn't want the bottle, persevere for a few minutes and if she won't take it, give her the boob, but keep offering the bottle every day until she gets used to it.
She has to learn a new technique to drink from a bottle, that's all, and it can take a little while sometimes.

There really is not much else that can go wrong, so give it a go - and Good Luck!!

Thanks again, people... very encouraging, and I am TRYING to stress less, really I am!

I'm not sure I could manage to nurse her and express at the same time... she's a heavy girl and I'm quite wee, and I tend to need both hands - plus the hand pump is quite hard work, and I had two swap hands every few minutes (wimp or what?)...

Presumably it would be easier with an electric pump, and I'd probably get more too? Is this right? Given the frequency I'm planning to express (i.e. not that often) do you think an electric pump would be worth the expense?

If so, is there one you'd recommend?

Also, if I don't get enough for a full feed at the morning session, when would you suggest I express again?

So many questions... sorry...

Blimey, I'd be a basket case without Mumsnet...

DB
xx

If you want your Ds to do a feed at about 10.30 pm, I used to express first thing in the morning, after the first feed, and then again at 9 pm ish.

Some days I wouldn't get much in the morning, in which case I added both lots together. If i ended up with loads I'd freeze the spare.

Electric pumps don't necessarily get more out, but are less work!