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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

question

38 replies

babybob · 10/12/2004 12:49

hi im not sure on this could some one please help im a first time mum and breast feeding its going ok at the mo but do you have to wait untill your baby is so many weeks till you can express and give them it in a bottle and how much do you need to express and do you express after a feed?

OP posts:
tiktok · 10/12/2004 13:05

Express when you want to, bb...no rules. But no point in doing it before you have to - there's enough to do usually, with a new baby, without feeling you have to express. Some people think you have to get a baby used to a bottle by X weeks otherwise the baby will never take one later - but there's no good evidence for that, and everyone's experience differs.

Express when you want to - before, after or even during a feed (on the side the baby is not on).

HTH

moondog · 10/12/2004 13:09

Hi babybob!
As a first timer, I think they suggest waiting 6 weeks until your milk is established, probably the same more or less with subsequent babies.
Best time to express is in the morning when you have most milk.
I think everyone expresses different amounts. I can only manage 125 mls, but this will keep my baby happy for me to leave him for 3-5 hours. I also store some in my freezer.
I only give my baby breast milk but acknowledge that sometimes it's necessary to leave your baby for a while so expressing is great. I wish I'd done it a bit earlier with my first baby as it was hard to get her to take a bottle at 4 mths ++ but with my new baby, I have expressed from 4 weeks and give him a bottle once or twice a week so that he doesn't lose the knack.
Have you searched the archives for more info on this as well?

pantomimEDAMe · 10/12/2004 13:18

Hi babybob. Agree with the earlier posts, but thought I'd share my dh's top tip for persuading b/f baby to take a bottle (which isn't easy - the technique for sucking from a bottle is different).
Make sure someone else gives the bottle - if baby can smell you/your milk s/he isn't going to be interested in a bottle. You might want to be in a different room so baby can't see you.
And if s/he doesn't take to the bottle straight off, try wrapping it in a bra that you've worn – so it smells of the same place s/he normally finds milk.
Hope this helps

tangerinecath · 10/12/2004 13:42

I've found that if I express first thing in the morning before dd has her first feed I can get about 4 oz per breast - and dd still seems satisfied with her feed afterwards. I have a friend who can only express after her feed when her let down reflex is still kicked in. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that everyone's different you might have to try a few times to see what suits you. Good luck!

nailpolish · 10/12/2004 14:10

when i was breastfeeding i used one of these breast cup things (cant remember what they are called, you get them in boots) and while dd was feeding off one boob i used put the cup thing (wish i could remember the name) inside my bra on the other side. i used to have to empty it 2-3 times a feed and used to get about 8oz! this was great and meant i didnt have to express if i was planning to go out and dh would have to give dd a bottle or whatever

xmashampermunker · 10/12/2004 15:37

Breast shells, Nailpolish. That's a sentence I don't write every day Grin

And I have a DS who would initially only take bottles from me - he looked at DH like he was mad for being the one feeding him! If he could've talked, he'd have said 'But that's Mummy's job!'

nailpolish · 10/12/2004 15:38

lol! thanks munker

aBeanInaManger · 10/12/2004 15:43

babybob - it's probably best to wait until your milk supply is settled and you have got the hang of feeding before you try to express. You can express anytime really, just try at different times and see what works best for you. I find expressing first thing in the morning before bean has his feed works best, I get about 6-7oz. or you can feed on one side and then express from the other side.

When bean was smaller he took about 4-6oz of ebm each feed, now (6 months) he takes nearly 9oz. It just depends on the baby though, you'll have to try it and see. good luck!

moondog · 10/12/2004 15:50

nailpolish, that sounds great!
it takes me so long to express a puny amount, and I have never leaked a DROP in my life (sometimes wonder if there's actually anything in there! Well, must be because ds is a strapping lad!

moondog · 10/12/2004 15:51

nailpolish, that sounds great!
it takes me so long to express a puny amount, and I have never leaked a DROP in my life (sometimes wonder if there's actually anything in there! Well, must be because ds is a strapping lad!

merrykittymas · 10/12/2004 17:35

I had to express for DD from the beginning cos she was jaundiced and too sleepy to latch. She took a bottle fine but then I started offering her boob before bottle and she got the hang of it. I gave her a bottle a week until about 10 weeks last night I went out and left DP 2 8oz bottles and she guzzled the lot, I thought she would have difficulty after having no bottles for 10 weeks but she was fine.

I express first thing in the morning seem to get more out then (about 6-7ozs) later in the day can only get about 3ozs. You can express throughout the day and then freeze it.

nicnee · 10/12/2004 20:04

I introduced a bottle of expressed milk at 4 weeks, simply because we had a wedding to go to and my mum was babysitting in the evening. However, it took me 4 attempts with the pump to get 4 oz, which would not fill DS. I ended up moving to formula and successfully combined breast and bottle for convenience for 4 months. DS took either with no probs. As long as it was food he did not care where it came from.

mummylove · 10/12/2004 21:01

Hello Babybob

Congrats on having a baby and for giving breastfeeding a go.

I breastfed my dd for 8 months but made the mistake of not introduing expressed milk early on, when I tried at 5 months she would just not have it and it took me 3 months to make her drink from a bottle so please learn from my mistake and when your milk production is established usually about 6 sixs try and give your baby one feed a day from a bottle.

I found breast shells fantastic, sterilise before using and pop one in one side whilst feeding off the other and pour into sterilised bottle and then put on the the other breast when changing over. Put the milk in the fridge and and top up the bottle throughout the day with more milk caught in the shells, you will be surprised at how much you will catch. Also like others have said expressing in the morning is best as I use to wake up engorged and would express a bit to soften them up, so when you wake express a little on each side not too much and then express for 5 mins each side after giving the morning feed. Hopefully that should be enough expressing for one bottle a day added to you milk caught from the breast shells. Try to not express more than that as you will only over produce milk which is what i did. I got into a situation where i could not handle the engorgment when my dd slept through the night and would get up to express to relieve myself and ended up doing that for 8 months as you produce what you make so if you find yourself in a situation where you are feeling engorged then try and releive your self with hot flannels and massage maybe squeezing a few drops and if really sore then express just a bit.
goodluck!

Original poster
babybob · 11/12/2004 10:28

thank-you for all your help spoke to midwife and she said try giving a formla as a top up as dd is wanting so much shes a big girl!!!! but will try expressing some so dh can give it to her and give me a break

OP posts:
tiktok · 11/12/2004 14:24

babybob, giving formula top ups may impact on your breastmilk supply, which should be fine no matter how big your baby is, as long as she is feeding often and effectively (it's the removal of the milk that drives the supply). Midwives who suggest top ups as a way of dealing with a big baby are not giving you the full picture or full support. Of course it is an option - but an option with serious drawbacks.

Sorry to be blunt, but it's the truth!

mummylove · 11/12/2004 14:44

Yes Tiktok is right, you will be able to produce all she needs. My dd went through phases at the beginning of feeding comnstantly sometimes i was feeding her all evening and was worried that she was just getting the watery milk and spoke to hv and nct councellors they told me to just continue and that all the excessive suckling was going to stimulate the amount of milk my baby needed which it did, after a while she suckled less and obviously my supply was matching her needs. they also have growth spurts cant remember now about 4 - 6 weeks? (anyone confirm?) and it feels like they feed the whole day.
You really do have to be careful about introducing formula as it could cut back your supply so early in feeding but its up to you and whatever makes you and baby happy is the answer.

You should contact NCT breast councellors they would be very happy to answer all your questions.

Good luck!!!!!!!

ruthRM · 11/12/2004 16:13

Adding formula to your baby's diet will affect your milk production. I am very surprised that any midwife suggested formula top ups - there is lots of advice around from the La Leche League and lactation consultants with the National Childbirth Trust if your midwife is not supportive. Or ask to change your midwife.
Have faith in your body and its ability to feed your baby. Make sure you're well rested and well nourished and you should have plenty.

tiktok · 11/12/2004 16:21

Why are you surprised, though, ruth? It happens all the time!

ruthRM · 11/12/2004 16:39

I'm surprised because if someone is still seeing a midwife they must have a very new baby and advising formula top ups goes completely against the grain unless Mum or Baby are sick. She should be reminded of this.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 11/12/2004 17:17

Just a little comment wrt big babies and breastfeeding. I fully bf DS1 successfully and he was a 10lb-er at birth. He used to pile on at least 1/2 a pound a week, sometimes a lb. It was never a marathone feeding nightmare either (although not easy in the early weeks by a long shot!) Just wanted to say it can be done. Good luck :)

tiktok · 11/12/2004 17:43

Ruth - yes, it certainly is against what midwives should be trained to say....but it's not surprising it was said because (sadly) many health professionals, including midwives, think this is an appropriate piece of advice to give :(

I am surprised you are surprised :)

mumto2boys · 11/12/2004 18:21

Another question along the same lines.....

My baby is now 14 weeks old and initially I did collect 'leaked' milk in breastshells to freeze but stopped when we went away... Have I left it too late to start expressing now?

Thanks!

xmashampermunker · 11/12/2004 19:16

No, not at all. I expressed occasionally when DS was about 8 weeks, then left it a while and didn't really start again till he was closer to 15 weeks. I knew I had to get him used to taking EBM for when I went back to work part time when he was six months old. He's eight months now and I still express for when I'm at work - don't get nearly as much as I did when he was tiny though (anyone know why, just out of interest?!).

kinderbobsleigh · 11/12/2004 19:28

Just wanted to say - another Bob! wahey!

root · 11/12/2004 20:30

babybob

i started expressing when DS was only 3 weeks old because he was so sleepy he didn't feed at the breast for long enough. i had to top him up with a bottle of breastmilk so i could see how much he was getting.

some people say not to express until 6 weeks so your milk gets established, but i didn't have any problems.

after he started putting on weight i kept expressing so DP could give him one feed during the night (usually about 6am). this made my life much much better as it meant i could get a good stretch of sleep.

best advice anyone gave me about breastfeeding was that it takes 6 weeks to really make it work. if you know this, i think it takes a lot of the worry out of it. now it is really easy and my boobs seem to automatically know when it's feeding time. i get this weird feeling of pressure and they seem to go a bit hard which is the 'let-down' relfex kicking in. this didn't happen at first, but everything seems to get more efficient as you go along.

expressing gets easier too. at first it may seem a lot of work for just a few ml of milk but after a while you'll really start to flow, so to speak. easiest in the morning, i reckon.