How to start expressing?

[belstaff]

5 weeks in, feeling confident breastfeeding. i want to start expressing but dont know when or how. my son feeds every 3 hours off both breasts, do i express before, after a feed or in-between? off both breasts or just one? will i risk feeding off one, expressing the other then having no milk for the next feed? also how long can you keep the expressed milk for? can you express a bit then later add another bit and another...
sorry for all the questions and cheers in advance

I tend to express between feeds or, if I can manage it when feeding (i.e. bub on one breast pump on t'other).
There is info on storage of breast milk here
I'm not too successful at expressing, normally only get a couple of ounces, but hopefully someone with more experience will come along soon.

Do whatever works for you. I used to express in between feeds. I would express both sides as I wasn't very good at it lol. Milk is made on demand so don't worry about 'emptying' a breast that will then be wanted an hour later. You'll make milk and your supply will adjust. I found a routine for expressing helped to keep my supply right.

I had most success doing it early morning, or expressing from one side whilst feeding from the other (not great if he feeds from both though).

You can collect as little or as much as you like. Freeze teeny amounts in a sterilise ice cube tray. only thing to watch is that you don't add room temp milk to already chilled/frozen milk. Chill/freeze each 'batch' first before adding them together. I would express a few times a day (for a measly 6oz bottle!) and stored it in the fridge in 3 bottles. Mixed it when I needed to use it or froze it in one big batch if I didn't use it.