questions about expressing.

[misdee]

i am planning on starting an itensive driving course soon. so need to express milk for dd3 in case she needs feeding during the 2/3hr session that i'll be driving for.

how much do u think i'd need to express for one feed? how can i store the milk in the freezer? i bought an avent cup feeding set thinging (good description hey) but it only has one lid for 5 cups. i have some avent bags somewhere, can i pour the milk expressed into the bags?

and what bottle is closer to breastfeeding? i have some tommytippe ones with the dimpled teats, or the avent ones? or shoul,d i get whoever is baby sitter to cup feed/spoon etc?

If you feed her before you go, she's unlikely to want milk when you aren't there. 4oz should be plenty.

You can freeze the milk, but you can also keep it in the fridge for a couple of days. You might want to think of expressing from the other side while you are giving DD her early morning feed, and just storing this milk in a bottle ready to go.

But yes, Avent bags are a fine way to store and freeze milk.

she feeds every 2-3hrs. rarely goes longer than this. she is only 2.5weeks old atm, but will be 4/5weeks when i start the course (depending on if i pass theory test next week)

hi misdee

surely baby will be going longer, say 4 hrs, between feeds by then

id say at that age 4-5oz, i used avent and they were no prob, you can buy more lids etc, mothercare and babies r us usually have stock

if baby doesnt like teats, cup feeding is good too, my hv gave me a special tiny little cup thing

good luck with the test and course

Hi Misdee. Good luck with the theory test, I found the video part of it quite tough. Got a perfect score on the theory but barely made it through the video part. I haven't yet got a driving licence but will persevere (I had one back home 20 years ago - I am that old!).

Re the EBM amount, I found the info at www.kellymom.com very useful. Good luck.

I store EBM in medela breastmilk bags... I would imagine they are the same as the avent ones.
With the medela ones you can express straight into the bag, however I have done it into bottles and then transferred it to the bag... no problems.

As for bottles... my DS likes the tommee tippee dimpled ones.... but I think it varies from baby to baby! Neither are really going to be like your boob so it probably doesn't matter!!!

I'd say between 4 and 5oz, but depending on when you last feed her, she'll probably be OK without.

If you leave 2oz quantities in sterile bottles in the fridge, whoever looks after her can give 2oz, then see if she settles, then give another 2oz. If she doesn't take it, you can freeze it for the next time - saves you wasting breastmilk by freezing, thawing and having it rejected (SO frustrating when that happens!).

I used Lansinoh bags (they're zip-lock so no fiddling around with clips and they take up MUCH less room than those Avent cup things. Avent have stopped making their bags) or Lansinoh glass bottles to store milk for DS in the freezer.

Just to give you an idea of quantity, the most DS ever had at a time was 7oz of EBM - that was when he was about 7 months old, before he was eating any great quantity.

cheers for the amounts. was worried people would say a full 8oz

I'd use a bottle - went to a great breastfeeding workshop the otherday and the VERY experienced midwife there actually recommended introducing a bottle and teat between 3.5 and 6 weeks - best time she said. So sounds like very good timing.

Again think the bottle/teat depends on babe. I used avent last time sucessfully - but have also heard good things about nuk teats.

good luck with the driving

Big fan of Avent here, haven't used the VIA system but the Avent teats are good, none of my 3 had any probs switching between breast and bottle. I'd say the amount would depend on size of baby. My ds3 is about 10lb and takes 3-4oz depending on when I last fed him. When ds2 was 6 weeks old and 13lb paediatrician suggested 6oz and I found she was right but he was a greedy little monkey!

Hi all

have a 6 week old and trying to get the hang of when to express etc. When should I? how much? what if nothing is coming out? should this be after a feed? should I do both boobs? what if there is too much foremilk?

Have already tried and am struggling to give her one bottle at night but finding I am engorged and a little 'lopsided'. Please can someone put me straight as told so many different things.

Ta

Zoe

Hi Zoe - yes, do both, you can try 5 minutes on one side, 5 on the other, then again 5-10 minutes on first one and 5-10 minutes on the other. You could do it 3-4 hours after a feed (although it may interfere with just the time your baby wants another feed). I've only just started myself (2 weeks ago) so not an expert, just a few thoughts from what I read etc. Have a look also at www.kellymom.com, there's some useful info there.

Many thanks i'll give that a go.

Hi Zoe. I always found that expressing worked best in the evening (apparently supplies are highest here) and especially if my breast was warm it seemed to stimulate the flow better. I usually get a bit of organic olive oil & begin with breast compressions which starts the flow, then alternate from left to right, about 5 minutes at each side until you have enough EBM. Also I've been told that double pumping increases yield (although careful not to increase it too much!). I used a fabulous product called Easy expression bra from www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk which enabled me to double pump absolutely hands free! The site also has lots of fantastic info on other aspects of breastfeeding.