expressing milk

[boobie]

Need help - need to express milk as DD refuses to take formula, going back to work in May but I can only get 3oz out using hand and electric pumps. When should I express, how much can I expect to get out and what am i doing wrong?

How old is your DD? When you say you can get 3oz out, is that each time you express? When are you expressing? Have you tried expressing when DD is on the other boob?

Doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong, hun - don't worry!

My personal experience was that I never got much out while I was bf ds's. Would have been overjoyed at 3oz! Just about got enough little bags of ebm to last ds a couple of days. Then found that when expressing at work, I got loads out. Just remember to eat (and especially drink) lots, and be in a nice safe (no surprise visitors) and warm place.

Couple of friends did reckon they could get good 6-8oz if they expressed in the morning - between first and second bf I think. Might be worth trying different times of the day...

3oz is good at a time. Just do it as frequently as you can and it will soon mount up in the freezer. I always expressed when DD was sleeping and I had spare time. I expressed at least a couple of times a day, more if I could manage because I donated milk to a milk bank.

DD is 4 months old and I'm expressing about 8pm it takes ages and I get 3oz each time. When I go back to work I wont be able to express during day very easily as I teach and there is no time. I was hoping to mix breast and formula so gave DD formula occasionally from few weeks old but she has just started to refuse it.

You will typically get more in the morning. Make sure you a really good electric pump with several settings. I highly recommend Ameda Purely Yours.

Wow - 3oz at night! I'm impressed. Perhaps I read too much Gina Ford, but never tried to express at night as I believed supply better in the morning.

I'm afraid that since I have an office job, much easier for me to express at work (when I was bf ds's).

Sorry I have no advice for you for work. There are loads of teachers on MN - worth asking them a specific question? What's the point of Govt legislation etc re providing suitable room etc for bf, if your timetable can't be adapted to allow for it. Even if only for a term?

I used Lansinoh bags to store it in the freezer - the plastic is very 'safe' - it doesn't leach nasty chemicals into the milk. They're much less fiddly than the bags with separate clips too - they have a double zip-lock seal instead.

I will try earlier in day and freezing, thanks. Really panicing already about return to work as i teach primary and work through my breaks and have no privacy - unless I lock myself in my stock cupboard! Does any body know a formula that tastes like breastmilk I could try, combining would reduce my stress levels.

Can you try expressing while she's on the other boob at the first feed of the day? I used to get loads like that.

is it definitely formula he refuses, or the bottle? will he take ebm in a bottle?

she, sorry

She will take my milk but she suddenly took against the taste of the formula on the weekend spitting out the teat in disgust, I tried her with my milk the next day and she tasted it first then guzzled it down.

Hi bakedpotato - how are you getting on? I have been keeping an eye out for you.