Can anyone talk to me about expressing? Pros & Cons...

[LuluLulabelle]

DD is now 6 weeks old and now, after a rocky start and some formula top ups at night in the earlier weeks, is EBF. Things feel like they are going well and she is now 9lb 11oz (birth weight 7lb 13oz).

I saw the health visitor yesterday and she told me to start expressing so that I could have a break and DH could feed DD while I sleep. I can't explain why but its something I no longer feel too comfortable with, even though we bought a Medela Swing for this purpose when I was pregnant. Although he tells me how proud he is that I am BF, I know that DH would love to give her a bottle. I just can't put my finger on the reason why I am reluctant to do it.

At the moment DD cluster feeds in the early evening then has a big feed at 10pm-ish, 2.30am/3am-ish and then 6.30am/7am-ish so I guess it would be the 10pm feed that I would express for.

So, I'd be grateful if you could tell me why you chose to express or not to express?

I don't know much about expressing and the practicalities of it but I asked the HV about it affecting my milk supply and she said to just express around the time that DH gives DD the bottle. That confused me a bit if the reason for expressing is to give me extra rest.

Your views would be mch appreciated.

Lulu

I had intended to express so that DH could give the 10pm-ish feed, like you are considering, but to be honest the sterilising and pumping was more faff than simply just doing a breast-feed. But I do express from time to time so that I can leave my DD with DH and my body seems to adapt to whatever (ie sometimes expressing, sometimes not). When DD was small (she's now 8 months), I also found the morning was the easier time to express.

I don't think it would mean that in future you couldn't do the 10pm feed if sometimes you expressed - it's amazing how your milk supply adjusts to the baby's needs. When I express DD's bedtime milk (if I want to go out) she incredibly takes just a couple of drops less than what I've expressed - it's as if my boobs know exactly how much she'll need.

Personally I think that 6 weeks is quite early to start expressing - I only started expressing at 6 weeks as I hadn't had any problems establishing breast-feeding, but I think I would have waited a bit longer (eg 10 weeks) if I'd had problems.

Sounds like you are doing really well with BF-ing - good luck!

I express, but not so that DP can do a regular bottle feed. I just have a supplyi in the freezer for times when I need to leave ds with someone, so they can feed him. I don't see the point in DP doing a feed at night (for my circumstances) and DP isn't bothered about feeding really. It is handy to have that little stash of stored milk though. (we're going to watch a movie this weekend, and are leaving DS with MIL and some ebm)

I expressed like mad with dd but when it came to it I couldn't bear for her to have the bottle. I did enjoy the fascination of seeing my milk (sorry!) and it gave me confidence that I was producing lots so it served its purpose! I did express again when I went back to work at eight months - wanted her to have something from me and to keep up supplies for when I stopped (it was only for a short time) but she only had it in a cup. I think the main reason I expressed when she was little was that I was worried she wouldn't take a bottle and that I wouldn't be able to get out in the evening. But fairly soon she would go to sleep at seven and although she didn't sleep through til at least six months I could be confident that she wouldn't need feeding if I went out for a drink with friends, cinema etc. I wasn't really up for trips away or all night sessions anyway!
I also worried about sterilising - I didn't trust my brain to cope with that and make it all hygienic whereas the breast feeding didn't take brain power.
DS is four months and I haven't expressed with him. It is much better for me and honestly I couldn't find the time to feed and express.
but this is how it is for me - this is not a recommendation.

I've only read some of the posts but am I the only one who expressed at the same time as BF? I had one of those Avent pumps and used to attach DS to one side and pump off the other once he'd let the milk down. This worked especially well when he was very small and only feeding off one side at a time but even later when he needed both sides during one feed I used to partly empty one side while he was feeding off the other.

The reason I expressed was I was determined to BF even though with both DS I had to return to FT work sooner than I would have liked (DS1 at 6 months, DS2 only 4 months). I managed to build up enough of a bank to leave BM with the childminder although this ran out eventually with DS1 and he had to have formula during the day. (I did express at work a couple of times during the day but it definitely did reduce my milk supply at those times) However with DS2 I managed to exclusively BF for 6 months up until weaning and even after that my milk bank lasted until he was 11 months so he nearly managed to avoid formula altogether!

Another good reason for expressing as other posters have said is that your DH could do one of the feeds with EBM to give you more sleep. If you have more than one DC and can't nap while the baby is sleeping it is wonderful to be able to sleep through a feed occasionally and IME doesn't affect your supply at all if it's not missed regularly.

Good luck!

I think that sometimes expressing can be a problem just because of the extra faff. If your baby is gaining weight well and you are proud of yourself for establishing BF (as you should be!) why add equipment that needs to be sterilised to the mix?

You have said that you feel a bit uncomfortable about it, and I would say that you need to respect that instinct.

DH can do loads of things with your lovely baby - as Haven'tSleptForAYear suggested.

Winding and cuddling were entirely my DH's job at night when I breast fed my daughter (only for 4 weeks mind) as I was so knackered and upset about everything I needed him to do that. He was absolutely vital to me breast feeding even for that long. Without his encouragement and handholding throughout the feed (and the sobbing handover at the end), I wouldn't have lasted 1 week! I could handle it during the day, but when I was tired the motivation to keep going was non-existent. Partners can be almost just as important to breast feeding successfully as, well, breasts!!

I have expressed in the early days with my ds I was so sore, so I needed to, to allow my nipples time to heal. And I have expressed (in advance, small amounts) in preparation for a night out but personally I wouldn't express to give myself 'a break'. It takes up time expressing, and I find if I am in the house, it's just easier for me to feed the baby than wait for dp to heat up the milk etc etc. Your hv is probably just trying to help but it could take up more time and energy than just feeding the baby.

It's a bit like working part-time.Some mothers think they get the best of both worlds, others think they get the worst.

IMO If it ain't broken don't fix it.

If you ever DO decide to express, do it on the down turn of a growth spurt, when you are feeling full a lot more than your baby needs to feed. That way you maintain your supply for the next growth spurt and build up a stock for a night out or a lie in (if your boobs will allow).

hth

The main reason I expressed with my ds is that my dd completely refused a bottle and I had a really hard time weaning her off the breast when I wanted to stop breastfeeding at 11 months, (due to being pregnant with ds). I couldn't go out without dd for those 11 months unless I knew she'd had her fill, well I could, but my dh was left with a rather grumpy baby to look after.

I still breastfed ds but gave him one bottle of expressed milk every other day from 6 weeks just to get him used to taking the bottle, not only did this mean I could nip out if need be without worrying but when I finally decided to stop breastfeeding it was a far easier transition.

Having said that, I really hated the actual process of expressing, found it a very long, uncomfortable and messy process. Tried the hand and electric pump and electric worked best for me. Found it best to express first thing in the morning and easier if my ds was in the room.

So am I really the only one who found expressing incredibly quick? My earlier moooo was a joke, but am now wondering if I may be part fresian!?
My biggest problem was that if I lost concentration the bottle would overflow all down my front!
BTW, if you're going to express make sure you do a search for the old thread about the advice from Great Ormond St about steralising (i.e. it's bollocks and totally unneccessary even for tiny premmies).

here is the thread I mentioned

Lulu,

I had a tricky start to bf, although eventually everything settled nicely and we fed happily for 9 months! - and I also felt worried/concerned about starting to express as I'd done some to get my flow up and frankly hated the thought of repeating it as I found it draining, time-consuming and depressing sterilising all that bloody equipment!

So I agree - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I did all the feeding for 9 months and you couldn't find a dad and daughter who are closer despite me taking the feeding responsibility.

Just go with the flow and follow your instinct. Don't be pressured as you feel 'it must make life easier' because if there was an emergency you could always buy ready made formula if you couldn't feed.

I enjoyed exclusive bf and never felt the need to, to be brief!! Good luck.

Hi Lulu,
I have just started expressing, last week, when my DS was 7 weeks. My supply was good and BF was well established early on, but even so I waited till after 6 weeks on my HV's advice. It's gone fine - my DS is happy to take a bottle.

My reason for getting started when I did was to be able to give him medicine - he's been prescribed infant Gaviscon but hated taking it in water as you're instructed to do it when BFing. So I expressed milk and put the Gaviscon in that, and he took it like a lamb - made life much less stressful for both of us and my DH. However, I had always intended to express at some point for the reasons many other posters have given: it will be nice to be able to have the treat of sleeping through a feed sometime, though we haven't done that yet, and also to go out and be able to leave a bottle for DS. As it happens I will be going to a funeral next week and don't want to have to take DS, so the expressing will help with that.

So far I've frozen some as back up and am planning to pump not every day, but quite often to have some extra around. I might try Bubbaluv's idea of giving a larger amount via a bottle as last feed of the evening, and see if that encourages longer sleeping. But I have got by fine without it for 6 weeks so if you really don't want to, don't feel you have to. The sterilising and so on is, TBH, quite a faff compared to just BFing - but I will put up with it.

EightysChick - have a look at the link I posted below re steralising. It's worth taking into consideration even if you choose to ignore it in the end.

Hi I expressed and found it a great help. My DH could give a bottle which he loved and I could go to the gym or have a rest. I expressed from when my dd was 3 weeks to about 9 months. I just got into a routine of doing it every morning when I had more milk or after a feed. It helped me get my DD into a good bedtime routine and she slept through from 9 weeks. I used an avent hand pump.
But as others have said, it's up to you. Sounds like you HV was trying to help you.
Congratulations on your new baby and well done on Bf this far.

I've been exclusively express feeding my son, who is now 20 weeks. I get 1.6 litres a day. That does not look to me like a dwindling/inadequate supply, in fact it outpaces his demand - and he's on the 90th centile, too. He had a week of supplementary formula when it became apparent that bf wasn't going to keep him alive, and my supply had dropped temporarily as he wasn't getting enough out, but that's been it.

Hormones definitely help, no question, and it's far easier to feed than express if you can. But it's perfectly possible if necessary, and you can find time when the baby will sit or sleep/someone to hold the baby! If you get the milk out, regularly and thoroughly, then your body will replace it, simple as that. But it is all the work of bottlefeeding and breastfeeding, and none of the emotional rewards of the latter, and I'd not bother if I had the choice.

Congratulations on having worked to establish feeding, and don't bother to express if it doesn't strike you as helpful, is my advice.

I didn't express very much because I am very lazy !

Several of my friends have done this very successfully as some the other posters here.

I found it difficult and despite having all the equipment, it took ages to get any milk and was more tiring than just BF. Once I got into the swing of BF, it was easier just to carry on. I got a bit stressed about the expressing, but should not have worried...s try it, but don't worry if it doesn't work for you. I hope you have success though.

Lulu, like I've sais it's a supply and demand thing, dropping a feed in the night for a couple days or a while won't mean you won't be able to feed at that time in the future. Your body will adjust back round. I've seen this in practice when feeding mine esp when they were ill and off their solid food, my supply upped over a couple of days to meet the extra feeds.

Quite honestly, I would stick to what you are most comfortable with. Your DH can do bath/after-feed cuddle, perhaps? I would agree with the posts that say if it's working well, go with the flow ('scuse pun!!).
I only expressed when I absolutely had to (knew I'd be away for a feed or two), and to be honest that wasn't until 5 months. I'm sure your HV is genuinely trying to help, but I don't always agree with some of the things they say ...

I had to express initially because DS wouldn't latch, so expressing was the only way to feed him sometimes - and then I continued to help build up my supply.

I rarely express now, just feeding is so much easier. Now that he goes longer between feeds I can have a couple of glasses of wine in the evening and know that it will be a while before I need to feed him again.

Having said that I am planning to express for a family party we are having here in a couple of weeks time, and I really must start now as I don't get much off expressing unless it's first thing. I have read that thread on sterilising - or not!! - with interest as it was the bane of my bloody life when DS was tiny. I shan't bother any longer seeing as everything goes through the dishwasher anyway.

I expressed because I knew that when DS was three months old, we would be bridesmaid and best man at the wedding of close friends, and we wanted to be able to focus on them for the day. Our parents took care of DS between them.

I never knew if there was a particular feed I should have expressed - maybe not, since my milk was for this wedding day and a few other odd, one-off occasions. So I used to pump one boob in the morning (pump went in the steriliser at night) while DS fed on the other, and then DS would finish off the pumped boob (he was way more efficient than the pump!). This worked fine, becoming a routine, and it got it out of the way first thing and freed the day up.

I was able to express enough for the wedding (and I pumped at the wedding roughly when I would have fed DS, as my boobs needed draining), plus the odd evening out and the odd feed when I simply needed a bigger chunk of sleep.

Worked for me. HTH.

You are doing an absolutely brilliant job bf dd! Well done!! You are right to feel proud.

Trust your instincts about expressing. If you feel you want to it's always useful to have some 'extra' in the freezer in the case of being completely shattered/tired/sick etc. But if you can't face the pump then don't bother.

It works well for some, and not for others.

But, rest assured, by bf'ing directly your dd is feeding in the most efficient way...plus she'll decide when she's had enough rather than you wondering how many ounces she should be taking.

Hi i am new. i have a question re defrosting frozen breastmilk and wondered how long it will keep for once defrosted? we could be out of a few hours and it would be more convenient to use previously expressed milk. do i take in in the freezer bag and tip into bottle when i want to use it, or do that at home? help!

I did what cluttered did - had DS on one side and an Avent pump on the other. Did this first thing in the morning and every evening, so I had fresh and frozen milk to take to the CM, and DS had no formula at all. I was very pleased though to stop (14 months) as it was timeconsuming, mainly all the sterilising etc.

Hi Lulu

I expressed day and night for the first 12 weeks to enable DH to feed DS last thing in the evening and it was an absolute Godsend for those first few months. I loved the extra sleep and DH loved giving the bottle feed. Later on it was useful as DS does not breastfeed well in public (he's too nosey) and so giving him a bottle on the ocassional outing helped me be less stressed about going out.

Eventually, as we began to get more sleep, I found the expressing intruded into my evening too much and I slept better if I gave a feed before going to bed (due to the prolactin I guess) so I got a bit lazy for a few weeks...and then DS started refusing a bottle so I no longer had the option...and to be honest I don't think it gained me that much by that point anyway. The main reason for doing it at that point was to enable me to go out in the day if my Mum could take care of DS (which didn't happen very often anyway).

So, next time round I think I might express at the beginning to get more sleep and give DH the opportunity but it is a big commitment to keep up longer term.