when do you express?

[clare21]

My twins are nearly 6 and I can't remember any of this now but need to advise sister in law. Her baby is a week old and is not putting on enough weight, so she needs to up her milk supply with expressing. But when do you express? She's got my super charged milking machine of a pump, but I can't remember, do you do it after a feed or wait a while? thanks

Hello,

It is normal for a baby to lose weight in the first week. If she is feeding on demand then they should start gaining soon. If she wants to increase supply there are a couple of options:

Feed on one side and pump the other, awkward but efficient.
Pump after a feed on the side/s that fed.
Offer the breast much more regularly than before and allow the baby to increase the supply whilst gaining the extra calories in the process (the preferred method for mum and baby as it is the most natural.)

It can take up to 24 hours for the body to respond to these new demands. Remember it is very tiring for a body to produce milk, especially in the early days. Make sure mum is rested and taking it as easy as possible. Lots of skin to skin contact will help as well as the oxytocin produced helps with milk production.

Good luck. If you need support ask your local HV who may be able to refer you to a breastfeeding group in your area.

at a week old you would expect a baby to have lost weight. between 5 and 10% is normal. usually they take 10-14 days to get back to birthweight, then start gaining from there.

plus, to increase supply best thing is to feed more often.

I used to feed from one side while pumping the other at the same time, you seem to get more out that way as you get the let down on both sides.