Questions about expressing

[AngelDog]

DS is 8 weeks, EBF and I've just started expressing in the hope that DH can occasionally feed him while I have a lie in / go swimming or whatever. He would be unlikely to be fed from the bottle more than a couple of times a week.

My questions are:

1. Do I need to aim to express every day to make sure my supply doesn't get messed up?

1. Is it a good idea to try to give DS a bottle more than just at weekends so he remembers how to feed from one?

(Both questions assume he'll take the bottle, of course! )

1. Any ideas why my breast pump parts and breast shells - but not the bottles - have come out of the dishwasher with an orange tinge to them. They are all new and I only put normal tablets in the dishwasher. The pump is a Medela one, and the shells are from Avent.

1. And I'd be interested to know the mechanism by which babies are sufficiently telepathic to know when you're even thinking about expressing, and wake up for a feed. It must be related to the 'I can smell hot food so I'll wake up and demand to be fed instead' reflex.

Hiya,

I was in the same situation as you, don't profess to be an expert but can tell you what worked for me..

1. The more you express the more you produce so if you want to build up a stash in the freezer it's a good idea to do it every day. I found mornings were the best time to express (seemed to make "good quality" milk overnight as better rested) after my dd's 7am feed.

1. I would suggest at first try every day. My dd took ages to get used to the bottle and even longer to accept it from me. So easier for you to get someone else to try at first. Once they learn how to take a bottle they don't forget (am sure someone will contradict me on that one!)

1. Did you have anything with tomato in your dishwasher? The only thing I can think of is that the bottles are tougher plastic hence not discolouring. I washed everything by hand so can't really help on this one.

1. They also seem to know when you've just finished all the housework and sat down with a cup of tea - cue waking up

Best of luck.