Any tips for introducing 1 bottle of expressed milk pls?

[1588]

We're coming up to 6 weeks of exclusive BF and after 3 bouts of mastitis I'm feeling really pleased with myself.

I'd now like to express some milk and feed it via one of those closer to nature bottles. This is so my DH can get involved and to give me a bit more freedom to go out etc...

Can you please cast your eyes over these Qs and see if you can advise me...

HV said that someone else should give her a bootle not me, is this true?
How much do you need to express for one feed?
Once you start do you have to keep it up everyday? (was planning on 1 feed a day)
How can you store and add to your milk without it going off?
Does it need warming when out of the fridge/freezer or should it be room temp?
When is the best time of day to give the bottle feed?
If I express will it not affect my supply?
Will my boobies become engorged if they miss a feed once a day?


Many thanks if you can answer any of these questions

 

[skyraaa]

il try and help

1, hv only said this because bubs can smell ur milk and may not take a bottle from u, it seem 2 b alot easier if somebody else gives the bottle

2, at LO age i wud say about 4oz per feed

3, no u dont have 2 keep it up

4, i personally wouldent add 2 milk u can buy freezer bags or tubs just try and get 4oz off at a time and freeze it

5, some babies will take a room temp, but at 6 weeks id proberly warm it 4 her

6, whenever u want 2 feed a bottle is fine some ppl do it b4 bed so they know how much bubs has taken


7 it will effect ur supply eventually but this is a good thing and it will mean u have plenty of milk 4 those growth spurts

8, na your boobs shud b fine just missing 1 feed of the day

hope ive helped im quite new 2 this myself somebody might b able 2 help u more

well done 4 breastfeeding 4 6weeks

 

[Sandi4Paul]

i'd suggest giveing it at a time when either she is hungry or your supply is low. for me evening is best as Logan is hungry but i struggle to produce enough at that time of day (and then get stressed which makes it worse).

another good time is if one of you is a night owl and one a morning person doing it for the first or last night feed to enable you to get more unbroken sleep.

otherwise i'd agree with all the above advice

sandi

 

[Charlie:-)]

HV said that someone else should give her a bootle not me, is this true? As mentioned earlier it will be easier if someone esle gave the bottle of EBM just because baby will be able to smell your milk and will want booby from you rather than bottle so may not take the bottle. My hubby always gives Maia the bottle only on 1 occasion did I give her a bottle when she went on a nursing strike
How much do you need to express for one feed? In the early days I think Maia took about 2oz to start with and this gradually increased as the months went on and now she can take anything between 5-9 depending on how hungry she is and the time of day
Once you start do you have to keep it up everyday? (was planning on 1 feed a day) Yes & no. If you introduce a dummy feed at the same time every day then yes you would need to keep up with this otherwise you will become engorged and milk will back up which can lead to mastitis. The way I express is that I express at 100pm every night which is her last feed, so in theory whether I express or not she will always be having the last feed either from hubby with EBM or from me and boobie. When expressing at night some people find their supply low and can barley get an nouce off so if you plan on doing this try it and see how much you get off. I started expressing like this from when Maia was 6 weeks old and I have never had a problem with low supply, although I do have to express from both boobs to get a full 7oz feed, sometimes I can get more off so I freeze any excess so I always have a stock.
How can you store and add to your milk without it going off? Store milk in the fridge in a sterilised bottle and when you want to add more just make sure you cool the milk down that you have just expressed. I do this by standing the milk I have just pumped in a jug of cold water, when its cold just add to the milk you have already in the fridge
Does it need warming when out of the fridge/freezer or should it be room temp? Depends on your baby, some take it cold some wont. Maia always has hers warmed up and wont take it cold, or you could give it at room temperature. You can store EBM at room temp for 6 hours.
When is the best time of day to give the bottle feed? I dont think there is a best time just your own personal preference. We have always given Maia a bottle of EBM at 11pm when we go to bed as her dream feed, but she will take a bottle any time as we have discovered in the last couple of months when I have left Hubby in charge while I was out
If I express will it not affect my supply? Your supply should be established by 6 weeks so hopefully by waiting till now hyou wont affect it.
Will my boobies become engorged if they miss a feed once a day? If your baby drops a feed then yes but only until you next feed which in the early days will only be for a few hours at least, I honestly dont think your baby will drop a feed its usually the other way round and may start to feed more often. If you introduce a dummy feed at the same time each day and express this then you will become engorged if you miss this but again only until you baby feeds, this will then have a knock on effect on your other boob that baby should have fed from because your baby will have fed from the boob you should have expressed from.

 

[Charlie:-)]

ooops forgot to add this link for you to have a look at theres some guidelines on here about how to store expressed breast milk, thids was given to me by my health visitor.

http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/expressing-and-storing-breastmilk.html

 

[clarey]

I dont really have anything to add to the great advice the others have given you, but I just wanted to say my LO has had a bottle of EBM virtually every bedtime since she was 5 weeks and it has been really handy. We went for this time as it allows me to go out in the evening or even for us both to go out and know that she will settle with a bottle.
Expressing can be a pain, but once you settle into a routine try and stick with it as the only times I have been engorged have been when I have been too lazy to do it! I find it easiest to express late evening before I go to bed as I have a baby who feeds a lot at night so dont have much milk left by morning! But lots of ladies find earlier in the day best.
I freeze small amounts in milk storage bags or mix milk from 2 expressings once both are the same temp in the fridge.
My LO has always been quite happy to have boob or bottle from me, maybe because we started quite early so she didnt get the chance to develop a preference!
Best of luck, you are past the toughest bit, well done