Anyone had to express straight from birth before bf?

[gemima87]

Hey, Just wanted to see if anyone had any experience having to express straight away because their baby wouldn't be able to breastfeed for a while? My little one won't be able to breastfeed until after it has had the all clear from a team of people (so will be on a drip until then) and we don't know how long that will be. I just wanted to know if it was harder to express before breastfeeding and how long the colostrum part will store for in a bottle? Is it the same as the normal breast milk? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Emily0505]

My lo did latch but was in NNU and I was on the pumps to try and get my milk in.

At one point I was on the pump for 30 minutes every 2 hours, then for 15 minutes every 3 hours. Its really important to express at night as this helps with production.

I'm sure the staff at the hospital will explain/ help with expressing and storing etc. I was issued my own set of attachements but the actual pumps were 'communal' They gave me labels too and showed me where to store everything etc.

XX

 

[gemima87]

Emily0505 great thanks It would be great if the midwives can help with all that. I hadn't thought about the expressing at night, that's great advice, of course it help production!

 

[T84]

My lo wouldn't latch on so expressed colostrum straight into a syringe which was fed to her x

 

[buzz]

Like T84 my little one won't latch. I hand expressed colostrum into syringes (and the midwives taught me how) and now pump. The colostrum keeps in the syringes at room temp for up to 6hrs like breast milk.

 

[Jajis]

I had to express for the first two weeks because my son couldn't / wouldn't latch. I hand expressed colostrum and gave with a syringe (hospital can give you individually packaged sterilised ones), and then once my milk came in I expressed using the hospital pump while we were there and then my own pump when we got home

Despite the rocky start, he's still breastfeeding at 2.5 years