B.Feeding and expressing at same time - Possible ???

[Naterjack]

Stupid question alert


Sorry for this - Everyone keeps telling me how when you are BF off one boob, the other one will really leak, i.e. towel needed rather than a breast pad

SO - could i be BF'ing off one boobie and expressing off the other ?

 

[purple13]

you could - i used shells to catch leakage in the early days and i did express whilst feeding a couple of times; it'd be much easier if we had about 8 arms though!!!

 

[Naterjack]

hhmmm, maybe i could morph into an octopus

 

[Sherlock]

It was only in the early weeks till my supply was established my boob would leak when LO was feeding on the other. I just kept a breastpad on and it was fine.

TBH I don't hold with feeding and trying to express as the same time. It detracts from feeding LO, bonding and is noisy. Having a baby is an amazing experience and I'd say the whole bonding experience and breastfeeding would be ruined by expressing when feeding. Also as has been said I'd need 8 arms to cope. My son was big at birth and needed both hands to support him to my boob and keep him there and I don't know how I'd then have popped the other boob out, got the pump in a decent position and been able to hold it there while it did its thing.

Also it would probably mess up your supply for baby more than help as if you express off your boobs will simply make more as your body will think it needs to. I'd say let baby feed as and when on demand and in those first 6 weeks let baby guide you so as to build the correct supply to suit your baby. Don't bother trying to express at the same time. And only start expressing if you need to once the first 6 weeks are up. But then not when LO is feeding.

 

[Rosieroo]

When my supply was established and LO was sleeping longer periods at night I would feed off one and express the other first thing in the morning. Then just before I went to bed I'd express both boobies. I'd add both lots together and give that to LO as their last feed of the night, I had gannets who would drink 12oz of expressed milk before bed!

 

[aramintalovegrove]

My boobies still leak as you describe at 7 weeks but its relitively early days still, I havnt expressed alot but when i have I do it whilst LO feeds off the other bcause of the leakage but mostley purley because I think it would be terribly time consuming to feed LO and then spend time expressing after (Im a multi-tasker me ).

I can honestly say I dont find it a struggle to feed LO and manually express, its easy enough to express on handed and hold her with the other and my LO chokes alot too so have that to contend with also, you learn to juggle things, work one handed at things and walk around with a latched on baby very quickly

I loved shells when BF my first as purple13 suggests and didnt need to express as these would do the job very well but with this baby the seem to hinder the flow

 

[Chrissy1]

I've heard it's possible but I've never tried it........but I've never had leakage while I've been feeding from the other boob either!!

The only time I get leakage is when they're really full in the morning and sometimes when I get out of the shower but I've never needed more than a breastpad.

 

[Meggiewoo]

I did it in the early days. Once you get the hang of it it's a doddle! you look a bit odd doing it though so I wouldn't do it sitting in McDonalds!

Kim x x x