Expressed milk help.

[redbear]

Temperance is on bottles but im expressing, this morning i got 110ml so two feeds worth, but what can i do with it? i wanted to go out all day so couldnt put it in the fridge how long can it be kept at room temperature, and then do i need to heat it or can it be given at room temperature?

Also whats a normal amout to express? One boob gives me a lot more than the other is this ok?

Sorry for all the questions! x

 

[sallybee]

Can be kept 6-8 hours at room temp (I've seen different guidelines but it really depends how hot your room is! If in doubt, sniff/taste). Can you get a coolbag and ice packs as it will last longer in there.

Give it however she will take it, some babies are fussier than others - room temp would be ideal IMO as it is a faff heating EBM out and about!

110ml sounds fantastic. And it's totally normal for one boob to produce more, my left boob gives me about an oz less than my right almost every time xx

 

[tweetyfoo]

Hey sweetie

Milk is good for

6hrs out of fridge
5 days in fridge
6 months in freezer

You can give it at room temp or heat it up

I think in the early days I was getting about 60-80mls - but always found that my volumes increased as Aaron needed more.

I always get double from my left boob than I do from my right! I was told this was perfectly normal.

How long are you expressing for and how often?

 

[redbear]

well im doing 10 minutes each boob with an electric pump only managing twice a day because i have been out and about so found it hard to get the time (bad mum i know) i know i need to start every three hours dont i, she takes it quite happily at room temp but i worried it would be wrong. With running back and forth to hospital i havent been trying or as dedicated as i should but i am trying my best. Its just hard when i also have a toddler who wants to nipple twist me every time i get em out! x

 

[redbear]

Sould i do it for longer than 10 mins because that was just what the instructions said.

 

[babyem]

I think ten mins is fine! MW advised me 5 min per boob. Maybe increase how often you do it rather than how long x

tapatalking x

 

[redbear]

Im doing it ten mins per boob atm. One boob at high vacume and speed but the other hurts more so im soft and lower it right down, dont know why one nipple must be hard lol x

 

[sallybee]

Wow I heard at least 15 minutes each side every 3 hours, are you using a hospital grade pump though hun (I don't know if it makes a difference?) xx

 

[sallybee]

Oh and higher vacuum doesn't necessarily help as if you are uncomfortable your let down wont be as great, so turn it down and you can gradually increase if you feel comfortable xx

 

[tweetyfoo]

In the beginning until your supply is established you really need to be expressing 8 times in a 24 hr period.

I was only expressing for 10 mins at a time in the beginning, and slowly increased with demand.

 

[knopk@]

I found hand expressing before puttting a pump on was easier cause then let down was there. Apparently you can.get a second let down if you pump a bit longer but the main thing is to.stimulate production regularly ie about every 3 hours as ladies said

Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[tweetyfoo]

I now express for 30 mins - and I get 3-4 letdowns during this time

 

[babyem]

In the beginning until your supply is established you really need to be expressing 8 times in a 24 hr period.

I was only expressing for 10 mins at a time in the beginning, and slowly increased with demand.

Wss x

tapatalking x

 

[redbear]

Thanks ladies just got 100ml this time, tried to latch before feed but couldnt manage it, i will try to do every three hours see how i go, its the nights im dreading feeding her feeding Alice and expressing will be tough! x

 

[tweetyfoo]

Thanks ladies just got 100ml this time, tried to latch before feed but couldnt manage it, i will try to do every three hours see how i go, its the nights im dreading feeding her feeding Alice and expressing will be tough! x

Its really tough in the beginning hun, but I promise it gets easier.

Can your OH not help in the short term?

Just make sure that you express between 12-4am because otherwise your supply wont establish properly (thats what I was told anyway)

What help are you getting with the latch? How often are you trying her? I think for your own sanity you really need to get a latch going, especially with having another LO.

I told my DH that if we have another Im not doing this again as I wouldnt' be able to do it with Aaron en tow!

Hats off to you my love

 

[babybee]

When I had mine, she had been in nicu for a few days then lost 12% of her birth weight so I had to combi feed: formula, expressing and breast feeding. So I can totally relate to how stressful this must be for you.

I expressed every 3 hours for 30 mins on each side (crappy hospital pump) then I got a mothercare one when we got home and I only needed to express for 10-15 mins. This produced around 120mls. For the first 3 weeks I found breastfeeding painful and stressful. However once she had surpassed her birth weight I spent one afternoon doing skin to skin and whenever she was hungry I would latch her on and she would suck a little, it would hurt, I would stop. We went on like this for about 3 hours, then the next day she sucked a lot more and it hurt a lot less. After 4 days I wasn't feeding her expressed milk or formula anymore. I took her to get weighed and she'd put on weight. That gave me the confidence I needed to exclusively breastfeed and its been pretty straightforward ever since. I do get worried when her appetite seems to be insatiable before a growth spurt but that only increases my supply.

Keep at it chick and it'll pay off. But if it doesn't, it doesn't. You've been through a lot so don't put any unnecessary pressure on yourself about breastfeeding. So long as your baby is gaining weight and is healthy that's all that matters!

 

[redbear]

Well one of my problems is DH is desperate to help and keeps getting up in the night to feed the babies and leaving me asleep and im been selfish and letting him. He really likes to get up in the night with them though (strange man) and i feel a bit tight stopping him, especially as she just isnt latching, im trying every feed but she doesnt suck. Like i say atm she is getting the same milk just not from the boob so im happy that im doing that at least. If i only express in the day will my supply stop then? x

 

[tweetyfoo]

I think it will stop Hun.

Could you not get up together and DH feeds while you express?


Please excuse any typos from my fat fingers!
Tapatalk madness!

 

[mrswoody]

The way I got M to latch was to syringe feed her some milk first then offer her the boob and she latched on straight away.
When she was born she wouldn't latch for 2 days so I had to hand express in the hospital, it was horrible but we got there in the end x