Expressing help!!!

[twinkles]

I'm off to buy a pump! I'm going to give expressing a go and carry on bf but start lo on a bottle once or twice a day as I need to be back in work for Xmas! Plus we have a night out sat and if lo decides its a night for being on the boob it will be a lot easier if I can offer her a bottle too!!!!

Now where do I start?!
How much do I express? How often do I do it? How long will it last in the fridge? What temp does fridge need to be? How long will it freeze for? And do you heat it up before feeding? If so how???

Replies to as much as poss would be fab!!!!

Thank you! X

 

[MrsT2011]

I'm off to buy a pump! I'm going to give expressing a go and carry on bf but start lo on a bottle once or twice a day as I need to be back in work for Xmas! Plus we have a night out sat and if lo decides its a night for being on the boob it will be a lot easier if I can offer her a bottle too!!!!

Now where do I start?!
How much do I express? How often do I do it? How long will it last in the fridge? What temp does fridge need to be? How long will it freeze for? And do you heat it up before feeding? If so how???

Replies to as much as poss would be fab!!!!

Thank you! X

Ok I'll try and help as much as possible!

Express after feeding as that way it won't affect LOs feeds.
You won't get much to start with - maybe less than an ounce but the more you do it your supply will increase.
I found I got more milk between 1 and 3 am.
You can express as much as you want as your body continually makes more milk.
It will last 5 days at the back of a fridge - and you can mix milk expressed within the same 24 hours - new guidelines say you can add room temperature to chilled.
Freezer for 6 months. - to defrost I just run the bag under hot running water or you can put in the fridge to defrost but I found my milk didn't last as long this way.
To warm up I would put milk in a bottle and place in a cup with boiling water then test on my wrist.
I'm not sure how old your LO is but B took about 5 ounces up to 10 weeks of age and that increased to 6/7 ounces.
Only express for 20-30 minutes at a time.
You could feed LO on one side and express from the other at the same time as "double pumping" ensures you get the most production.
Hope that helps! Enjoy your night out x

 

[Water_Melon]

I don't have too much advice apart from if I were to buy a pump again, I would get an electric one.

I have a TT manual pump and it does make your hand ache after a while. I can imagine an electric one would be a lot easier. (Although more expensive)

 

[babyem]

I disagree and say that I would get a manual one. I have the avent one and it's fine, no achey hands lol. Plus it allows you to go at whatever speed you like, rhythm etc. Whereas you don't have that choice with electric. MO i think the electric ones are a complete rip off. I can get usually anywhere between 10-35mls per boob each time, and i get the most when I do it between 2-3am and 7-8am. Oh and I do it for about 5-10 mins, or if I notice I've not pumped any in a couple of mins I leave it, so I don't overdo it and end up with mahoosive boobs!! x

It can go in the fridge for a week (not in the fridge door).

 

[twinkles]

I bought the medela swing from recommendations on here!! My lo will be 4 weeks next weekend so really want to bf as much as possible and feed bottle maybe just once a day so she gets used to it?? I hear not to give bottle over breast for night feeds??? Thinking maybe her morning feed to be a bottle then just use bottle as needed, like next weekend! Hope my plans work!!!! X

 

[twinkles]

Well I pumped 1oz! B feeding now so will pump once she's done, hope to master the art of feeding and pumping together but one step at a time! Plus my spare hand is needed for checking pf!!! Not a massive amount but pleased how easy it was on first go! Thanks girls! X

 

[MrsT2011]

Well done! Also I found if I kept myself distracted whilst pumping it really helped otherwise I'd milk watch!