Expressing- I need BIG help..........

[ASD123456]

Hi,

I'm starting college in two weeks time, I will have to attend for 2 days a week, 9-6 on a Monday and 9-3 on a Tuesday. I really, really want to continue to BF Rudy exclusively. I'm unsure how I am going to work the expressing for this out and have a few questions regarding this,

1. Will I need to express whilst in college? If so, what would be the best kind of pump to use? I'd guess a manual as I won't have a designated area to express as you would if I was going back to work.
2. How would I store the EBM? Would I need to take a cool bag to college?
3. Is it realistic of me to do this? I don't mind if it's hard work, I love to BF and want to keep going to at least 6 months if possible so I'm willing to try anything.
4. Have you any tips for how I can make this work successfully?

It may seem soon to leave LO but I gathered as it's only 2 days a week and MIL (I trust her and am comfortable with her looking after him 100%) has offered to look after him for these days. The way I look at it is that we may decide to have another Lo next year which would mean, as I would have 2 LOS, I would not get this course done for at least four- five years. This way at least i get the initial year over with and I can take it from there, and hopefully be on my way to getting I career I really enjoy. Oh ho I wish I'd done my A levels now

Alex xxx

 

[mayday]

I work as an airline pilot and when I went back to work I was still breastfeeding my baby. My first trip away was to Accra in Ghana, and I took my breast pump with me. I anticipated going back to work and froze EBM, expressing surplus after breastfeeding. When I was away at work I just made the decision I was not even going to try and store this milk, and threw it away. I had no chance of storing it anyway, and I expressed while away in order to ensure my body remembered it was supposed to do a job at certain times, and my milk didn't dry up.

You are going back for 2 days a week, but that means you will still be breastfeeding for 5 days, and you should be able to stock up enough EBM in those 5 days a week.

Good luck!

 

[kelsey]

I would start expressing now and freezing it in preperation also it will keep your milk supply up. I would pump as much as u can whilst in college too as that will also keep your supply up but i wouldn't keep the milk as it cant be stored in a fridge. As you're going to be doing 2 days a week at college u should be able to collect enough milk in the week. I would say to try different ways of expressing as you might prefer to hand espress rather than a breast pump.

xx

 

[Sherlock]

Yup start expressing now (mornings are best when boobs are more full). Store it in bags in the freezer then

If out all day and you want to keep the EBM for use then yes it will need to be kept well chilled till you get home and put it in the fridge. Monday's EBM can then be used on Tuesday and Tuesdays can be frozen for the following Monday. I'd invest in lots of cool packs and a cool bag etc.

Express as you would if you were feeding so your supply remains constant. I used to express one boob each time only unless I really could not get a decent amount out. I found one boob better for expressing from so used to work the feeds etc so that was the one I expressed from most of the time.

For his age I'd maybe look to freezing 3/4 ozs per feed, and a couple of 2oz bags in case a top up is needed. And a couple of 5oz ones in case. I found LO would take up to that amount as he was feeding often so lesser amounts. Then you can increase as your MIL finds she needs and gets to see how much he takes in each feed.

The one thing I was careful with was that I didn't mix the milk I expressed with other EBM. Mainly as the fore and hindmilk were then in proportion. OK they mix together in a bottle but it would be the right amount LO needed. If I wanted two feeds of say 3oz and 2oz I'd express 5ozs and split it. That way my supply seemed to cope also.

Also on days where he had EBM its worth trying a drop of water in a bottle also (IIRC someone told me once mixed EBM doesn't have the same thirst quenching ability as if it comes out the boob first).

A manual can take a fair while to get milk out. If you don't have much time you may want to get an electric one with a battery power adapter. I have this one and it works well. If out I just used rechargable batteries and then plug it in when I come home. It only saw use for about 3-4 weeks and I don't think I'll use it much now. But it did a good job for me once I got the hang of it.

O and while I think about it.... how do you plan to sterilse your pump etc between expressing. I'd suggest sterlising tablets or something. Just need to have something to put it all in for 15 minutes. Or you could get a batch of bottles (some others fit the pump I use iirc) and then store all the milk in those till you get home. Things to think about.

It is very doable, you'll just need to be organised and prepared to express in your free time. Once me and my boobs got used to it I could express a feed in about 5-10 minutes.

Hope thats helped

 

[sunnyday]

O and while I think about it.... how do you plan to sterilse your pump etc between expressing. I'd suggest sterlising tablets or something. Just need to have something to put it all in for 15 minutes. Or you could get a batch of bottles (some others fit the pump I use iirc) and then store all the milk in those till you get home. Things to think about.

If you get a Medela breast pump you can express directly into their breast pump storage bags which would save on having to clean / sterilise the bottle. You would still need to sterilise the pump bit though. Guess if you only saved the first batch of milk then just tipped the rest you wouldn't have to worry about the sterilising.

 

[ASD123456]

Some great advice there girls, thanks.

Sherlock- is the pump you recommended very noisey? I've tried the Medela Mini electric and it sounds like a cow moo-ing which isn't ideal when expressing in a public place. Thanks for the reply too it was really helpfull.

Alex xxx

 

[Sherlock]

Sherlock- is the pump you recommended very noisey? I've tried the Medela Mini electric and it sounds like a cow moo-ing which isn't ideal when expressing in a public place. Thanks for the reply too it was really helpfull.

Hmmm, I've never used another one to compare tbh. I didn't find it overly noisy. LO would sleep through it being on when I was in bed expressing in the mornings. It made a fair old hum but nothing major in my books. You could always go sit somewhere quiet like a mother and baby room for 10 minutes and express (if they have one).