Expressing only

[holly1]

Afternoon Ladies,

Im 20 weeks pregnant and very much thinking of how i wish to feed my baby. For a few reasons i dont feel that breast feeding is right for me (which i do feel bad about as this is the most natural way) but i would like to express and give my baby breast milk.

I have looked online and i cannot see any information on this. Im hoping to see if anyone else does this and to share there experience of this. In particular i have a few question if anyone is able to answer these?

• When can i start expressing from? As i would like to give my baby expressed milk as soon as they are born but can i do this in hospital?
• Is it just as good to express as it is to physically breast feed?
• How much would you express daily?
• Do you know where you can you can buy bags to freeze the milk from?
• Also once refregerated can this be warmed up via hot water or can you use a bottle warmer?

Sorry for all the questions, this is my first pregnancy and i really would like to give my baby the best start. Im really hoping that it is just as good to express as it is to breast feed. Also if anyone knows any websites that give me more information on this that would be really helpful.

Thank you for reading

x

 

[knopk@]

Expressing isnt easy, there are ladies on here who exclusively expressed and they will tell you how hard it is.
WHO says that best is mothers breastmilk directly from her,.then expressed BM, then milk from another woman, then formula.
What are your concerns about actual breastfeeding? Its hard in the beginning but a lot easier later on. Its only for a short period of.their life as well.

Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[holly1]

Thank you knopk for your response, well it is a bit annoying as thats all i keep hearing. None of my family breast fed, but all my OH family have. Mainly my mw is constantly going on how i should Breast feed as its best ect ect. If im being honest and i know this sounds so so bad but i just dont feel that breast feeding is for me i never really thought about it previously but the mw has made me question this now. Dont get me wrong i personally think there is nothing wrong with bottle feeding as thats how i know all my family to have had but likewise i can also see the benefits of breast feeding, but i just dont feel comfortable with it, but if its true and breast is best i would rather do what i can to give the best possible option, if i can do this.

I would love to be really eager to do this but im just not and i dont know why? Also i appreciate that it can be hard to do, so even if i was to try i beleive that there isnt always a guarentee that i could (well again thats what iv heard)

I just thought for me i could have the best of both worlds if possible and express, that way i would also like my OH to be involved in feeding also as i wouldnt want him to miss out either.

I personally dont know anyone that has breastfed apart for my OH family and i also know no one that has expressed so if im honest i dont really have a clue.

 

[giz]

Have you checked the breastfeeding network website? They have loads of info. There must be stuff on there about exclusively expressing.

• When can i start expressing from? As i would like to give my baby expressed milk as soon as they are born but can i do this in hospital?
  
  Yes, in fact I struggled with the latch in hospital so I expressed onto a teaspoon to feed baby. When it's collustrum its tiny tiny amounts.
  
  
• Is it just as good to express as it is to physically breast feed?
  Yes, but physically demanding. My hat goes off to anyone that can do it.
  
  
• How much would you express daily?
  
  That's one of those how long is a piece of string questions. It's going to vary as time goes on. But you need to express as if you were feeding baby to get the supply going and to keep it up.
  
• Do you know where you can you can buy bags to freeze the milk from?
  
  Tesco.
  
  
• Also once refregerated can this be warmed up via hot water or can you use a bottle warmer?
  
  I warmed it up in a hot bowl of water.
  

----------------
baby giz born 6th Feb 2011
next one due 12th Aug 2013

 

[holly1]

Awe thank you Giz Im going to try and have an open mind about it all and maybe go to a class to see if that helps and never know once baby is here i might just give breast feeding a whirl.

Im going to try and that network site a try.

Im going to ask a really silly question and that only because im completly new to knowing what breast feeding and expressing is like as i have never experienced or tried it. What makes expressing physically demanding? (sorry thats probably so nieave) But is it because it is really hard to express in the first place? or because i will need to do it alot?

Many thanks for your help x

 

[giz]

Because if you exclusively express, then you're basically doing double the job. So you express and then you feed the baby from the bottle. So times when cluster feeding, you could be literally stuck to the house/sofa just expressing and bottle feeding all day. It's just time consuming. And you still need to get up in the night to express and then feed a bottle. I know your partner might help, but when they go back to work you might want them to sleep more.

Ignoring all the benefits of breastfeeding with regards to health, it is just so easy. No bottles to make up and sterilise, no having to sort out bottles when you leave the house, no worrying that you don't have enough milk to be able to stay out with friends a bit longer. I could feed in the middle of a park and still walk while feeding. At night I could feed lying down. It's just convenient.

On the down side, it bloody hurts in those early weeks!!! It was tough. I am the worlds biggest prude, yet I breastfed in public eventually.

And to be honest there's very few occasions where I had no choice but to feed in public. Start having a nosey at the changing rooms in your town, places like malls, john lewis, mothercare, boots all have feeding rooms. Find out where they are and which one you like best...you might be surprised. I was.

----------------
baby giz born 6th Feb 2011
next one due 12th Aug 2013

 

[tiggy85]

I can totally see where your coming from and at one point when I had baby I was considering moving from Exclusivley breast feeding to pumping but so glad I didn't as it really is much more work..... For example if your baby needs 7 feeds in 24 hours you have to pump in a pattern to mimic his or her feeding pattern (feeding on demand) a pumping sessions may take 15-30 mins ( you may not get enough milk during one session so may have to add in another milk session ) , then obviously you have to feed the baby it's milk in the bottle which may to 10-20 mins each feed and then wash and sterilise all the bottles afterwards. So all in all its often much quicker less time consuming if baby drinks from the breast, they are much more efficient at establishing your milk supply and get more milk out in less time than any pump.

Also consider that pumping is not easy to be discret, you may have to sit away from family and friends to pump. Whereas breastfeeding you can learn to be discreet once you get the hang of it.

Hope that helps. People do exclusively express and manage it ok, but I think it's important to weigh up the pros and cons as it can be hard to go back to latching/breastfeeding.

 

[l_maclean]

Thing about breast feeding is you really don't know until you try. And it really is different for everyone.

I'd say give breast feeding a try!! You may find its the most natural thing in the world for you - and really you have nothing to lose by trying.

Exclusive pumping is hard work, like the ladies said. By feeding directly you'd be making life a lot easier for yourself.

Bf can be hard to start with, but realistically there are very very few
Women who can't physically do it.

Plus even if you start bf, there's no minimum time you have to do it for, if you really can't cope with it, then you change.


IMO it's a bit like labour - until you've actually done it no-one can really prepare you for how it will feel.

Zxx

 

[sallybee]

Hi Hun. When I was pregnant I was the same as you, in fact I was adamant I was going to bottle feed. Through my pregnancy my feelings changed and when LO was born I attempted to bf. I did for three weeks but it didn't work out. I then exclusively expressed for 6 months. I can honestly say it made me miserable. Being strapped to a pump all day (and it is pretty much all day at first, and all through the night too - every time she fed I would express after and buy the time I was done she would want to feed again) and having to time it between LO's naps and feeds was horrendous. I became obsessed with expressing and as a result I didn't enjoy spending time with my little girl.

If I went back in time I wouldn't change a thing because I'm so proud I was able to give my little girl my milk for the recommended six months. But if you can breast feed I would. You may find it comes more naturally to you than you thought and your feelings on it may change xx

 

[Heather85]

Hey. I breastfed for 14 weeks, introduced formula to get her used to it and combo fed till 19 weeks (wanted to do her first feed as a breastfeed for longer but thought she wasn't taking enough cos she would cry for a feed about an hour later in the morrning, she still cries for her feed an hour or so later, so it wasn't the case case she just takes a lot in the morning, including a breakfast *regrets*)

Anyway sorry I'm babbling. My point is when I breastfed I expressed a couple of bottles as well and it was hard work, I had a manual ans it took ages. If your serious about doing it I would invest in an electric one because if your needing to express as much as she will feed then it will help. Also I over expressed a the start, then she couldn't empty the breast cos she didn't need that much, then I didn't make sure I emptied it after so I ended up blocked. Don't want to scare you off, so sorry if I am. If you want to give it a go your best to know how it all works, I didn't but I got there.

I feel looking back the easiest time I ever had was when I exclusively breastfed, that includes night feeds, days out (don't need to worry about having enough) or if I was just feeling plain lazy cos everything you need is right there. Plus costs are so much lower. I always thought ff would make life easier and it didn't.

There are ladies on here that have done it longer than me and will maybe have more advice advice than me but I'm always happy to share my experiences if they can help. Xxx

 

[Heather85]

By the way I was meant to go back to work work full time at 19ish weeks which is why I was introducing, I went back at 23 xx

 

[Robyner]

I am exclusively expressing as my baby was unwell and in neo natal and I was also unwell. My Lo got used to teats quickly and also my nipples are flat and it just didn't work. I have been doing this for 5 weeks now and it's nackering. I was told I had to express at least 8 times a day for supply, not easy. I have only kept it in the fridge in bags which I get from boots. You can freeze it for quite a while uti have always used my supply.

People have made comments like " have you tried her on the breast" and " no reason why she shouldn't be able to take from the breast". As you can imagine rather upsetting. One day I had a melt down and felt so alone. I looked at the magazine the hospital gave me, as there was an article on expressing. I thought it might help. It baicly stated that there should be o reason to express unless you are going bak to work or away from baby. I sobbed for hours as this didn't include people like me. I'm doing my best, but may switch to formula after 6 weeks as its hard to find time to do anything else and I want to enjoy my baby. However I do feel its been worth it and my Lo has put on weight and has thrived on my milk. I give a ready made carton of formula when out,as it's the correct temp.


At first my supply was very limited so I topped up with formula until my supply was good.

 

[l_maclean]

((Hugs)) robyner. Not niceto hear when you are doing your utmost to give LO your best.

Question - has anyone suggested shields?? Only asking if its been suggested cos some people make them sound like the devils work but they can be a lifesaver - my LO couldn't latch without them.

 

[holly1]

Morning Ladies,

Thank you so much for your messages of experience and answering my questions it has been so so helpful!!! I think i will try and find a bf class and try and get as much information as possible to be as prepared as possible. Im really hoping that once LO is here i will change my mind and it will feel more natural to bf. i think i will just not put any pressure on myself and see how it goes.

Awe Robyner thats so sad to hear but you have done your absolute best and i think thats all that we can strive for, and all your effort has paid off it sounds like your LO is doing really well awe big hugs to you xx

 

[CARNAT22]

I expressed but only managed 2 months before it sent me demented and we turned to combi-feeding (then fully moving over the formula)

I fed from breast at birth but James had taken a long time to come down the birth canal and he had low APGAR scores initially (7's) so we had to see a few dr's..

APGAR score was perfect after a few minutes but James was removed from my breast twice... Breaks my heart to think about it now actually.

He was removed from each breast, by 2 different dr's within half an hour of birth and I believe this affected the process.

We continued to feed in hospital, but by the 3rd morning [our first morning at home] James was showing sings of dehydration so I used some formula.

I had a breastfeeding coordinator come out to my home twice as James wasn't latching properly. I remember having MW and breastfeeding woman on either side of me giving conflicting advice whilst my baby screamed and that was when I moved to expressing.

Expressing is hard bloody work, and you have all the downsides of FF (you have to sterilise bottles and pumps etc.. you also have to pump feeds in advance!!)

I found it awful and it really did detract from my first few months of motherhood.

James would sleep for in 3 hour slots at night and I'd have to set an alarm to be up half an hour before him to express.

The day I moved to combi-feeding was the day I started to enjoy being a mummy.

I am not advocating FF but expressing was a thankless task (well not entirely thankless as I was getting breastmilk into my baby!), I wish to God I'd been able to breastfeed and I am sad I didn't do more research about it and seek more help!

James is a wonderful boy, he is happy and content and healthy and I wouldn't change anything but I urge any mother to try - and try hard - with breastfeeding. I would never choose to express, it is only something I'd recommend if you really cannot BF.

xxxxxxxxxx