Expressing whist breastfeeding?

[frankie707]

Hi ladies, I have read on here before that a few of you express and then give LO a big bottle feed last thing at night to encourage sleeping through the night, this sounds like a good idea and I would like to try this but I'm not sure when I should.

My question is how old was your LO when you started doing this and how much do you give them?

 

[SmallPurpleCat]

Hi ladies, I have read on here before that a few of you express and then give LO a big bottle feed last thing at night to encourage sleeping through the night, this sounds like a good idea and I would like to try this but I'm not sure when I should.

My question is how old was your LO when you started doing this and how much do you give them?

I'd like to start expressing too but my mw said to wait until 4 weeks. Also, when is it best to express?

 

[Rayoflight]

I started expressing at 5 days old. More so for the donor milk.

I feed him about 6-7am ish from one side then head downstairs to express the other. Then I go back to bed and Blake wakes about 10am.

We've tried giving him expressed milk as a final feed but he sucks so fast from the bottle that his wind is terrible and it takes us hours to settle him! Good luck with it though, lots of people swear by it.

 

[flexilexi394]

I'm gonna watch this space as I'm desperate to be able to express and breastfeed, just makes life a little easier doesn't it. I've read so much different stuff about it! Like one book says you can express from day one which will also encourage a good supply, and just choose when you'd like to use a bottle. Others say wait til breastfeeding is established and that's after like 6 weeks or whatever. It's all very confusing! I would like to express quite early on. And maybe let my partner do a feed in the evening? Another disadvantage is you don't know how much they are taking from the breast so not air whether you'll get enough or whatever. And then the stuff sboutthe hindmilk just confuses me. Lol. X

 

[bethanyann]

I try to give Eva ebm every night before bed. I express as soon as I wake up in the morning, I try to get about 4.5oz. Milk is a lot stronger in the mornings, so I'll then store it in the fridge to give her just before bed. Seems to work well. As for the wind...it takes longer, but after Eva has had half an oz or so, I take the bottle off her and wind her, then as soon as she has burped, I give her another 1/2 oz. The first two times I do this, she hates it, but after that she seems to realise more milk is coming, and just calmly waits until she burps. Since I've been doing this, she hasn't had any build up of wind at all xxxx

 

[kellylou]

When i was able to express it was about 4 oz i gave alex nd he took it x