Right..Expressing!!

[Zal88]

Okay I am so confused, if I express will it affect my supply? I am BF at the moment and will hope to do so for as long as possible, but I want OH to do some feeds and also when I leave LO with his grandparents etc how do I go about this?

How do I express? Do I pick one slot in the day (eg morning) and do it once every day at the same time? But I want the feed for the evening time for instance, won't my breasts be full of milk in the evening when it's time for him to have his EBM? It's all so confusing I don't want to mess up my supply but I really want to express as I am going crazy I am glued to my LO and I love him but I need some me time lol

 

[Sassyjane]

Im Breast feeding and expressing so that OH can give a bottle on a night so I can sleep, I was told by the hospital to do this, especially since I have loads of milk!!!
What I do is feed CJ, then express straight after, first from the boob he fed from and then from the other boob, I do this 2 or 3 times a day, rest of time it's just feeding little guy! I'm so far feeding him and producing about 70ml-100ml expressed each time..... When my oh is giving him his bottle in the evening, I just express then too to replace the normal feed I would give him!!!
Maybe you could just express when he is having the bottle feed with OH, so only once a day, it would just replace a normal feed then!
Let me know how you get on, good luck with it Hun xx

 

[Mum2betash]

Im Breast feeding and expressing so that OH can give a bottle on a night so I can sleep, I was told by the hospital to do this, especially since I have loads of milk!!!
What I do is feed CJ, then express straight after, first from the boob he fed from and then from the other boob, I do this 2 or 3 times a day, rest of time it's just feeding little guy! I'm so far feeding him and producing about 70ml-100ml expressed each time..... When my oh is giving him his bottle in the evening, I just express then too to replace the normal feed I would give him!!!
Maybe you could just express when he is having the bottle feed with OH, so only once a day, it would just replace a normal feed then!
Let me know how you get on, good luck with it Hun xx

This is pretty much what I've done and it's worked wonderfully xxx

 

[Zal88]

Thanks I will try this way sounds ideal! x

 

[Zal88]

Still haven't done this, I'm so lazy and forget to express after a feed! How do you sterlise the breast pump btw? Can I just put it in some boiling water?

 

[Emamay]

My manual pump has a tub, you break it down, wash the bits, put it in it's tub with some water and microwave to sterelise.

My electric needing 20 mins in boiling water initially, then just washing with hot soapy water thereafter. I still boil it once a day just to make sure it's sterelised. Don't get me wrong, the house isn't obsessively clean sterile place... Just, when it comes to food and stuff that's gonna be going into his stomach, I'd rather be on the safe side. Xx

 

[Zal88]

Emamay I did that I have the TT manual pump. Used it today got around 120ml but my boobs still feel empty and R is going to wake up soon for a feed ah, expressing is confusing either that or I'm just being dumb! lol

 

[Zal88]

I expressed yesterday from both breasts and they have felt empty all day!

 

[l_maclean]

It's not physically possible for your breasts to be empty. They are a bit like a toilet cistern - the minute you take a little bit out, they instantly start to refill.

And actually research shows that 'empty' breasts full quicker than half full ones.

Xx


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[Zal88]

Thanks hun that's reassuring! Just feels like my LO can't latch on because of how my breasts are but I guess he is! x

 

[Zal88]

OH gave him his first bottle! He had like 50ml and then puked

 

[Sassyjane]

Zal, CJ did that at first, I found if you let LO take a little, then have a break for a few mins (maybe wind them) then give the bottle back it helps with the puking.... It's just them getting used to the different sensation and flow I think, now my lil man is rarely sick, only if he tries to guzzle too fast!
X

 

[Zal88]

Sassyjane, he didn't throw up the second time, so I'm happy about that

 

[Sassyjane]

Yay that's fab news, well done lil fella! It's horrid when they are sick, if CJ is I feel so sad! Hope it keeps going the same Hun x

 

[babybee]

This thread is so helpful. I've just been expressing which us exhausting and then I've been giving the lo my breasts when she gets peckish. The routine is so tiring and inefficient.
Sassy, I'm going to try your technique. When you express, is that then for your oh to use or are you slowly building up a reserve?

 

[Sassyjane]

Babybee, I'm now exclusively expressing because little man wouldn't latch properly, but I was doing it so oh could do a feed to give me a break!! X

 

[Zal88]

I just bought the Madela electric breast pump. So hopefully that gives me better results because the first time I expressed I got 3oz in one sitting then I would only get 3oz if I express all day after each feed, was just too tiring and I felt all I was doing was BF and expressing all day! Can't wait to get my pump hope it works out. x

 

[Sassyjane]

I've been bought a tommee tippee one and it's fantastic, so much easier!!! X