When to express?

[Clairexx]

Hi ladies, I'm hoping someone can help advise me at what time during the day is best to express? My little lad is now 17 days old and I am exclusively breastfeeding. He is still very much cluster feeding which makes leaving the house very difficult! I've tried expressing a couple of times and managed to get about 3oz over a couple of sessions in one day. My only concern is that I don't know when is best to express in terms of possibly using up all the milk he will then want to feed on? For instance he was last fed just over an hour ago and is currently asleep so I'm thinking to express... But then he will probably wake soon and want feeding again and I'm worried there won't be enough there for him coz I've just expressed! I want to be able to take a bottle with me when we go out somewhere for the day so that I am not having to sit and properly breastfeed everywhere!
On the times I expressed just after a feed there doesn't seem to be anything left so don't really know what to do? Help! Xxxx

 

[mablestarr]

Does he empty both breasts when feeding? If not then you could try and do it straight after feeding him.

 

[vinandbella]

I was advised by BF councillor to express in a morning leaving approx 20 mins after feeding.



Sent from my new shiny iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Clairexx]

Thanks for the replies ladies. Mablestarr I have no idea if he is actually emptying both breasts.. He tends to fall asleep and I just swap between each breast until he either falls asleep completely, or finally seems satisfied. Usually I am feeding for about an hour so I'm guessing there can't be much left?
Vinandbella thanks for that.. Would this be after the first feed of the day? Xx

 

[mablestarr]

No worries hun. I'm combi feeding at the min, and manage to get her to latch on about two feeds a day, I then express straight after and havent been getting very much so a good sign she's emptying them, then I express every 3 hrs in the day (way to lazy to do it every 3 hrs at night) and supplement with formula if I don't have enough. It works for us for the time being but not too sure how long we can keep this routine going for. xx

 

[BunnyN]

At 17 days she is still very young and things are still getting established so try not to worry if feeding and expressing feel like hard work, it will get easier! I found feeding when out hard to start with because it took so long but she takes much less time about it now, expessing will get easier too as your suply increases.

 

[vinandbella]

At 17 days she is still very young and things are still getting established so try not to worry if feeding and expressing feel like hard work, it will get easier! I found feeding when out hard to start with because it took so long but she takes much less time about it now, expessing will get easier too as your suply increases.

This

If you feel up to doing it after 1st feed then go for it. I don't but I only do it for a small freezer stock


Sent from my new shiny iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[giz]

The best time to express is in the early hours. Like between midnight and 4am or something. I can't remember exactly. I used to express very successfully at about 5am, yet get virtually nothing in the afternoon (which is normal).

If I recall it's advised to express at least 30 mins after your last feed to give your boobs a chance to build up more milk.

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