Advice with expressing when breastfeeding

skintchick

mummyemm wrote: »

Thank you for all your advice.
PurpleJay - Was thinking of introducing bottles so that my husband could feed D if I'm not able to. I didn't feel well at the weekend and it made me realise how dependent D is on me being able to feed him.
We haven't tried him with a bottle at all, just worried there may be an issue when I go back to work (not until start of June). I won't be able to continue feeding or expressing when at work, if D does have a problem with bottles, could I just introduce a cup/beaker instead?
Nicki I only offer one breast for each feed. This is always enough. If I express at the same time as feeding, will I not have less milk to offer at the next feed?
Should I try to express at a similar time every day so that my body is tricked into thinking it is a real feed?
Sorry lots of questions.

Hello. Breasts don't just store milk for feeds, they also make milk as baby feeds, so they won't run out. Think of people feeding twins, or tandem feeding - they have plenty. So you can pump while baby feeds and baby won't miss out on milk at all.

As for bottles, yes you could introduce a cup instead, if baby is used to breast and perhaps won't take a bottle. Try a Doidy cup as they are angled to help baby drink more easily, and small cups are better than big ones, think maybe a shot glass or something like that. And try different one if the first cup isn;t successful. Certainly by 6 months babies can drink from cups with help. You can use a freeflow sippy cup instead of an open cup if you prefer (I did, DD has only just stopped pouring open cups everywhere!)

Also, don;t worry about not being able to feed. Even in a mum is unconscious a baby can feed! They know what they're doing and your body will make milk anyway.

But if you want to know more, try Googling exclusive expressing. Lots of US women do this, bsically they don;t feed direct from breast but pump it all, and if they can do that from birth then there must be lots of tips you'd find useful.

you don;t have to worry about offering both breasts at each feed if baby is satisfied. My DD only ever fed off one side at a time. In fact it is only now she is 18 months that she sometimes asks for the second one, and that's only because i am PG again and my supply has dropped. If baby is satisfied, healthy and gaining weight then it's fine. They are all different and so are breasts!

PS. I'm a qualified BfN Breastfeeding Helper so that's where my info is coming from. HTH

Nicki

Ohhh! I missed that you were pregnant again skintchick. Big congratulations!!! When is number 2 due?

skintchick

Nicki wrote: »

Ohhh! I missed that you were pregnant again skintchick. Big congratulations!!! When is number 2 due?

Late September. It's very early days and after previous mc I'm not counting my chickens, so to speak. But so far all seems well. Fat tummy, lots of weeing, knackered!

PurpleJay

Just to add, I do know what you mean about DH being able to feed him if you are unwell. Can you feed lying down? I found this a huge help if I were poorly. Hubby would bring M to me and then take him away again! M fed during the night regularly until he was about 2 and always fed to sleep so lying down to feed was normal for us!

I agree that if little one doesn't like bottles, you can try a cup (try a few until you get one which works for you). M would take bottles from DH or nursery staff but not from me. In the same way, he might go to sleep for someone else but I would have to nurse him.

Your work should make some provision for you to express if you wanted - or could you do it on your lunch break? Having said that, I was worried my supply would drop and wanted to keep nursing M until he was at least 2 but with expressing for a while and reducing feeds on the days he wasn't with me it worked out fine in the end. I continued to feed him on demand until he was well over 3 (within reason)and always had milk for him despite working. On my work days when I stopped expressing, I would feed him the minute I got in from work, a lovely way to reconnect after a day apart

Oh and I always used to feed on one breast at each feed too when I could. As M was a frequent feeder, it meant he was getting the hind milk (more filling) and gave my other boob a rest! I remember my HV saying 'does he have 15 minutes on each breast' and me just nodding wisely and doing what I thought best... you have to work out what works for you. Babies don't always do it by the book The same will be the case with expressing. Try one way, and if it doesn't work out, try another. Whatever you do, after a few days I am pretty sure your body will catch up. As someone else mentioned, some people feed twins or tandam feed. It is all supply and demand.

Have a look at https://www.kellymom.com which I found a really helpful BF resource.

x

skintchick

PurpleJay wrote: »

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! I remember my HV saying 'does he have 15 minutes on each breast' and me just nodding wisely and doing what I thought best... you have to work out what works for you. Babies don't always do it by the book
x

And any book which says 15 mins on each breast is sorely out of date! Feed them on one side till they come off, offer the other, if they want it great if not they're full! HVs are sometimes scary with what they come out with.

mummyemm

Hi just to update, expressed last 2 nights around 22.00ish, only got a small amount of milk but as someone said,

hopefully this should increase soon.

Spoke to another mum at postnatal group on monday, she reccomended expressing first thing in the morning as I will

obviously have more milk. I understand her point, but would it be better for baby to have this feed from me to help fill

him up more after sleeping all night?

To answer some questions- work would allow me time to express but I am a nurse and finding the time to have a

lunch break is hard enough sometimes. Also I will be working 12 hr shift x2 a week, so will not be able to feed the

baby myself at all on those days. Will leave the house at 6.45 and get home about 20.30/21.00.

I have never fed lying down, will bear it in mind though should the situation arise again that I am not feeling well.

Thank you for your help