How do you fit in expressing?
I really want to be able to fit expressing a bottle of milk a day into our routine but I just don't know how. After a feed my lo may be awake for up to an hour and a half during the day by the time I'm done with winding, playing, settling, putting washing on, emptying the dishwasher etc etc there doesn't seem to be time to express a bottle before the next feed. When I have found time I can get 100 mls from one side or 75 mls from the other, I don't double pump as I never have 90 mins spare to refill before the next feed. That isn't enough for a full feed so I would need to pump twice a day to get one bottle.
How do people do it? I feel completely lost and more than a bit stupid about this.
How do people do it? I feel completely lost and more than a bit stupid about this.
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Also why are you expressing? Just asking the question because, as you might have gathered if you've seen my other post, I stopped expressing because I found I just didn't have time for it and actually realised I found just feeding her myself far easier. I'm not saying you shouldn't express I'm just saying don't feel obliged to do it - I felt almost like I was doing something wrong by not excpressing as all my breast feeding friends were, but I was so much happier when I stopped.
But I do know many women rely on pumping - like if someone else does one or more of the daily feeds, or just to get a break and go out every so often - and I know lots of women who do manage it so don't lose heart it can be done. I haven't expressed for a long time so I can't really rememeber what I did but hopefully someone will be able to advise you who does regularly.
And don't feel lost or stupid - we're all just finding our way the best we can, there are no worng or right answers and we all feel stumped at sone point about so many things!
Rx
Jakob sleeps pretty well at night and only has 1 feed then so in the mornings I am quite full. As his night and morning feed are a good few hours apart, I feed him from the same side he had in the night and at the same time express the really full breast into a bottle. This way I don't need extra time and I can get a decent amount of milk without repeatedly pumping throughout the day. I stop pumping (manual avent pump) when he finishes his feed and then either just pop the bottle in the fridge if we need it soon or freeze the milk in a little pot (once it's cooled down of course).
Hope this helps a little!
Jana & Jakob 11+2 xxx
You can keep it in the fridge for 7 days and add to it which is what I did to build up a supply!
Miss Impatient, I didnt know you could keep it in the fridge for 7 days. And I thought you could only add to milk that had been expressed less than 24 hours ago. But please tell me Im wrong as im seriously struggling to get anything significant to store!