I want to express - tell me how pls

Lambchop80 · May 25, 2011 9:17AM

I've been bf'ing for nearly 2 weeks & want to start expressing so I can store some of my milk but I haven't a clue how to do it effectively. I tried in the first week but only got 1oz total out of both breasts.

So please help

When is the best time to do it (before a feed or after)

How much can I expect to get out?

How long can I store the milk?

Any tips??

I have an electric pump.

mrsmermaid · May 23, 2011 9:32AM

I expressed and stored in freezer bags (for breast milk) which i got from boots. I started at 3 months but actually, as LO wouldnt take a bottle, loads has to be thrown out. You can't keep it more than 3 months in the freezer.

If i was you i wouldn't start expressing to store yet. I would wait for a few weeks until your supply regulates or you could end up sending your boobies into overdrive, which wont be pleasant and then you will have to keep expressing to get rid of the stuff!

If you want to go out or need to be away from LO you can store BM in the fridge for, i think up to 48 hours, but not in the door compartment.

I expressed first thing on a morning from eg the right side and fed only from the left side overnight, so my right breast was full. I used a manual pump and used to get around 4 oz max. At 2 weeks i could not have just stuck to one breast overnight so that maybe wouldn't have worked at your stage.

You have to pump for a minute or so before the let down (before milk comes out quickly) and keep pumping. Also it might help to be near LO when you pump.

I thought i would use all of this stored milk but in reality when LO started to take a bottle at around 5 1/2 months and then took a very small amount. i just ended up using formula for her bottle feeds and i still breast feed her 3-4 times daily as she needs it. x

Socksxx · May 23, 2011 3:29PM

Good advice given above. Just wanted to say the advice I was given on storage is so utterly different to that above! I have been told 5 days to store milk in the fridge as long as it is at the back and it can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months! I gave my baby 5 month old ebm and she has been absolutely fine. My sister expresses to the back of the fridge and has given her son ebm after 5 days and has also been fine. Might be worth double checking your area. They will probably tell you something different again! I was also told 24 hours in the door of the fridge x

Socksxx · May 23, 2011 3:30PM

Have your nipples healed ok by the way?

Lambchop80 · May 23, 2011 3:34PM

Thanks ladies.

Socks- they are still sore & look cracked. Feeding isn't as painful but still hurts more so at the end of the feed it's like he pulls off a bit as the milk flow slows down. This then hurts my nipples again, I'm still working on the latch & getting mw advice but I'm confused as each time they say the latch looks fine but it can't be can it???

mrsmermaid · May 23, 2011 5:37PM

Socks,i think it depends on the quality of your freezer and fridge and the temperature you run them at. If you have a freezer compartment in a fridge you can store it for only a couple of weeks or so but much longer in the deepfreeze. I was erring on the side of caution with mine.

I expressed mainly so i could have some time off when i was exclusively breast feeding but she wouldnt take a bottle so i never needed it. Now she is 7 months and takes a bottle but i just give her formula and still breast feed in between as it isn't so intense now.

mrsd2006 · May 24, 2011 4:07AM

Lambchop- has baby been checked for tongue tie? If yes, but still sore and positioning/latch good, upper frenulum tie can also be a possibility.

Re expressing, it's normal to get only an ounce when expressing. Kellymom.com states normal expressing amounts total for both breasts is anything from 1/2oz to 2oz, so don't worry anout supply: nothing is as good at draining boob than your lo!

Kellymom is a great site, v informative. Also has tips on expressing

Finally, breastfeeding network recommend milk is kept 6 hrs max at room temp, I think 7 days in fridge (though I'd freeze after 2 if it wasn't getting used), and 6 months in freezer.

Hope that helps. X

mrsd2006 · May 24, 2011 4:09AM

Oh, one more thing: if you want to pump after feeds, best time is half an hour after you've finished feeding. X

Socksxx · May 24, 2011 7:21AM

I was also going to say tongue tie. My sisters son has just had his tongue snipped she got mastitus and is really struggling. Mine were very sore for a good couple of months.I don't even feel her now.

MrsD that is great info on the milk! I was expressing ready for when I went bak to work but my boss died and I lost my job so I now have about 50oz ebm in my freezer I will probably end up throwing away! Hohumm ... I suppose she may have it in a bottle when I stop bf-ing x

mrsmermaid · May 25, 2011 9:05AM

Socks youre the same as me then......still, think of all the calories that are in our freezers rather than on our tums!

Socksxx · May 25, 2011 9:08AM

lol mrsmermaid if only it were that easy! I would fill the freezer to the brim, expressing is easier than running!!

kaiyleigh · May 25, 2011 9:17AM

hey i expressed with my baby as i couldnt breastfeed as she was in scbu . you can hire a breast pump fronm your local surestart centre.unfortunatyly i could only expess for a few weeks as i wasngt getting enuf milk andf also kept getting really bad matitis

I want to express - tell me how pls

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