When to express milk
hi ladies
i am currently breastfeeeeding my 9 and a half weeks son. We haven't got a routine yet and i feed him on demand which can be 2/3 and sometimes 4 hours apart (usually when I am out and about). Also my son is fussy and can be so fussy at times that he gets distressed and I need to offer him a formula bottle, as he can take both breast and bottle.
I want to start a rouitne and was thinking of offering one expressed bottle of milk which his dad can feed during the evenings to give me a break too, or offer when he gets distressed rather than give formula.
I think I have just enough Milk for his daily demand , and my Breast r most full in the mornings therefore I was thinking of expressing (about 4/5 ounces) in the mornings and saving that milk for the evenning, but I'm worried that because there is no routine, he can really wake up any time for a feed and then if I express and have No milk left in the Breast, then I won't be able no nurse in the morning.
Any advise on best way/time to express during the day? also how to maintain and Increase milk supply without always having baby on breast. I still want to nurse him on demand but need atleast one bottle expressed milk for evenning.
Replies
Firstly breast milk is done on a supply & demand basis so you won't run out as long as your baby is feeding lots your body will continue to produce lots.
Personally I found it took a long time to get the let down to start when using a pump so I ended up feeding on 1 side & expressing on the opposite side. This way you're not spending any extra time expressing then you would spend on feeding & as your baby is starting your milk to come out you're not wasting milk from the opposite side. The best time of day to do this is when your breasts are at their fullest which I found was 1st thing in the morning. But remember that with the supply & demand that if you start expressing every morning if you have 1 morning (especially in the early weeks) when you don't express you may end up with an overflow!!
So, to answer your other question, to maintain your supply you do need to continue to put your baby on your breast as that's the only way to maintain the supply. If you establish an evening expressed feed your body will produce less milk at that time to compensate but overall you won't produce less.
Good luck & I hope expressing comes easy to you