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Expressing advice needed!

I am currently breastfeeding on demand. We have a routine overnight which baby set himself, where he sleeps roughly 7-7, has a small feed at around 10.30 then another about 2-3. During the day there is no pattern, and i'm not really worried about setting one.

I do however want to start giving him one bottle of emb a day, to start getting him used to it so i can go out without him now and again. I'm planning to give it him as his last feed before 7pm as this is when he normally takes a lot on, stocking up for overnight i think!

I'm just wondering how often i need to pump to ensure my supply keeps up? While i'm in it doesn't matter but what happens if i go out for the day, leaving milk behind for him, do i have to take my pump with me and express when he'd normally feed?? Need to work this out as i hope to bf for at least a year but it seems a lot of faffing around if that's what i'd need to do!

xxx

Replies

  • Hi! For going out it depends on how long you are going out as to whether you are going to be out a long time. I often go out for 3 or 4 hours with my older child and I don't need to express but I do start to feel uncomfortable so for comfort I could do it, but I manage for that long. Now and then won't affect how much you make as long as its not every day for hours as that obviously would. I go out at the weekend once a week for no more than 4 hours to the cinema ect with my 4 year old, leave milk for my 6 month old, don't express when I am away and my supply is fine.



    If you are going to give a bottle at 7 when you would normally feed him why don't you get someone to feed him and you express then, like you would be feeding him.
  • agree with gail, we give a bottle at 7 and i express then, or i get uncomfy x
  • Iv been wondering about this too but i havent had much luck being able to express... Any tips?



    Also, the first time you gave expressed milk when is the best time to do it i.e the 7pm one you express when lo gets the bottle but the very first time you did it?? because you wont be missing a feed?? not sure that makes sense :roll:
  • hi ladies



    miss strawberrie i think it depends on time of day and how much your baby has fed when as to how much you get off - it varies massively. I found after the last feed at night, if i left it a couple of hours till 9pm to allow for refill and then watched downton abbey whilst pumping with a glass of wine i got loads! Doing it whilst hearing a screaming baby under pressure i got much less. If you relax i think this makes a huge difference, and you've left a bit of time from a feed - i always feel relaxed in the evenings as LO always does a long stretch at this time. I'm struggleing much more with getting LO to take it. So far not very successful, but trying different teats.



    tigerlily i find my LO is more distressed if given a bottle at bedtime as this is when he wants his snuggles for comfort to get him off to sleep. I put the milk in the fridge, get it out when i get up and when its room temp, about mid morning i try. Not been ever so successful yet.



    Am beginning to realise that even a good pump both sides gives me about 5 oz - i think this is a good amount, but my LO might only go an hour or 2 on this. To go out for the day would mean an awful lot of work pumping over lots of times. At this early stage it would be a mistake to go all day without pumping, your boobs would feel very uncomfortable and it could have a serious affect on your supply. Im beginning to realise it would take something very important to make me leave LO for this long as it would be an awful lot of work to sort out.



    Like Gail says she can go out for 4 hours or so but her baby is 6 months old. xx
  • I am expressing when i get the chance at the moment, which isn't often as little man is awake and needs entertaining much of the day! I've also found the amount varies loads.



    Am also worried about overfeeding at the moment, waiting for hv to get back to me for some advice. On mon and tues hubby gave him a bottle before 7pm and he had the whole lot, which was 5oz both days, and still had to go on the breast afterward. He guzzles his bottle down, i think coz he loves to suck anything anyway, so i don't know if he's eating too fast, but if you stop for a break to wind him he screams!



    Have tickets to the ballet on mon night, which i'm in two minds about anyway, as have only left him to pop to the supermarket so far, but hubby thinks it'll do me good to go. Not sure i can until we get this bottle thing sussed so he's not still hungry though!



    xxx
  • what about giving him a dummy after the bottle? It might help settle him.x if he's still hungry you'll soon know
  • Has the possibility of Tongue tie been eliminated? This would help explain the unsettledness after frequent feeding.



    But sometime babys just like to feed, they will grow out of it eventually
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