Expressing

[Jess&Frank]

Hi
What does everyone think of expressing? I think that if I'd not been able to express (and feed the milk to Frank), I would probably have already given up breastfeeding. I started expressing from about 4 weeks (which is earlier than is recommended). But I did it because I needed to feel that I could leave Frank with his dad if I needed to. And I think Frank's dad was very keen for me to express too because he wanted to be able to take Frank out, just the 2 of them.
I have found expressing easy and Frank also took to the bottle without any trouble but I'm aware that that isn't the case for everyone. I'd be interested in hearing everyone's experiences.

Jess

[loulouh1973]

I have tried expressing and had no trouble with it, but as you'll see from my other posts, I have trouble getting evie to accept bottles. As she's nearly 4 months now, I am close to giving up with bottles and waiting until she's old enough to try a cup It does get me worked up and frustrated when she won't take bottles. Apparently, the la Leche League say it's no bad thing, and I shouldn't feel bad, which did make me feel better. I can't help thinking that 4 hours is enough to be away from her when she's so small, and I get twitchy if I'm away from her for too long anyway. I would love daddy to be able to giver her a feed, but I know there will be plenty time for that when we start the joys of weaning!

[Catherine&George]

I first had to express milk for George when he was just 4 days old as he had lost more than 10% of his birth weight and the midwife advised feeding him from one side and then giving him 30 ml from a bottle as a top up every 3 hours. We were lucky that this worked (George put on 200g in 24 hours) and that he was happy to take milk from a bottle. After that 24 hour period top ups were no longer necessary but as he had shown that he could take from a bottle we gave him expressed milk about once a week so that his dad was able to enjoy feeding him. Now George is 16 weeks, the fact that I can express milk and leave it for him is great and means that I have been able to enjoy some of my pre baby activities in the evening while dad puts him to bed (when I get back in I express what I would have fed George and put it in the freezer for the next time).

In terms of expressing I use an electric medela pump which is great. I have found thought that I always get far more milk off from my right side that the left - must have wonky boobs!

[Kirsty&Felix]

When I first started expressing I couldn't get anything out at all. I kept trying for about three weeks and eventually I got the hang of it. Now every night my husband takes Felix upstairs and gives him a bottle of expressed milk before bed. This gives me a much needed break and I get chance to cook, which I love and really missed when I first had Felix. Later on before I go to bed I express for the next night. I usually manage about 4 - 7 oz and this can take anything from 15 mins to an hour. We use this milk for the next evening and if there isn't enough for a 7oz bottle we mix some formula into it. If we don't give Felix 7oz he screams his head off and wont go to sleep, he's a big baby and very greedy! So much that I've resorted to mix feeding with formula. I find that expressing helps to keep my milk supply up. If I couldn't express I would've given up breast feeding a long time ago too.