Adjusting to feeding premature baby

[bjl1981]

My little boy was born early, and has spent 2 weeks in neonatal, mainly being fed by a tube. When my milk came in I was expressing around 8 times a day and on both sides. For the last 3 days I've been feeding him myself, but I have more milk than he needs because of how well my expressing was going.

Up to now I've been feeding on one side only, and then the next feed swapping to the other side. If after he's fed I still feel like there is milk I've been expressing a little to stop me getting sore, and expressing the other side too.

Today little one came home (yey!) and so I'll be mainly just feeding him, and not expressing. I'm not sure if I should start doing half a feed on each side?

What do most people do? 1 side at a time, or half and half?
Do you think if I do half and half it will help reduce my supply more gently??
Thanks for any replies!

 

[noon_child]

It's very common to have too much milk in the early days and it will level out in the end. Switching sides before baby is done is not really recommended, and how would you know what is half a feed? Newborns quite often take only one side but some take both.

I don't think you need to express after he feeds as that is going to increase your supply even more. Unless, are you saying you still have hard engorged breasts after he feeds (in the side he fed from)? You may want to express from the one he hasn't fed from but try not to take off too much. If he's feeding every 2hrs at least then you should be able to leave your breasts (fingers crossed) without needing to express any off.