Bf and expressing questions

[samantha_sarah]

I really want to bf but im want OH to be able to feed her too, has anyone expressed from birth? Either combined feeding or just expressing not bfing?

I heard that bf also ruins your boobs, is this true?

 

[tasha41]

Ooh I assume expressing means like pumping your milk into a bottle rather than feeding the baby from your breast? I'm curious to know also.. anyone?

AND I've read in all my books that are "pro-breastfeeding" that breastfeeding does NOT wreck your boobs, but I read in my books that are unbiased about feeding (educate on formula AND breast) that this is one of the reasons women opt to formula feed? If someone who knows can answer this it'd be lovely

 

[Pyrrhic]

Nothing wrong with my boobs - lol!

Be careful about mixing bottle and breast too much when they are newborns as it can confuse them and sometimes they will start to reject the breast in favour of the bottle as the bottle is easier to get milk from. (This is what happened to me, and I had to get her BFing again) It's better if you can get them established at breast feeding before introducing a bottle, and then try to use a bottle that is as 'close to nature' as possible. I use www.breastflow.com but there are lots of different brands out there.

 

[pinkmac85]

Meh even if it does 'ruin' my boobs so be it! That's what a good bra is there for lol

 

[passengerrach]

iv heard that it is wearing the wrong support in pregnancy that ruins ur boobs not bf

 

[claire roach]

ill be feeding breast milk from fac a bottle only, i just cant face the baby sucking my breast. my OH feels the same he even asked me not 2 lol. but i want her 2 have the best so in a bottle it will go, plus then OH can do the feeds aswell

 

[elm]

I think there can be problems expressing from birth if you use bottles as it's easier for your baby to drink from the bottle than it is from your breast (although you can use a feeding cup and not use a bottle at all).

I'd be reluctant to express at first anyway because your body produces what your baby needs and if you're expressing milk you won't know how much your baby would have had on their own (if that makes sense!). I'd leave it initially and just feed your baby yourself - there are loads of things your man can do instead and he can feed her later on.

 

[helen1234]

breast feeding is a pychological process too and your body will make as much as your baby needs this takes a few weeks to build up and get into.
after a while expressing now and again is fine.
its the actual sucking that baby does that keeps milk coming thats why alot of preemie baby mums struggle with expressing all the time.
if i were you speak to your mw and get proper advice dont take it from here as if you were to lose milk production its hard to get it back.
i'm going to bf straight from me as part of the reason for bf'ing is the faffing around with bottles and i want that extra special bond.

x

 

[cupcake]

if im not mistaken i think tinytoes did this, its important for the first 6 weeks or so to breastfeed a lot so you have a good supply, i dont see why one bottle a day or pumped milk given by the dad ( esp at night lol) would harm you once breastfeeding is established.

 

[littlemansmum]

Well my boobs are fine! I bf my little man from birth, but as he was jaundiced i was having to wake him every hour to feed day and night so by day 6 i was dead and started expressing so hubby could help out and do some feeds so i could sleep a little.
I found my manual pump a bit hard, so this time i will be using an electric pump, but that is a personal choice. Once he was over the jaundice i carried on expressing but froze the milk and bf exclusively until about 8 or 9 weeks when hubby started doing the odd feed again which really helped him bond with our son. I personally had no problems with bottle interferring with bf, but i know some have so i guess maybe ask your mw/health visitor for advice xxx

 

[NatalieW]

My midwife says you have to wait until your supply has come in and baby is feeding well before expressing... so it could be anywhere between a week and six weeks before expressing. I will be doing the same, I want to leave DH to feed as well as me!

 

[Logiebear]

4 weeks is the standard time to establish bfing. Once this time has past and bothy ou and baby are comfortable with it then you can introduce 1 bottle a day. My friend "tops up" her 8 week old with formula before bed time and her husband gives that.

I have no personal experience of bfing but I am planning on doing it this time, I have a lot of comlications against me and I may have to express before baby arrvies so I am ready but will see xxx

 

[Hevz]

iv heard that it is wearing the wrong support in pregnancy that ruins ur boobs not bf

That's correct, good support while breastfeeding and all the time in fact is important....and whether you breastfeed or not your boobs will still full with milk and stretch to a certain extent.

 

[NatalieW]

I'm going to be doing the same as Logie bear...