Do you NEED to express??

[wtbmummy]

Hi ladies,
I am a little bit confused. With ds I eff from day one. This time I want to try and bf.

I thought this would just mean me bfing baby girl and thats that. However I have seen a lot of women who also express milk. Not always even to save but because they "need" too???

Also baby girl is due next month and in June I have a hen do to attend, overnight, and I will be drinking.

So do I have to express from day one like ontop of the bfing?
If I do struggle (i have my own body issues which is why i didnt bf ds) then can i purely express and feed dd with a bottle so she still gets goodness? Or would that not work?
How do you store breast milk?

Tbh I have not made a clear cut choice yet as like I say I have my own personal issues and it makes me very nervous. I really want to try but at the same time I dont want to put to much pressure on myself if that makes sence.

Anyway. Thank you xx

 

[lau86]

You don't need to express, I never really expressed as I never got much out and it's such a faff! If I wanted to go out I gave dd a bottle of formula. Lots of women do express easily though, it's possible to exclusively feed a baby that way. You can buy breastmilk storage bags and they will keep for a few days or so in the fridge or you can put them in the freezer

 

[rescuemom82]

You don't have to express if you don't want to or if you're not working

I would personalyl though get your baby used to a bottle ASAP or they can become quite stubborn.

when your baby is born, feed from the breast first and then have your partner or someone else top up with a tiny bottle to get her accepting it.

My daughter had to be supplemented in the hospital for medical reasons and she took both breast/bottle no problem. My son, I was too tired to give him bottles and he is 20 months and still BF and it's hard.
So my suggestion is to give small bottles right away whehter they are formula or boob milk

 

[Twag]

I only expressed because I was at work you don't have too

Good luck with whichever decision you choose

 

[Bevziibubble]

You don't have to express. I only expressed occasionally for James and only because I was lucky enough that he would switch between breastfeeding and a bottle of expressed milk with no issues so it was handy if DH was with him for awhile.

 

[Srrme]

No, you don't have to express. Since you'll be gone overnight and plan on drinking later on, I would express in advance if you plan to bottle feed her your milk during that time you're going to be absent.

 

[noon_child]

As you'll know from your previous pregnancy, milk comes in 3-5 days after baby is born whether you feed or not, however after this initial hormone driven milk arrives milk making starts to swap to a supply and demand relationship. Therefore women may pump for the following reasons:
1)Baby is not latching well, so needs expressed milk while either physical issues are sorted (e.g. Tongue tie) or while mum and baby take some time to learn how to get a better latch. This keeps mums supply going and keeps baby fed.
2)Mum has followed some bad advice about stretching out time between feedings, or baby has got a preference for sucking a dummy and so mum's supply has dipped low. Expressing after feeds will increase mums supply back up.
3)Mum just wants a break, but isn't keen on formula, or is worried about getting a blocked duct or decreasing her supply if she doesn't express/feed.
4) Mum needs a stash of milk for going back to work, or for some other time away from baby.