Expressing amounts?

[Shinning_Star]

Hey I'm back again, still BF but still finding it a real challenge.

I actually expressed the other morning and fed her myself from a bottle, in practise for when df needs to feed baby girl and also cos the whole every two hours for an hour is getting a bit much! So I tried the bottle in the hope it would be ok and was nearly in tears worrying if she would then reject my boobs, but she wasn't bothered at all, and drank the expressed milk alot quicker then from my boob.

Anyway the question is when I'm expressing I am only managing 2 oz from each boob, no wonder she's feeding so often. Yeah sure it replenishes itself but surely I should be producing more then 2 oz from each boob?

I am getting so torn over this whole br, ff thing and keep going back and fourth to what I should be doing.

Thanks again xxxx

 

[Shinning_Star]

hmmm, ok 7 views no answers, not sure thats good sign.

 

[Samantha675]

I could only express between 2-3 oz at a time as well. Your baby girl will be able to get much more out of you than you can pump off. Her feeding every 2 hours is totally normal. It takes about that long for BM to be broken down in her little tummy. You are doing great love, hang in there.

 

[jolyn]

I'm confused about the amount I express as well. Sometimes they can be really full and I can only get 1-2oz out then other times I do it on the off chance and I get 4oz!!! And for some strange reason my left side gives out a lot less than my right.

There's a girl in my bfeeding group and she has so much milk she gets 9oz out at a time!!! So as far as I can gather there is no right answer, just varies from person to person.

 

[Smexi.Mommie]

some people dont pump as much becasue there let down reflex doesnt happen like it does with the baby when they use the pump....

 

[lauzliddle]

I can only express 2-3oz a time but I don't do it all the time so I am going to try and do it at the same time every day and see how much I get after a few days. Baby will get slot more than any pump as the way they suckle helps. Try not to worry too much and don't doubt yourself if LO is gaining weight and is happy everything will be fine.

 

[Shinning_Star]

Well not 100% on her weight gain, I thought she's grown loads, but when MW came round she has only gaine 2 lb in two weeks and HV wanted me to go into clinic next weds to weigh her again before we go away. So she didn't seem too happy with it tbh.

Tonight we're having another feed forever session, She's been feeding since 20.30, I expressed 4 oz earlier and she's juust drank 2 oz really quick and settled down, so am wondering if I'm not producing enough often enough. If I can only produce between 4-5 oz and she need 7oz it's not wonder she feeds or tries to for so long. I'm just so confused cos mid week she seemed to be fine and was sleeping through aside from a 3 am feed which was only taking ten-fifteen minutes and now she's back on feeding for ages and not settling down.

I know I need to have faith but man it's just so hard.

 

[Mervs Mum]

You cant compair what you pump like-for-like with what she'd take. A pump and a baby simply do not suck the same. Try not to fall into the 'exactly how much is baby getting' trap - it's very often the beginning of the end. It's very very rare for you to not to be able to produce enough milk. Put the baby to the breast and your supply will build. It's stiull very early days to be pumping - your BFing isnt established yet hun.

 

[lauzliddle]

It is really hard at your stage I doubted myself too and didn't think he was getting enough and really upset me when he lost 5 oz in the first week even though I knew they did it was thanks to the girls ok here that Made it through the first few weeks and now we are doing great.
Keep going your doing a great job

 

[Brockie]

your baby is still so young and at your stage i felt like i was always feeding and thought he must not be getting enough - but its how your baby and body build up a good milk supply you just have to go with it hon

and like others have said alot of people cant express alot of milk in one go, everyone is different try not to compare x

as long as there are plenty of wet nappies then baby is getting enough from you xx

 

[Shinning_Star]

Thanks folkes, I'm stil going! LOL Sorry I'm whinging sooo much, but it's just so difficult! I don't know how you girlies have the time to actually get the household chores done and not be a zombie on sticks.

ALas one more question though, is it normal for there to be poo in nappy every change? I change her every three hours before a feed and she always has a pooey nappy.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Hang in there babe!!! And sod the chores!! That's not your job right now!! You're doing amazingly well.

Hebe went from pooing every feed, to once a week and back to several a day - all normal!

 

[elm]

x

I get 3oz or less when I express too but I'm not worrying as we are getting plenty of heavy nappies. You're doing so well xxx

 

[mari72]

Sometimes i get nothing when i express, well very little but my little girl gets plenty. How much you can express is no indicator of how much your baby is getting and at this point your babys tummy is very small so she can only take a little at a time. Breast milk is the perfect foodstuff so its digested quickly hence the regular feeds. As your baby grows her stomach will and she'll be able to take more, sometimes my little girl will feed every two hours and other times she lasts up to 5/6. Babies snack the same way we do so she won't always go several hours. And did i read that your baby has put on 2lb in 2 weeks? Thats loads. Another telling comment you made is that your baby settled well after drinking 2oz-i don't think you need worry about having to give her 7oz at the moment as 2oz obviously satisfied her. You're doing great, try not to doubt your bodys ability to feed your baby-difficult i know, if she's happy/alert/lots of wet/dirty nappies then its all going great. Keep up the good work

 

[Samantha675]

If she gained a lb a week, that is awesome. brenn never did that. He always gained 1/2 a pound a week.

I was a zombie for a long time, and my house was a mess, but I didn't care. Here is how I looked at it. The chores, the mess and all of it will always be there, those precious first few days and weeks will not. Hang in there love, and whine all you want, you are half way there and doing a fab job!!!

 

[Shinning_Star]

Sorry girls meant 2 oz in two weeks, she was 7lb 3oz at birth she's now 7lb 4.5 oz.

My fault, Well bf is ok at the mo, she's feeding alot of the day, but my relationship is suffering, I am getting so frsutrated with my fiance cos he finds the time to sit on the pc or watch a film. where as when I get two seconds I seem to be running around like a blue ase fly to do the washing, put the clothes away. etc etc. Fiance cooks most of the meals and washes up the dinner stuff, which I am grateful for, but he does nothing else, I have to nag him just to take the rubbish down.

I keep forgetting to eat meals cos I don't have time and I've had a headache for three days cos I don't think I'm drinking enough!

Sorry for rant, feeling stressed and tired, wondering if this is all really worth it.

 

[elm]

Huge xxx

You really are doing well and you've been through so much already - it's got to get better soon!!! I've had a few problems feeding too and it's been really tough at times (and still is) but it's definitely been worth it for me, it's lovely seeing him get bigger and know that it's me making him grow if that makes sense and knowing I'm helping him not be ill and protecting him from colds and things is fantastic too.

Hope you can get your DF to do a bit more to help xxx (a big bottle of water where you feed might help to keep you drinking so you don't have to remember to get a drink before you start - I've found that helpful )

xxx