expressing milk

[mickey]

I was bf Juleika so far, but wanted to start expressing milk that we can give her bottles as well, e.g. OH can get involved in feeding...

but as the demand regulates the supply of the milk I am wondering what will happen, if I start to express.

if I express one feed, I still have to express the feed the baby didn't get from the breast later one, which looks for me like the milk demand will increase and therefore the supply?

am I right?

I am worried 'bout getting engorgement, a blocked duct or even mastitis

thx for answering

 

[Helen]

Hi

I'd stick to a regular time to express each day. For instance, I used to express first thing in the morning before I fed C and T and get a bit from both boobs. DH would either be changing them or getting me breakfast in bed! By the time I'd built up, I was getting 3oz from each one which DH used to feed them at their late feed. I topped them up from the breast after they'd had their bottle but usually by then there wasn't a lot left to have!

Yes, your milk supply will increase, but you need it to in order to be able to express and carry on feeding as well. Start slowly, say 1/2oz from each boob and then build up gradually over a couple of weeks.

Hope that helps.

H

 

[mickey]

thx, Helen

I am really lost with this expressing milk thing at the moment.

are there any good books 'bout this as well?

or something on the net?

when did you start to give them a bottle?

I am worried that Juleika will refuse the bottle at the end, if I wait any longer from now on?

 

[marley2580]

If you want to continue BF, you're really supposed to wait until they are 6 weeks old before introducing the bottle. This is because a baby has to work harder to get milk from the breast than from a bottle, so if BF isn't well established they can start refusing the breast. However you can express now and freeze it so you always have a couple of days supply.