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[lynnikins]

Once I've expressed, how do I go about storing the milk? in a bottle or sterilised container with a lid in the back of the fridge
How long will it be good for?if you express then store it will be good 3-5 days but once you heat it you cant re-chill it , at room temp fresh from expressing you have a few hours
What's the best way of heating it up ready for feeding? sit the bottle in a container of fresh boiled water to warm through then swirl it around to mix the milk ( it will seperate when stored in the fridge )
When is the best time to express? Your supply is highest at night so most people find they get the best results expressing one side while or shortly after feeding the other side first thing in the morning. this depends how long your LO sleeps for you want to allow about an hour for the breast to re-fill with the richer milk after expressing

Thanx in advance

hope that helps hun

 

[2RockinBoys]

Thank you!! I'll be giving it a go tomorrow night then, as my OH will be finishing work for christmas and I'll be able to have a lay in if i need it

 

[3boys]

so happy to have found this thread, I have tried to bf all 4 of my children but it never was successful, I am determined to make it work with baby Jacob when he comes and hope i can be matched with someone for support when he arrives. thanks ladies. x x

 

[Lownthwaite]

so happy to have found this thread, I have tried to bf all 4 of my children but it never was successful, I am determined to make it work with baby Jacob when he comes and hope i can be matched with someone for support when he arrives. thanks ladies. x x

I'd be more than happy to offer you support and advice 3boys

 

[3boys]

so happy to have found this thread, I have tried to bf all 4 of my children but it never was successful, I am determined to make it work with baby Jacob when he comes and hope i can be matched with someone for support when he arrives. thanks ladies. x x

I'd be more than happy to offer you support and advice 3boys

thank you so much hun, the longest i have managed is two weeks before i gave in and ff. I dont have much support except from my hubby but when he sees me crying in pain he is more than happy to make a bottle which i completely understand but i have asked him to be tougher on me this time and i wont be buying any bottles etc, because i normally give in during the night when baby wants to use my breasts as a soother and goes to sleep but when i try to put them down they cry and the whole process starts over. On all my babies the nurses said that babies latch was perfect but it still hurt alot and my nipples bled. Anyway thats been previous experiences, im hoping i can persevere this time.

 

[Lownthwaite]

I'm sure it'll go well this time hun

Feel free to pm me anytime.

My LO is 18 months now, she's still breastfeeding and has never had formula. I've also got experience with thrush, blocked ducts, latching issues, feeding after a EMCS, breastfeeding whilst BLW and co-sleeping so feel free to ask away

 

[3boys]

thank you so much, I feel much more positive knowing i have someone to call on. Hospital are hoping to induce me at 38wks so i will be calling on you then x x

 

[Lownthwaite]

thank you so much, I feel much more positive knowing i have someone to call on. Hospital are hoping to induce me at 38wks so i will be calling on you then x x

You're very welcome!

I hope the remainder of your pregnancy goes well
Feel free to pm me before hand if you have any questions etc......

 

[lynnikins]

good luck hun when it comes to it , ive gotten through the first 3 weeks now without resorting to formula after BF ds2 for 14 months and ds1 for just 6wks so things are settling down now again this time and getting easier and less sore, Im here also if you want any advice or help

 

[MissSazra]

Hi all!

Was wondering if anyone can offer any support or advice?

Bit of a long story, sorry!

The midwives in the hospital where I gave birth didn't support me with breastfeeding at all. They didn't show me how to latch Poppy on properly when I asked for help, just came along, grabbed my breast and put it in her mouth. I felt like I was being a nuisance when I asked for help every time she needed to feed, and eventually we went it alone and I thought things were fine.

We were discharged the next day, and never got our community mw visit. 2 days later we knew something was wrong, Poppy was so upset all the time and we couldn't calm her down. We went to our local birthing centre, who couldn't believe we'd been left alone for 2 days and got us re-admitted to hospital straight away as Poppy had lost 13% in weight and was dehydrated.

When we got to hospital I was told to express to see how much milk I was producing, it was 2ml after 10 mins on each side. Poppy was put on a feeding routine whereby I fed her for as long as she'd have me, then she was to have any expressed milk then be topped up with formula. No one really pushed the breastfeeding, didn't suggest putting her back on when she came off herself, just to move on to the bottle.

4 weeks on and this is still our routine as I still cannot produce more than 30ml per expressing session, so I'm pretty convinced that Poppy isn't getting enough milk from me, especially as she still takes a good 90/100ml of formula afterwards.

I'm getting completely down about breastfeeding, and the health visitor has even suggested I give up as it's making me so miserable. But I just don't want to quit. Whenever dh suggests just giving her the bottle, I force myself to feed her, as I feel so guilty at the thought of not trying. Yet after a while of her fussing and not wanting to latch properly I get so upset and she gets the bottle.

I could really use some support and expert advice. Deep down I know it's not my fault, (we've both had a traumatic time after the birth) and it's certainly not Poppy's fault, she's trying her best, but just can't get the hang of it, and who can blame her if she's not getting enough from me! I am going to go to a group this week, I couldn't get to one before as I was ill and then with them all closed for Christmas, but fear I've left it too late.

I would welcome any advice to help me to persevere.

Thanks

Sarah & Poppy Xx

 

[Nervous_1]

*hugs* sounds like you've had an awful time with your so called healthcare professionals!

First of all I would try not to give any formula at all, as this does more harm to your supply by not telling your body that more milk needs to be produced. I would spend a day in bed or on the sofa naked from the waist up, and strip lil one to just a nappy, and spend the time skin to skin and feeding as often as lil one demands it. The trick is to try and stay calm and relaxed as baby will pick up on your feeling anxious and this will make it harder for her to latch.

By doing this you should boost your supply quite a bit, but if you want to make sure it's the best it can possibly be then make sure you drink plenty of water, eat oat based foods like porridge, and get some fenugreek capsules from Holland and Barrett. Also, try pumping for 5 mins or so on each side after lil one has fed to signal that more milk is required. Even if you get not a drop out this will help!

One final thing, don't be disheartened by the amount you can or can't pump out - a baby is far better at getting the milk out than any pump will be. It is absolutely no indication of how good or bad your supply is!

HTH!

 

[lynnikins]

*hugs* sounds like you've had an awful time with your so called healthcare professionals!

First of all I would try not to give any formula at all, as this does more harm to your supply by not telling your body that more milk needs to be produced. I would spend a day in bed or on the sofa naked from the waist up, and strip lil one to just a nappy, and spend the time skin to skin and feeding as often as lil one demands it. The trick is to try and stay calm and relaxed as baby will pick up on your feeling anxious and this will make it harder for her to latch.

By doing this you should boost your supply quite a bit, but if you want to make sure it's the best it can possibly be then make sure you drink plenty of water, eat oat based foods like porridge, and get some fenugreek capsules from Holland and Barrett. Also, try pumping for 5 mins or so on each side after lil one has fed to signal that more milk is required. Even if you get not a drop out this will help!

One final thing, don't be disheartened by the amount you can or can't pump out - a baby is far better at getting the milk out than any pump will be. It is absolutely no indication of how good or bad your supply is!

HTH!

id second all that advice. skin to skin time really does help

 

[MissSazra]

Thanks, I think I'm just scared to cut out the formula due to how unwell Poppy was before, and I don't want to do anything that could hurt her, but I understand that it will really help to boost my supply so I shall give it a try at the weekend when dh is home to support me and keep me positive.

We have been doing skin to skin sometimes, but I shall make sure I do it every time.

Thanks again! Xx

 

[babypowder]

Hello! I have come on board as a new BF champion. I have experience with very frequent feeders and milk protein intolerances.

Happy to help

 

[summer rain]

*hugs* sounds like you've had an awful time with your so called healthcare professionals!

First of all I would try not to give any formula at all, as this does more harm to your supply by not telling your body that more milk needs to be produced. I would spend a day in bed or on the sofa naked from the waist up, and strip lil one to just a nappy, and spend the time skin to skin and feeding as often as lil one demands it. The trick is to try and stay calm and relaxed as baby will pick up on your feeling anxious and this will make it harder for her to latch.

By doing this you should boost your supply quite a bit, but if you want to make sure it's the best it can possibly be then make sure you drink plenty of water, eat oat based foods like porridge, and get some fenugreek capsules from Holland and Barrett. Also, try pumping for 5 mins or so on each side after lil one has fed to signal that more milk is required. Even if you get not a drop out this will help!

One final thing, don't be disheartened by the amount you can or can't pump out - a baby is far better at getting the milk out than any pump will be. It is absolutely no indication of how good or bad your supply is!

HTH!

id second all that advice. skin to skin time really does help

I'd third that advice, I really struggle to get out more than an oz ever with any type of pump yet throughout my BF relationship with my youngest I have had an oversupply and engorgement-up until 10 months I'd experience serious leaking problems and even last week I leaked quite a bit Also when you feel like it I'd definitely suggest making a complaint about the lack of support and misleading info regarding BF at your local hospital and also no midwife turning up for so long xx

 

[MissSazra]

*hugs* sounds like you've had an awful time with your so called healthcare professionals!

First of all I would try not to give any formula at all, as this does more harm to your supply by not telling your body that more milk needs to be produced. I would spend a day in bed or on the sofa naked from the waist up, and strip lil one to just a nappy, and spend the time skin to skin and feeding as often as lil one demands it. The trick is to try and stay calm and relaxed as baby will pick up on your feeling anxious and this will make it harder for her to latch.

By doing this you should boost your supply quite a bit, but if you want to make sure it's the best it can possibly be then make sure you drink plenty of water, eat oat based foods like porridge, and get some fenugreek capsules from Holland and Barrett. Also, try pumping for 5 mins or so on each side after lil one has fed to signal that more milk is required. Even if you get not a drop out this will help!

One final thing, don't be disheartened by the amount you can or can't pump out - a baby is far better at getting the milk out than any pump will be. It is absolutely no indication of how good or bad your supply is!

HTH!

id second all that advice. skin to skin time really does help

I'd third that advice, I really struggle to get out more than an oz ever with any type of pump yet throughout my BF relationship with my youngest I have had an oversupply and engorgement-up until 10 months I'd experience serious leaking problems and even last week I leaked quite a bit Also when you feel like it I'd definitely suggest making a complaint about the lack of support and misleading info regarding BF at your local hospital and also no midwife turning up for so long xx

Thanks. I emailed a letter of complaint to the hospital yesterday and have heard back today that they are following it up. Myself and my husband will be invited to a meeting to hear the outcome of their investigation, which will give us a chance to personally tell them the distress all of this has left us in. Sadly, it's not only this that they messed up, so they have a lot to answer for!

Thanks for all the advice everyone, much appreciated! Xx

 

[summer rain]

I hope you get the outcome you're looking for-and they seriously address their policies and practices for the future! xx

 

[MissSazra]

I hope you get the outcome you're looking for-and they seriously address their policies and practices for the future! xx

I just want to make sure that no one else has to go through what we did. It was only because we went for help that we caught the problem in time. I dread to think what could have happened if we hadn't listened to our gut instincts.

I'm only thankful that Poppy will have no recollection of all of this, and hopefully in time, the bad memories will fade for me! Xx

 

[ablacketer]

new volunteer poppin in to say hello!!!

American, active duty mom, babies over 10 years apart, both boys nursed past one year.

 

[Maggs]

Hi I'm new here too, I just joined up to help others with breastfeeding as it was a huge help to have people to turn to in the first few weeks. I'm not as knowledgeable as some on here, but I've been reading posts for the last few months and I hope I can be of some support and encouragement.