How do I stop expressing safely?

[Dona]

Hi Girls,

I am currently expressing milk whilst my little one is in hospital. He should be getting out in 5-6 weeks. By then I would like to have stopped expressing and using up the tons of bottles I have in the freezer. I understand that I just cannot stop overnight as there is a weaning off process I need to follow.

Does anyone know what this looks like and how long will it take for my milk to completely dry up. I have a rather big milk supply too.

I want to ensure I do this properly eliminating any risk of mastitis.

Thanks again! xxxx

 

[Michy]

How often are you expressing hun?

 

[Mervs Mum]

I'm not sure how long it would take Dona - I guess it's another case of eveyone being different.

My advice would be to start to drop certain pumping sessions - maybe start with one morning, one afternoon and a night one. I'd also pump for shorter times on all feeds. This should tell your boobs that you need less with out engorgement etc.

Now I dont know how it works if you've had a preemie but keep storing it because even if you dont use it you could donate it back to your SCBU. I donate my excess milk as my hospital has a milk bank so it wouldnt go to waste. So long as it's marked up with the freeze date etc they can use it for mummies who cant or are struggling to express.

Let us know how you get one hun x

BTW - you might need a blood test before they'd use it obv

 

[Bec L]

I was expressing while Poppy was in special care so she had it in her tube feeds and also had a freezer full of excess milk. When she came home I was breastfeeding her and still had a lot of frozen milk as I carried on expressing once a day so she could have a EBM bottle feed. She refused her bottle from about 4 months so I STILL have lots of milk but it's been really handy for weaning for mixing with baby rice. You might want to think about keeping some stored for this purpose? It can be stored for up to 6 months I think.

I wasn't allowed to donate milk- they tokd me I'd have to be screened first.

PS Welcome back Mervs mum

 

[Mervs Mum]

I was expressing while Poppy was in special care so she had it in her tube feeds and also had a freezer full of excess milk. When she came home I was breastfeeding her and still had a lot of frozen milk as I carried on expressing once a day so she could have a EBM bottle feed. She refused her bottle from about 4 months so I STILL have lots of milk but it's been really handy for weaning for mixing with baby rice. You might want to think about keeping some stored for this purpose? It can be stored for up to 6 months I think.

I wasn't allowed to donate milk- they tokd me I'd have to be screened first.

PS Welcome back Mervs mum

Thanks

Yeah - I had to be tested but then they took it - your baby needs tp be under 6 months when you start donating. They still pasturise it before giving it which makes it 100% safe for the babes. They take it frozen (must be less than 3 months from freezing) and they keep it up to another 3 months....they also sell it to other SCBU's. They provide you with bottles and a pump if you need one.

But definately keep as much as you need - and as Bec says you can use it when you wean

 

[Dona]

I was expressing while Poppy was in special care so she had it in her tube feeds and also had a freezer full of excess milk. When she came home I was breastfeeding her and still had a lot of frozen milk as I carried on expressing once a day so she could have a EBM bottle feed. She refused her bottle from about 4 months so I STILL have lots of milk but it's been really handy for weaning for mixing with baby rice. You might want to think about keeping some stored for this purpose? It can be stored for up to 6 months I think.

I wasn't allowed to donate milk- they tokd me I'd have to be screened first.

PS Welcome back Mervs mum

Thanks

Yeah - I had to be tested but then they took it - your baby needs tp be under 6 months when you start donating. They still pasturise it before giving it which makes it 100% safe for the babes. They take it frozen (must be less than 3 months from freezing) and they keep it up to another 3 months....they also sell it to other SCBU's. They provide you with bottles and a pump if you need one.

But definately keep as much as you need - and as Bec says you can use it when you wean

Thanks Girls. Yeah I have about 140 x 100ml bottles in the freezer just now and this is increasing. I plan to use them up when Archie is out of the hospital for 50 50 and for weaning.

I just dont want to be expressing and feeding when he is home - far to knackering! Mervs Mum - you have told me the same as the nurses in the hospital have told me. I will give it a go a couple of weeks from Archie's coming home date.

Mervs mum - where have you been? xxxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Mervs Mum - you have told me the same as the nurses in the hospital have told me. I will give it a go a couple of weeks from Archie's coming home date.

Mervs mum - where have you been? xxxx

I've just started some BFing training I've not been far away