is this possible?

[Mumof42009]

Sounds stupid but can you express instead of breast feeding? i expressed with my others but milk dried up very quickly due to them being prem, baby having problems lacthing on. so im thinking of just expressing and not even trying to breast feeding at least i know that way i can keep the milk flowing do you think hospital would accept this? or do you think they would be funny with me?

 

[Rebaby]

You can express instead of breastfeeding, but if you're not putting your baby to the breast at all your milk production will slow down and dry up pretty quickly.

Breast pumps are not as 'good' at stimulating milk production as a sucking baby so although you should be able to express for a short while in the longer term it probably isn't very achievable to 'just' express. (If you're planning to continue just expressing once you and baby are home for example)

I work on a neonatal unit so i understand your concern, if there's a chance you'll be having another pre term baby then the likelihood is they won't be able to get to the breast right away and will have problems latching on, particularly before 34 weeks...but if you can express at the cotside and have skin to skin with your baby this should help your milk supply until baby is well enough to try at the breast.

Hope that helps hun?

 

[babystar]

i haven't had the chance to breastfeed so far darling sorry...lol..am no help to you!

 

[angelstardust]

I found that if I just let baby play about at the breast that kept my milk going. Both mine were early and had problems feeding (they were just too tired) and after a day or so I had that much milk that it would just drip out into their mouths. I had no problems expressing, I filled the fridge!

If you have to express in your own room, do it straight after seeing baby, keep lots of pictures about and I had a teddy that I would take with me to express then put back in the incubator till next expressing time. Whether babies scent was on it or not it seemed to help. Was an emotional link to baby.

 

[AnnaHughes]

I was planning on just expressing, however, midwife ( who has been very neutral on the whole not BF and me wanting to FF) said that this prob wouldnt be feasible in hospital for 2 main reasons.

The colostrum (sp?) that you produce in the first 2 days, is VERY difficult to express, and is unlikely to work properly

Also, the MW said that i would have issues with sterilizing - i said that I have already bought the use once pre sterilised bottles, but she said what about the actual express pump?

So, I am still thinking about what to do, but I would speak to your midwife, she may be able to give you more answers

 

[angelstardust]

Anna, get a travel cold water steriliser and you can use that in hospital for the pump, and even small bottles, just take it in with the fluid or tablets.

Considering that the hospital provide pumps and sterilising equipment for women who are expressing for babies in special care I don't see the problem, except for them being difficult.

I had no trouble expressing colostrum, the first 3 days it is hard to express until your milk comes in, but it's the same if baby was feeing from you.

Your mw should be a bit more supportive.

 

[AnnaHughes]

Anna, get a travel cold water steriliser and you can use that in hospital for the pump, and even small bottles, just take it in with the fluid or tablets.

Considering that the hospital provide pumps and sterilising equipment for women who are expressing for babies in special care I don't see the problem, except for them being difficult.

I had no trouble expressing colostrum, the first 3 days it is hard to express until your milk comes in, but it's the same if baby was feeing from you.

Your mw should be a bit more supportive.

Thank you - I have been agonising for the last week over the fact that i should breastfeed ( for me expressing was kinda a mid way point) but then I felt guilty when the midwife said I wouldnt be able to express, and decided that I would have to give breast feeding a go - but now I feel a whole lot better! My MW is a community midwife, so i think I will ring the hospital today to check what they offer - thank you

 

[Mumof42009]

Thanks everyone im going to start off expressing and see what happens from there i have been told that could deliver anytime from 27 wks depending how my placenta holds out as have abruprtions. Im going to get a travel sterliser and take a breast pump in with me as well for when im not at nicu and feel like expressing.
Rebaby you all do brill jobs huni your all angels xxx

 

[Rebaby]

Thanks hun, it's an amazing field to work in. Some very sad times but some incredible ones too and the good definitely outweighs the bad i find.

Just been on a breastfeeding study day for work today and it was really informative. Apparently hand expressing (rather than using the pump) is recommended for the first 2-3 days (until your milk really starts to come in) as if you can express into a sterile bag or pot or dish by hand and then syringe up what you get (probably only a few mls) there will be less wastage as apparently the colostrum often gets 'lost' in the tubing on the pumps because it comes through in such small amounts. That is something i didn't know as on the NNU i have only ever taught women how to use the breast pumps not how to hand express...up until now!

 

[marley2580]

There are one or two women that post of the breastfeeding forum that exclusively express, but from what they've said it is a hell of a lot of work - expressing every 2 hours including during the night.

 

[angelstardust]

I was told to hand express when my two were in NICU and SCBU. Or at least start off with breast massage then use the pump (big electric pump that was really good at getting everything in the bottle).

And also when I was in the bath, the heat would let my milk down so I took a sterilised bottle with me and worked out a way to hold it under my nipple and express with one hand.