Just expressed for the 1st time, got 2.5 ounces - is that enough?

[Jayneypops]

Apart from expressing off a bit of milk before a feed I haven't properly expressed until today. I waited until lo was feeding from 1 breast and used my medela swing on the other breast. I pumped until there was nothing really coming out (is that right? ) and got 2.5oz.
Should I be concerned or is that about right? I want to be able to pump enough for 1 of her night feeds. How much is enough?

 

[missk1989]

Thats great for first time and at that age she will probably be taking about that but i would maybe pump a little extra so you have more if she is hungrier. That said if you are planning on giving it instead of a feed then at this stage you would need to be pumping to maintain your supply. If it was only once every now and then it wouldnt really matter but ideally i would wait another two weeks just to make sure you didnt hrt your supply.

 

[Jayneypops]

Thats great for first time and at that age she will probably be taking about that but i would maybe pump a little extra so you have more if she is hungrier. That said if you are planning on giving it instead of a feed then at this stage you would need to be pumping to maintain your supply. If it was only once every now and then it wouldnt really matter but ideally i would wait another two weeks just to make sure you didnt hrt your supply.

Thanks

I am hoping to be able to pump daily to create a regular daily bottle feed (just 1 bottle per day). If I continue to pump once a day at the same time as she feeds how might that affect my supply? Negatively? Im new to this!

 

[missk1989]

If you pump whilst she feeds from a bottle at the same then this wont really affect your supply as you are still telling your body to produce milk. If you feed off one side whilst pumping the other then this will increase milk production. This is fine but if you pump at the same time everyday and then miss a day you will become uncomfortable just as you would if you missed a feed.
Consistently missing feeds reduces supply as your body gets the message that you dont need the milk.

 

[Jayneypops]

If you pump whilst she feeds from a bottle at the same then this wont really affect your supply as you are still telling your body to produce milk. If you feed off one side whilst pumping the other then this will increase milk production. This is fine but if you pump at the same time everyday and then miss a day you will become uncomfortable just as you would if you missed a feed.

Ahh ok that makes sense. Its hard to work out whats best to do. I would like to think I can get to the point where LO is taking a bottle for 1 of her nightime feeds (maybe the 12.30 feed) so that dh can do it and I can get a block of sleep before her 3.30/4pm feed, so pumping while shes having that 12.30 feed will defeat the object. Hmm..................

 

[jessicatunnel]

That's really good! Most newborns only take about two ounces. Could you feed her from the breast for ten minutes or so and them feed her the bottle at night, just to make sure she is getting enough?

 

[Jayneypops]

That's really good! Most newborns only take about two ounces. Could you feed her from the breast for ten minutes or so and them feed her the bottle at night, just to make sure she is getting enough?

Yeah that's an idea. Ive now pumped again from the opposite boob, during her most recent feed so have 4oz bottled in the fridge. I was going to suggest that DH feed her this tonight at her late feed but am wondering now whether I should wait until ive collected some nightime milk.....

 

[jessicatunnel]

That's really good! Most newborns only take about two ounces. Could you feed her from the breast for ten minutes or so and them feed her the bottle at night, just to make sure she is getting enough?

Yeah that's an idea. Ive now pumped again from the opposite boob, during her most recent feed so have 4oz bottled in the fridge. I was going to suggest that DH feed her this tonight at her late feed but am wondering now whether I should wait until ive collected some nightime milk.....

4oz will be plenty for her.
I would probably pump and store some until I have at least a few nights worth, then you won't have to worry about not having any milk if you've missed a pumping session.

 

[Jayneypops]

That's really good! Most newborns only take about two ounces. Could you feed her from the breast for ten minutes or so and them feed her the bottle at night, just to make sure she is getting enough?

Yeah that's an idea. Ive now pumped again from the opposite boob, during her most recent feed so have 4oz bottled in the fridge. I was going to suggest that DH feed her this tonight at her late feed but am wondering now whether I should wait until ive collected some nightime milk.....

4oz will be plenty for her.
I would probably pump and store some until I have at least a few nights worth, then you won't have to worry about not having any milk if you've missed a pumping session.

And daytime milk would be ok to give her for a nightime feed?

 

[sept2010]

When you expressed the milk shouldnt matter...
Also at the moment your body is producing milk as an automatic response to you giving birth mainly i.e. hormones. Soon it will produce according to demand. So the 12.30 feed you are hoping to get ur other half to feed lo will mean your body will reduce supply at that time. For example, if baby started sleeping through the night. You would be engorged for a few nights then supply will reduce at night.

 

[Emmy0320]

All great advice! The only thing I might add is that at 2 weeks 2 days you might want to wait another week or two before introducing the bottle to make sure that breastfeeding is really well established. At least that was the advice of our lactation consultant. Good luck!!!