The ins and outs of exclusively expressing

[Jox]

Hi :wave: I'd say if ur able to bf in the beginning then to do that because u dont get a lot of colostrum and because its so thick a lot can get lost in the tubes and piping of the pump.

I won't lie, expressing is hard. I did it for 4 months. U HAVE to express every 3 hrs and it can take half hr each time. I'd highly recommend that u have a double pump too, halves expressing time get lansinoh cream in ready!

 

[helloeveryone]

Hi just a quick question i might have to express because my baby has got a cleft lip /palate and can not breastfeed a baby with this condition...
I know i will have to express every 2/3 hours in the first 12 weeks but not sure if it is best to express every 2 hours or every 3 hours which time is best to aim for....

Thanks ....
And also i will have to hand express(37 weeks) before baby is born has any one any advice about how much columlon i will get out...

 

[shambaby]

Hi just a quick question i might have to express because my baby has got a cleft lip /palate and can not breastfeed a baby with this condition...
I know i will have to express every 2/3 hours in the first 12 weeks but not sure if it is best to express every 2 hours or every 3 hours which time is best to aim for....

Thanks ....
And also i will have to hand express(37 weeks) before baby is born has any one any advice about how much columlon i will get out...

hello sorry to hear about your baby's condition, but at least you can be prepared and plan for what you will have to do. it's difficult to advise really, as in my experience the usual advice does not apply to everyone - i followed the advice i was given at first and ended up with too much milk, which sounds like a good problem to have, but it led to mastitis, infections, many blocked ducts and an abcess which may well have caused permanant damage - i get far less from that breast compared to the other, since it happened.

having said that some people have problems with low supply. i think you can't really know what will work for you until you are doing it and see what your supply is like. i found it helpful to keep a log of how much i was expressing each time, and how much hayden was drinking, so i could make sure there was enough. unfortunately i did get a little obsessed with it for a while and it made me panic when the amount i expressed started to drop when i pumped less (even though it was still double what he was drinking!). and it has become a bit of a habit - i am still doing it now, even though i know i am pumping far less than he is drinking, and am actually slowing it down to stop, and the amount he drinks is fairly stable.

as for the amount of colostrum you are likely to get - i am not sure, as i didn't start expressing until after my milk came in. i believe that can vary too but is usually not very much, so you are better off hand expressing so you don't lose any in the pump, and some people struggle to get any at all, especially antenatally.

good luck x

 

[MetalMummy]

This morning I had decided that I was going to knock all this breastmilk idea on the head but then i'd remembered that I'd seen this thread while browsing the forums, read every post then decided that I would maybe keep trying for a little while longer.

Ok, this is my situation..

My LO is almost 6 weeks old and I initially started BF her but then had probs and had to revert to part expressing and then topping up with formula. Save me going through a lengthy explanation, for anyone that's interested, here's a thread I did recently - https://www.babyandbump.com/breastfeeding/584617-my-milk.html

Where I'm at now is, I am taking 6 Fenugreek a day and also I was eventually perscribed Domperidone, which I have been taking for 2 weeks now at 2 a day, but has not given me the results I so desperately wanted.
Basically I have never had this great abundant milk flow. I think maybe I haven't helped myself somewhat as, I have had a couple of gaps where I wasn't able to express, so maybe my flow practically came to a halt? Also, from reading through this thread (which is bloody briiliant btw!) I have realised that I have not been on the pump nearly enough, in fact nowhere near as much as I should have been. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person, but feel so stupid about my lack of comprehension of all this! I have also been quite stressed lately and for several other reasons, this has affected how many times I've tried expressing but could also the stress hinder the flow too?

Ok, now that I've over-rambled above, I was wondering if someone could offer me some no frills advice? Basically I need to know if it's worth me continuing to try and get my milk flowing or have I left it too late? I am definately not going to try to BF again as my LO just doesn't like it, so won't put either of us through the stress. I don't mind using some expressed milk and also still giving formula too, as I don't expect miracles, but still feel very passionate about giving my daughter some of my milk. I am still only getting a little more than a dribble but feel that it has improved very slightly. If anyone reading this feels like I have left this all too late and it is pointless carrying on, then please tell me, as I really need someone else's opinion asap. Also, I am going away for the next couple of days and although I should be able to express, the times spent will definately be limited, so yet another hinderance!

Thanks and apologies for this being so long

 

[shambaby]

sorry to hear about your difficulties, metalmummy. i definitely think the stress could possibly be affecting your milk supply, is it likely to get better any time soon?

the only way to know if you can get your supply back will be to try, but i don't think it will be easy. i don't have any experience of trying to get the supply back, bit i would guess that if you still have a little it might be possible. i can only advise to pump as frequently as you can (every 2-3 hours maybe?) and to make sure you pump at least once in the night. have you got a double pump? it cuts the pumping time down, and can also boost supply, as expressing both breasts at once increases the hormone levels.

good luck, let us know how you get on x

 

[maggieme]

My son had problems eating from the breast and bottle and is 3 years old now and continues with eating problems. Anyways, I exclusively pumped for 8 months when my milk finally dried up. I was very hard on myself as I was determined to give him only breast milk for the first year. I had a double electric breast pump, used fenugreek, ate oatmeal everyday and drank that nasty mothers milk tea. Exclusively pumping is a long time consuming process. My husband would feed our son when I pumped to save time. I think you really need to be dedicated to wanting to keep it up because it is soo much easier to just quit. I applaud anyone and everyone who chooses to breastfeed their baby and after the experience with my son, I feel like anyone who exclusively pumps needs a standing ovation because for whatever reason you need to do it you are the most dedicated mother for doing everything you can for your little even though it is a long and hard process. I'm glad to see others struggle to do the best.

 

[Rockell8788]

So my son isn't gaining weight well and I'm to top him up after feeds. Iv decided to use ebm rather than formula. My question is the first ounce or so that I pump is really really watery and thin. The 2-3oz After that it has more of a milky colour. Is this normal
Second question when the ebm separates slightly in the fridge how much fat is there normally on top. I usually have about half oz of creamy stuff on top then I gradually fades to half oz of watery milk at the bottom. Is this normal

 

[shambaby]

yep, totally normal - the watery milk you get first is the foremilk, then the hindmilk is the thicker, creamier stuff. it always separates in the fridge, just give it a swirl to mix it up (apparently shaking it is bad. i forget why )

 

[flugella]

Hi ladies!

My LO is 8 days old and at first just wouldn't latch on at all. We gave her expressed milk and topped up with formula on day 4 and carried on like this until day 6 when she clicked with bf. Trouble was she ended up with screaming colic... Two of the hardest days of my life and I still cry remembering it.

The windiness is abating now and she seems to be taking the breast well but I do still want to express at least once a day for if we're going out etc. Is she old enough for me to do this? And will expressed milk in her bottle bring back the trapped wind, constipation and colic? I'm so new to this and so scared...

 

[shambaby]

Hi ladies!

My LO is 8 days old and at first just wouldn't latch on at all. We gave her expressed milk and topped up with formula on day 4 and carried on like this until day 6 when she clicked with bf. Trouble was she ended up with screaming colic... Two of the hardest days of my life and I still cry remembering it.

The windiness is abating now and she seems to be taking the breast well but I do still want to express at least once a day for if we're going out etc. Is she old enough for me to do this? And will expressed milk in her bottle bring back the trapped wind, constipation and colic? I'm so new to this and so scared...

don't be scared, you're obviously doing a great job if you have gone back to bf.

all babies and mums are different, but as a rule it is recommended to wait until bf is well established - generally when baby is 6 weeks old or so - before giviing expressed bm by bottle, in order to avoid nipple confusion and problems with your supply (expressing might not stimulate your supply as effectively as actually bf so you might not get enough milk). having said that i guess your lo didn't have any confusion if she has taken to bf again, but beware of supply issues.

windiness and colic are all more common in bottle fed babies, because they are more likely to swallow air when they feed - there is air in the bottle as well as milk, whereas there is no air in your breast. not all babies will suffer (hayden has quite a bit of wind, but gets it up with no trouble and never had colic) but it sounds like your lo might. there are lots of bottles which claim to reduce colic, but i don't know how effective they really are. i don't really know, but i would guess that the occasional bottle would be less likely to cause windy problems than bottle feeding all the time.

hope you manage to find a solution that suits you, and well done for getting bf going again. congratulations, and enjoy your newborn - this stage is so short, make the most of it and try not to spend too much time worrying x

 

[flugella]

Thanks hun, baby blues hit so hard today I've been in screaming flOods occurred between feeds all day. I'm hoping to start some work again in a month or so which would involve being away from Amy all Saturday morning (I help teach dance) so it may be that she will have to have one expressed bottle then. She seems to feed early in the morning then sleep til early pm at the moment. Is that ok?

 

[shambaby]

aw, i spent much of hayden's first month in tears on and off, but that had a lot to do with breastfeeding guilt. the baby blues should pass pretty quickly, though.

so long as she is getting enough milk i don't think it matters when she feeds - just check she is gaining weight, and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies, and that should be fine, if that's what she wants.

hope you feel brighter soon x

 

[flugella]

She's definitely filling plenty of nappies so that's a good sign, plus she feeds from both boobs most sittings. When I do express should I express one or both breasts?

 

[lynnikins]

if she feeds both then id pick a patch of day during her longest break period between feeds and express both breasts about half way through that time slot

 

[flugella]

Thanks, morning it is then!

 

[Babydreams321]

I just wanted to post & say ive reached the end of my expressing journey, I exclusively expressed for 5 months & have spent the past month 'winding down gradually' & ive stopped this week!!

I'm so proud that I managed it for so long & reached my initial 6 month 'breastfeeding goal' albeit in a slightly different way.... but was lucky that I produced soo much milk so never had to express for more than 15 minutes 4/5 times a day at my 'worst'..

Good luck to all of you who've chosen similar journeys, you're dedication is giving your LO's the very best start in life :0)

Lots of love xxx

 

[shambaby]

well done babydreams321, you did a great job for your lo. i don't think i actually posted about it, but i, too, have reached the end of my expressing journey (i started several posts, but got too upset and never actually posted them ) tomorrow will be 2 weeks since i last pumped, although there is still quite a bit in the freezer to keep us going for a few weeks - we are giving some ebm, some formula, to get him used to it before he is on it full-time.

so i managed 7 months, which i am immensely proud of, as we all should be, just sad that it didn't go as planned. we are all doing something amazing for our babies, and mustn't ever forget that x

 

[victoriajane]

What an amazing thread, thank you so much to those who started it! My LO is 1 week old and am exclusively expressing for her right now. She really struggles to latch and after 15 mins of frustration, her crying, me crying and still no latch every time I realised we were all going to go insane if carried on that way! She struggled in hopsital and I had to express colustrum by hand and feed her via syringe until my milk came in. I had to stay in four days after a couple of complications and asked them to check for tongue tie and they said no, she didn't have any probs there. Yesterday, a breastfeeding specialist came out to see me as I had been referred by my midwife and within two minutes said "she clearly has a tongue tie, that's part of your problem!"

AAAAARH! So cross about this! Going to see someone about this on Tuesday now with a view to having it snipped on Friday but I cannot belive that the hospital missed it - after I specifically asked!

Anyway, I just wanted to say that so far, EE is worked for me quite well. I seem to have a good supply and we've had the unexpected bonus of my husband being able to help with feeds which he is absolutely loving! I will see how tongue tie appointment goes, but as this doesn't seem to be her only problem (sometimes she just will not even pretend to latch, she doesn't root and my nipple on one side is a bit flat) I am still considering sticking with EE unless she suddenly makes massive improvements.

babydreams321 and shambaby - you have given me lots of hope that if I do carry on like this, I will be able to do it for a good length of time. I always intended to BF for between 4-6 months anyway, so if I could EE that far ahead i would be made up!

 

[shambaby]

hi victoriajane, congrats. glad to hear things are going well for you with the expressing so far, hope it continues that way. or even better, your lo's tongue tie gets sorted and you and she get the hang of breastfeeding - ee can be done long term, but it is very hard work. i've found this thread really helpful, if only to know that there are other people doing the same thing - sometimes when you tell people they look at you like you just arrived from another planet, and it's hard to find information. good luck, hope the appointment goes well x

 

[victoriajane]

Thanks shambaby! I'm reading your journal at the mo, it's fab! If you don't mind me asking, did you follow the same sort of pumping 'schedule' that Michy wrote about in the first post on this thread? I'm still sort of getting my head around this and expressing every 3-4 hours for about 15 mins at the mo (have got a double pump) and it seems to be working now, giving me 2-3 oz per boob each time - just not sure about longer term!