The ins and outs of exclusively expressing

[breavis]

Two months in over 1000 oz stored and no stop in sight! I'm so proud of myself here's hoping for the 6 month mark and beyond!

WOW, I would love to know how you do it.

 

[shambaby]

Ttcnewbie: i tried to reastfeed the 1st few times after birth, then started pumping. So, within 12hours, i was pumping every 3hours like clockwork. At first, sometimes i wouldnt get anything, but by day 4 my milk had come in. Now im getting almost 5 oz every 4 hours.

Weve been doing formula at night, just so hell sleep longer. I felt bad at 1st, but now ive realised, im alot happier . Ive already got 6 bags full of BM in the freezer. I feel like a cow. Haha!

For anyone out there that quit pumping, how did you do it slowly? More time in between? Pumping for less time? How long did it take u to be pump free. Im trying to make it to the 4week mark. Iknow, i know, no criticism!

firstly well done - pumping is hard work, so however long you can manage it is a great start for your baby. sincerely hope you don't get any criticism.

to answer your question about stopping, i had to do a bit of both - i had always expressed until the milk stopped flowing, then when i was weaning off the pump i just started to pump less times each day (i never had a particularly rigid gap between pumps, just made sure i pumped a certain number of times a day, much more flexible) still continuing until the milk stopped. after a while it became clear this wasn't going to work - i was still producing the same amount of milk, so each pumping session was taking longer! so then i started to limit the duration of each pumping session. the whole process took several weeks for me, but i had been pumping for months, had a huge supply, and had had problems with blocked ducts and an abcess which i was worried about recurring, so my situation was very different from yours. the main thing i learned when i was expressing was that there are no rules - our bodies are all different, so the same thing won't work for everyone. try one way and if it doesn't work for you, try something else.

good luck x

 

[LoPanda]

Hi all - I posted this on the breastfeeding forum but only got one reply so thought someone here could help as I really wanted a few opinions...

Am a complete newbie to all this - LO is nearly 3 weeks old and breastfeeding is well so far.

I seem to have a plentiful supply and am wanting to start to express at some point to build up a freezer stock. I intend to do this so she can have an expressed bottle if we go out or I want an early night and so that when I stop breastfeeding (aiming to do 6 months) I can feed her my stored milk for a while longer so she still gets the benefits.

I have a few questions...

When can I start expressing?

What quantities do you freeze it in?

When do I do it - after LO has a feed?

If I breastfeed until she is 6 months and express and freeze for this time - how long could I keep feeding her stored milk for after this time? I.e could I pump enough to get her to 8 months or a year?

Any views on the Lansinoh AFFINITY DOUBLE ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP?

Hope someone can help x

 

[Ashley8806]

Hi ladies! I think I'm going to be making my way to exclusively pumping. LO was a preemie and we are having a rough time breastfeeding - she couldn't eat at all in the NICU, and then they were giving her a bottle of my EBM when she could eat, and breastfeeding started out good but I just don't think she has the strength to do it now that she needs more milk. She's not gaining weight, and I can spend literally 2-3 hours with her on my breast at a time because she gets so tired and falls asleep, then when I take it out she wants it back in 5-15 minutes or so after. I'm physically and mentally exhausted. I'm hoping to just make it to at least 3 months (was hoping for 6, but I don't think I'm making enough milk now). I have been feeding her, then when she seems content I pump, and I'm only getting 1-2 oz, so I'm hoping to increase my milk by pumping also. If you have any tips or anything for me please let me know! I already have 200 oz frozen in the freezer, so if I can just start out by pumping what I need day by day, then I would love to increase my milk to put some more in the freezer!

 

[hawalkden]

Thank you .

I'm a new mummy and I've just posted about how to keep up with the expressing since coming out of hospital. My mini man is still in NICU due to breathing problems and he's on the final stretch he just needs to finish a full bottle and the feeding tube to be taken out .

Due to money issues at the moment and Isaac coming 5 weeks early I didn't have the pump at home.

Hope it works out soon and the soaking bed and leaking breasts are making me cry!

 

[Ashley8806]

Aw I'm sorry your LO is in the NICU - we have been through the same thing! She was born 4 weeks early due to severe preeclampsia and spent 10 days in the NICU from breathing troubles. We are having money issues too, but I managed to find a cheap pump so I don't have that worry that you have Here if you meet income guidelines you can rent a breastpump for free, is there anywhere there that you might be able to do so? Good luck!

 

[Dolphinz4]

HI girls! Im so happy I found this thread! Ive been expressing for almost 4 weeks exclusively. My LO was in the NICU for the first week of his life so I didnt really have a chance to nurse him- So Ive been pumping away- I try to pump after every feeding, but sometimes I'll skip a couple times here and there, especially at night.Anyways, I think I got my period yesterday- My discharge is red and it looks just like a period would- I thought that since Im pumping I wouldnt get my period this soon- I gave birth 4 weeks ago tomorrow- Anyone had this happen?

 

[Ashley8806]

How long ago did you quit your postpartum bleeding? It could be starting again maybe? I'm still finishing up mine right now

 

[Dolphinz4]

It never really stopped completely- But it was soo light from a week ago that I started wearing liners- Bit ever since yesterday its been bright red with some clots too (TMI) Just like a period- And Ive had a headache since yesterday- the same headache I would get when starting my period.

 

[Ashley8806]

Hmm... it's hard to say then. Mine has let up and started heavy again before, and I have had a headache ever since I delivered, lol, so I guess I'm not much help

 

[Dolphinz4]

Maybe its just continuing then? I havent had any cramps or anything- We'll see how it gets in the next few days. Thanks Ashley

 

[Ashley8806]

no problem!

 

[shambaby]

Thank you .

I'm a new mummy and I've just posted about how to keep up with the expressing since coming out of hospital. My mini man is still in NICU due to breathing problems and he's on the final stretch he just needs to finish a full bottle and the feeding tube to be taken out .

Due to money issues at the moment and Isaac coming 5 weeks early I didn't have the pump at home.

Hope it works out soon and the soaking bed and leaking breasts are making me cry!

do you know if you have 'breast start' in your area? the group local to me is based at the sure start children's centre - i borrowed a pump from them for 6 months, and it only cost me £15 for the pumping set! worth looking into if you still need a pump.

dolphinz4 - i have a friend who exclusively breastfed all 3 of her children until they self weaned, and every time she got her first period within 6 weeks of giving birth. exclusive bf / pumping is likely to delay your first period (and your return to fertility), but doesn't always - so watch out - you might be super fertile!!!

 

[evasmum]

Hi ladies, I am expressing with the Medela freestyle (which is great). I am currently trying her to the breast then topping up with a full bottle of ebm then expressing, am doing this every 3 hours due to her very poor weight gain.

We are 6 weeks in and my main problem is I just feel so tied to the house because if the expressing. I love to get out during the day but feel I have to rush back to express. My pump is battery operated so theoretically I could pump anywhere but I haven't found anywhere!

Do any if you pump when away from home? If so where?

The only problem with the freestyle is that it's noisy.

Thanks

 

[Newt4]

Sometimes I pump in the car with a hooter hider hiding everything. Not driving although with a hands free system lol.

 

[shambaby]

i only ever pumped at home, or at my parents' house if i went there for the day. it's important you feel comfortable wherever you pump, or it will affect your supply. i was lucky to be able to be flexible with the timing of my pumping sessions, so if i needed / wanted to go out for a few hours i could easily cluster them before and after. at 6 weeks your supply should be getting pretty well established, so you might be able to try the same - rather than pumping every so many hours, i pumped a certain number of times each day, and just fitted them in when i could. of course it shouldn't mean you're tied to the house, but i did kind of resign myself to the fact i wasn't going to be getting out much in those first few months.

 

[summer rain]

Thank you .

I'm a new mummy and I've just posted about how to keep up with the expressing since coming out of hospital. My mini man is still in NICU due to breathing problems and he's on the final stretch he just needs to finish a full bottle and the feeding tube to be taken out .

Due to money issues at the moment and Isaac coming 5 weeks early I didn't have the pump at home.

Hope it works out soon and the soaking bed and leaking breasts are making me cry!

do you know if you have 'breast start' in your area? the group local to me is based at the sure start children's centre - i borrowed a pump from them for 6 months, and it only cost me £15 for the pumping set! worth looking into if you still need a pump.

dolphinz4 - i have a friend who exclusively breastfed all 3 of her children until they self weaned, and every time she got her first period within 6 weeks of giving birth. exclusive bf / pumping is likely to delay your first period (and your return to fertility), but doesn't always - so watch out - you might be super fertile!!!

In some areas they don't have this, but they will instead have a scheme where pumps are offered for rental on a day by day basis for around £1 day and the pumping kits tend to be £5-£10 on this scheme, although its a lot more expensive it works out quite a bit cheaper than renting from NCT etc xx

 

[MommyxThree]

Hi ladies, I am expressing with the Medela freestyle (which is great). I am currently trying her to the breast then topping up with a full bottle of ebm then expressing, am doing this every 3 hours due to her very poor weight gain.

We are 6 weeks in and my main problem is I just feel so tied to the house because if the expressing. I love to get out during the day but feel I have to rush back to express. My pump is battery operated so theoretically I could pump anywhere but I haven't found anywhere!

Do any if you pump when away from home? If so where?

The only problem with the freestyle is that it's noisy.

Thanks

I've pumped in the car quite a few times. DH driving and I'd sit in the back seat where the windows are tinted or while waiting for my DD at dance school, I'd sit in the parking lot at the very end and sit in the back again due to the windows being tinted.

 

[katrina1987]

I did thid with my first son for 12 weeks then give up, but our new LO is 3weeks old and I have been putting him on the brest and expressing to build up a storage in the freezer. I can get over 30oz a day, it has dropped slightly so LO has been going on me more to increase the flow naturally again. Ill be so glad when I don't have to express in the night but if I don't LO can't feed on me as my boobs go like rocks so have to express it off but either way he gets his breast milk so im happy.

Thought id also say when going out for a long period I take my pump with me, i took it ti a craft fair the other day as I was doing a stall from 9am-4pm and went expressing out the back of the church whilst a lady guarded the curtain I was sat behind and the man running it plus another woman walked in with me boobs hanging out expressing, so embarrasing lol, but we all laughed it off!!!

 

[londonangel]

Hiya, just wanted to say I think this is a great post. I had great trouble getting my little one to latch properly at the beginning and she lost over 10% of her body weight in three days so I was told I had to either express or give her formula. I bottle fed her for a few days (expressed milk) but then tried the nipple shields the breastfeeding counsellor at the hospital suggested and that really helped with getting her back on the breast. The midwife at the breastfeeding support group at the hospital stressed me out about weaning my daughter off using them (I tried it - and every time she screamed and screamed!) so I didn't go again, but she rejected them herself and started latching on without them once she got to four months. The nipple shields should only be used as a last resort I really but if it is that or giving up completely then they are worth a try