Expresssing for Dummies

[Manxie]

Hi

I was just hoping that you lovely ladies can give me some top tips for the how and when of expressing.

After leaving hospital with dd I only tried expressing once and then gave up (only managed a dribble).

This time around I am hoping that I can express some feeds so that dd and dh can get involved but to be honest I dont really know anything about it.

The first questions I have are

When to first express, do I express in the early days and store it?

How do I store it?

How do I defrost it?

How do I warm it?

Should I buy a pump now? What else will I need.

When can I first give bubs expressed milk from a bottle without having to worry about it then rejecting the breast?

How do you know how much to give for an expressed feed? Do you pump and store the feed that you will effectively miss?

Geez no wonder I didnt bother last time writing it down it sounds like a lot of hard work:sleeping:

Any help gratefully received
:D

[bronny-jane]

When to first express, do I express in the early days and store it? i started at 2 weeks.. just so i had a feed on hand.. but started storing it so i could go out when he was 1 month.

How do I store it? i use breast milk bags... at first i used breast milk storage cups... when you have enough in it just pop them in the freezer.. oh and you can top up your cup with a few expressing sessions in a 24 hour period before you freeze it... just let the new milk cool to the same temp as the other milk before you put it in... then freeze..

How do I defrost it? depends on what you use.. most come with instructions... when i used the cups i left them in the fridge to defrost overnight.. the breast milk bags. you put them into tepid water.change the water a few times so it stays at the right temp.. it defrosts pretty quickly.. thats why i use the bags

How do I warm it? if you use the breast milk bags, i usually just warm it up with warm water before i put it in the bottle... if its in the bottle, just run warm water over it.. thats what i do anyway

Should I buy a pump now? What else will I need. you can buy one now if you want... i also bought a milton sterilizer and tablets and 2 bottle.. i use milton cause i only use it once a month or less... plus i can pack all my rozen stash in it when damon goes to my mums overnight:D

When can I first give bubs expressed milk from a bottle without having to worry about it then rejecting the breast? choose your bottle and teats wisely.. i bought pigeon wide neck bottles.. the teat moves and looks more like a nipple then the others, damon had his first bottle at 2 weeks.. and has them when he is watched overnight... never had any issues

How do you know how much to give for an expressed feed? depends on how old bub is, i started with 120mls, damon just wanted that much..now i just attempt 180mls to 200mls

Do you pump and store the feed that you will effectively miss? if your going to use it that day, i just put it straight into a steralized bottle.... sorry but i dont quite understand this question...could be my lack of coffee..:D

[zenifa]

When to first express, do I express in the early days and store it?

Usually its not advised to start expressing as soon as the milk comes in. You will have some colostrum in the first few days or so, then when your milk comes in, its advised to get your positioning and attachment correct with the baby feeding before you introduce expressing/bottles (if you are planning on breastfeeding as your main way of feeding bubs).
Also expressing will affect your supply, so if you express a lot in the early days you may have oversupply which can lead to more engorgement and discomfort.
If you can, try not to express for the first few weeks, but if you are in pain, engorged or uncomfortable, then you can express the top off each breast (5 mins each side), especially if you have a fast flow and bubs is struggling to keep up, and store it - either in ziplock bags, breastmilk bags or storage cups.

How do I store it?
If you are going to use the milk the same day then you can keep it in a bottle in the fridge, alternatively you can use one of the methods I described above - some people even pour the milk into ice cube trays and then just pop out the cubes as needed.

How do I defrost it?
I would usually take the milk out the night before and let it defrost slowly in the fridge

How do I warm it?
I would put the milk in a bottle, and then run warm water over the outside of the bottle, or submerge it partially in a bowl of hot water (not boiling), so it warms up slowly.

Should I buy a pump now? What else will I need.
You can get a pump quite cheaply second hand or if you join ABA you can hire one (electric).
I used a microwave steam steriliser (less than $30 from BigW, Kmart or Target), as I don't like using chemicals such as Miltons to sterilise. You will also need bottles, teats etc, I recommend cherry shaped teats, closest to the shape of a nipple.

When can I first give bubs expressed milk from a bottle without having to worry about it then rejecting the breast?
This can vary, depends on the baby. If you are only giving the baby one bottle or two per day (ie at night so you can get some sleep) I wouldn't worry too much.
With DD1, I had cracked nipples, poor positioning and attachment and was in pain breastfeeding, so I did express and give her EBM form 1 week to 4 weeks to let my nipples recover and she didn't have breast confusion, and she also had a dummy.
With DD2, she was also breastfed, but I didn't have the same problems as before, thanks to my LC, but she has never wanted to take a bottle, and only wants the real thing, mummy's boob!

How do you know how much to give for an expressed feed? Do you pump and store the feed that you will effectively miss?
Its hard to know how much to give a baby, as when you are breastfeeding, you just demand feed until the baby is full and you feel your breasts emptied. So with expressing, I would usually store milk in 50ml or 100ml lots and that way you can defrost and feed and if bubs is hungry you give them more, rather than defrosting a whole feed and then they only want a snack/sip.

I would express with DD1 so that DH could do one overnight feed on Fri and Sat nights (from 4 weeks to 6mths when she slept through) and I could catch up on sleep or if we were going out. I found it best to express first thing in the morning when my supply was more plentiful.
Good luck!!

[Manxie]

Thanks ladies thats great information, I think I will have to print it off:thumbsup: