Advice and suggestions about when to express for a breasted baby

[IfAtFirstUDontSucceed]

DS is now 2 weeks old. Due to issues latching on in the first few days of his life I resorted to feeding him expressed milk from a bottle. BF is now well established thanks to the help of a nipple shield initially, but now he is flying solo. There is no issue with nipple confusion, hell happily take Either the nipple or a bottle. I'd like to maintain a supply of expressed milk in the fridge for emergencies (top up when he can't get enough from the boob, DH helping with night feeds when I'm completely exhausted etc) Can you recommend when and how I should be doing this so that I don't affect my supply and ruin the hard work DS and I have done.
Thanks!

[itsaruddygame]

I am not an expert but DS is 6 weeks old and DH is now doing a night feed for me with expressed milk. I pump in the morning for 10 minutes (usually only have to do this once) and again at lunch time/early afternoon if I don't get enough. My MW advised me to still do the middle of the night feed as this really helps to stimulate production so DH feeds around 12.30 - 1am.

It means I can get 4 hours kip and is a life saver! DS feeds very regularly and without this help I would not be coping. Am now enjoying bf and can see myself sticking it out in the long hall.

I would ask the MW for their thoughts first as mine did not want me to do this in the early weeks in case it affected my supply so it might be worth checking.

[MsElisaDay]

I exclusively expressed for 10 weeks as it took that long for DS to learn how to latch on.
Although I expressed every three hours, round the clock, I found I always got more milk out at night or first thing in a morning - perhaps 7 or 8 oz as opposed to 5oz.

If your DS is in any sort of a nap routine, could you express during their morning nap? This will save expressing during the night, which would be a pain unless you have a very good, quiet and fast electric pump.

Otherwise, how about after their first feed of the "day"? I know day and night are a bit blurred at two weeks, but if they feed at, say, 7am, could you put them down after that feed for 30 mins or so while you express?

From my experience, expressing only increased my supply, and after 10 weeks of it we were at the point that I was expressing more than DS could drink. That has proved very helpful in building up a freezer stash, which I'm now using while I'm back at work. Your body will quickly become used to producing an "extra" feed if you get into an expressing routine, and it's a lifesaver for night feeds, leaving the baby with grandparents and so on.

[curryeater]

If you have a rough schedule, or even one vaguely regular feed time, I think you should pick one feed of the day and make that the one where you habitually express on the other side while the baby feeds.

• as it becomes a habit the amount you express will increase. You can build up a lot and a lot of expressed milk = freedom! Also you can donate if you are so inclined and have lots to spare.
  
• use the rugby hold on the side the baby is, to stop him kicking the pump (he is probably too little now actually, that is more for the future)
  
• get your dp to take care of the kit (washing up and sterilising). Make this his sacred duty. (I did not do this and wish I had). Has he ever said "Oh how I wish I had breasts and could help?" (however insincerely) If so, jump on this argument. Now is his chance.
  

• get an alcohol pen to write on the little bags and hide it in a special place or it will drive you mad
  

- my friend said it was best to give the baby only one bottle a week to stop nipple confusion. I don't know if this is true or not

• Get DP to give this one bottle a week and SLEEP while it is happening
  

Most important:

Enjoy your gorgeous little baby and well done on establishing breastfeeding x

[IfAtFirstUDontSucceed]

Thanks ladies, I've begun expressing after his morning feed, and ive just done another little 20 mins on the pump and have already built up a decent supply. It will come in useful as we're at my parents over the next couple of nights. Might even treat myself to a cheeky half an hour at the pub with DH and a glass of wine ;)