Hiya,

After a couple of failed attempts at expressing I am determined to give it another go. The Medala swing is on order so looking forward to getting cracking next week.

Im just struggling to get my head around the logistics of it all so wondered how you all do it and what you find works best............ I don't need huge amounts but would just like a small supply so hubby can feed at the weekends ( I am so looking forward to a lay-in!)

When do you express? I have read about expressing whilst feeding but my LO always takes both boobs so not sure this would work. Practically it would be best to pump whilst LO is sleeping but not sure whether this would produce enough.

How do you collect and store? I know I will only get small amounts at first so what do I do with this? Can I collect it up in the fridge and then freeze it or do I need to freeze it straightaway. If I did this surely I would end up with lots of little pots with tiny amounts in?

How much? Any tips on how much LO is likely to need? I guess it is best to start off with too much as this can be kept for later. Is there a rough guide to the right amount to offer?

I've taken a look at the sticky at the top but any other tips/advice hugely appreciated.

Thanks!
xx

ive been really struggling with expressing ive tried the swing, a tommee tippee hand pump and hand expressing and found that the swing absolutely killed me! and i could get just about as much out with the hand pump which is less painful and less noisy!

i usually try and pump in the evenings, louie only takes from one breast so if i lose track of which side he has taken, i sometimes express the other one for some relief!

i tend to only get about 10/20 mls at a time which is REALLY annoying, especially if ive been going for AGES and not getting very far! however yesterday i managed to get 2ozs and i was astonished and really proud!

i have only fed louie one bottle of EBM and he took 2ozs (that was all i had) and then he had 5 mins on the breast which sent him to sleep so i would say anywhere between 2 and 4 ozs would do a feed but im no expert!

i hope i might have been able to help you, as i have been struggling with it too but persevere, just think of that lie in!

When do you express? I express twice a day after she has been fed. I got nowhere with electric pumps and feel like I wasted my money as a £12 manual pump from asda has been the best and most efficient pump I've used. I didn't get much milk at first but now get 4oz each time I pump.

How do you collect and store? I bought some little 2oz Tommy Tippee storage containers and I freeze those or put them in the fridge if I'll be using them that day. Bigger containers take too long to defrost I find.

How much? Any tips on how much LO is likely to need? My husband gives her a bottle of EBM at bedtime and she currently has 6oz (she is 10 weeks). If we put any more in she leaves a bit but with 6oz she drinks it all and is satisfied.

The best time for pumping is usually first thing in the morning or during the night (say around midnight/1am) for most people. I get most first thing after I get up and around 10:30pm (my LO goes to bed for long sleeps from 7:30ish so he will feed 7:00 then 11/12 then around 4am and I pump again 5:30/6am and he feeds 7/7:30am) I used to get least around 4/5pm but this has improved the last two days. If you are starting out pumping Id suggest first thing in the morning a good while BEFORE LO wakes to feed would be your best bet, if your LO tends to wake around a certain time for morning feeding try and be up a couple of hours before this to pump both breasts.
I have a medela swing pump, I really rate it and I have to pump a LOT, its highly efficient , I have literally just pumped 5oz from one side (LO feeding from the other) in less than 15 minutes (I didnt do longer/more as he decided he wanted to feed from the one I was pumping..haha!) I do find it most effective if I feed from oneside and pump from the other, he does on occassion want the side I express from after the other and even if Ive pumped til not one drop of milk was coming out he can still stimulate another letdown and drink plenty (this is after I have taken at least 4-6oz from the one side...) so if you do this dont worry about LO not having enough milk, babies can get wayyyyy more milk from you than pumps can.

Collection wise, because I express to feed another baby full time I express straight into bottles that screw onto my pump and then screw a lid on these and store them in the fridge. ATM I only put 2oz in each bottle as the baby is only 2 weeks old. How much you store in each bottle/bag depends on babies age but I would not store more than 4oz in each one especially if you freeze it as defrosted BM should be used within 24 hours and its better to have to defrost two bags than defrost one and have to chuck half.
Im not sure on the "proper" guidelines around pumping little bits and storage but Id be quite happy to add small amounts (10/20ml/whatever) into one sterilised refrigerated bottle/bag throughout the day and freeze it that evening.
It takes a lot of time to build your supply so dont be downhearted by tiny amounts, I get lots per session as per above but thats only after a lot of hard work and what I get is the exception. At first I wasnt getting anywhere near that amount, more like 20-50ml.

How much your baby has will depend on age and weight, the 2 week old I express for has just upped from 1.5oz to 2oz per feed.

I've been wondering about all these questions as well so thanks to all of you x

I have a swing and love it. I express the most first thing in the morning because LO normally only drains one breast so I have another to pump. Also I make sure to express after each feeding because it helps to increase milk production. To start I stored in the medela bags and just added to it after each express session (just make sure the new milk is chilled before adding it) - and when you freeze it, you can add new milk to it just make sure it's less than the amount already frozen, and that it's already slightly cold so that it doesn't melt the milk currently frozen.

as for offering it - I always only offer 1 - 2 oz at a time, unless it's been a couple hours since a feed, then I'll give him 3, but I find it's better to offer less, and have to make a couple bottles, than to give too much and have it go to waste.

When - I would express a little in the morning but mostly in the evening as I was using it for evening feeds from 5 months old so that I could sit in the bath etc and she'd get used to not having a boob for that last feed given I was going back to work at 11 months etc etc etc (anyways!) Your milk varies according to the time of day - in the morning it's much more watery (hence why your supply is greater) as it's designed to quench the baby's thirst after sleeping at night, in the evening it's much thicker and has sleep inducing hormones in, it's clever stuff!! So because I was feeding it to her at night I expressed at night although i did need to take off a little in the morning to be able to take off the 250mls she'd take at night!

In terms of collecting, I got some bottles that I sterilised (not as in feeding bottles, just a regular bottle with a lid) but at the moment I'm expressing again antenatally and not getting much (5-10mls a day) so I'm expressing into sterilised weaning pots and putting those in the fridge, once they're all cool I'm then collecting it into syringes and popping those in the freezer!

Thanks for all the tips and advice.

I had a tommee tippee pump before which I found uncomfortable to use and then it broke! Heres hoping the Swing is better for me.

xx