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Mac30 
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Joined: 05 February 2008
Points: 33
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 Topic: Expressing
Posted: 03 November 2008 at 1:53pm |
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My baby girl is 5 weeks old and I have just started expressing once a day so my husband can do one feed a day. I have not been convinced to do it but he really wants to be able to feed her.
I was wondering if you could share your experiences of expressing - can the bottle put baby off the breast? I really want to breast feed for at least 6 months so am scared this will happen.
Also - what is a full feed? 100ml? I have no idea how much she gets from me, but seem to easily express this much. Am wondering what volume to freeze given that you cant reuse once warm.
Thanks!
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Maya
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Joined: 16 September 2003
Location: Sydney
Points: 23297
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Posted: 03 November 2008 at 2:02pm |
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I've frozen all of mine in 100ml lots, the theory being that I'd give her that then defrost more if she's still hungry but not wasting too much if she's not.
The best time to express is after the first morning feed, this is when your supply is highest, but bear in mind that your breasts will need time to refill after expressing so make sure you do it at least 2 hours before the next feed is due. I find it easiest to express in the evening after she goes down for the night but a lot of people find they don't have enough milk to do this.
As for nipple/teat confusion, yes it can be an issue but your wee girl is probably old enough that this won't be an issue. Most LCs say any time after 6 weeks is OK to start introducing a bottle as before that feeding is still getting established and they can get quite confused. That said, my lil miss flat out refuses to take a bottle no way, no how, if I'd started trying earlier I might have had more luck.
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 Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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busymum
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Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: New Zealand
Points: 12236
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Posted: 03 November 2008 at 7:14pm |
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I introduced a bottle for EBM at about 6 weeks with my eldest two. The first one took to it just fine and I started working at that time on Saturday mornings, leaving DH to do her mid-morning feed. The second bubba was not happy to bottle feed (until after 8mos or so) so I had to give up with her - but I wasn't working that time.
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fattartsrock
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Joined: 01 January 1900
Points: 6441
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Posted: 03 November 2008 at 9:29pm |
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Remember to express at the feed you aren't giving her so as not to muck your supply up!
Try a very slow flow teat, get a chu chu teat if you can, as they work it in the smae way they have to work the nipple to get milk.
6 weeks is a good time to do so, although it may not happen straight away.
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The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P
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SJD
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Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Auckland
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Posted: 04 November 2008 at 1:02pm |
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I would definitely recommend expressing. I found with Madam at about 4 months that I was only producing water at her last feed of the day - hence she ended up waking constantly through the night, I was getting less sleep and my milk quality was getting worse...
And then I had left it so late to introduce the bottle, she wouldn't take it without four days of refusing her the breast!!
This time around I'm going to try expressing first thing in the morning (after the first feed) and then giving this to her as her last feed. Not ideal but hopefully it means I don't have to start topping up with formula at four months.
Unfortunately I just don't seem to be a very good cow - none of the usual tricks improved my milk supply!
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Expressing