Expressing b/milk..HELP!!

My midwife has told me I need to think about expressing milk and giving it to Hayley in a bottle in the next wee while (apparently the earlier I introduce a bottle the more likely she will take it??).
Anyway I have some questions for you more experienced mums!

*I have borrowed an electric medela pump from a friend, can I sterilise it by boiling the parts in a saucepan? (I really don't know and don't have any other sterilising equipment or milton tabs)

*When is the best time to express?

*Can I combine milk from each breast, if it is expressed at the same sitting (one after the other)?

Thanks ladies..also any other tips would be greatly appreciated!

ETA: this is perfect timing as Mum arrives from aussie tomorrow!

Edited by aussiegirl

Hi Aussiegirl. Congrats on your little girl.

Perhaps you could check with your friend who loaned you the pump as to the sterilising thing. At birthcare I used a medela pump and they used milton tablets...but I assume you can use a pot of water or a microwave steriliser (get cheap off trademe)

I believe the best time to express is in the morning (better quality milk??). I expressed every 3-4 hours because I really wanted Joy to have BM.
I don't think it matters if you combine the milk from each breast as long as it's not combined with previously expressed milk (ie yesterday's) but I think some mums on her have frozen the days express and then added the next days on top and frozen it again (without defrosting the first lot). There are lots of ways to do it I think, maybe some other mums might have some tips on that.

Good luck!

Thanks ladies. I think i will check with some friends to borrow or will just buy a microwave steriliser.

I am still going to b/feed but would like to be able to express sometimes, especially if DH and I are going out etc.
And with mum arriving we might get out for dinner or lunch together!


Edited by aussiegirl

Thanks...am going to give it a try over the weekend!

Aussiegirl I must admit that I too found expressing as well as feeding vevry stressful but I suspecct that's because for me it was about getting enough milk in to him rather than being able to give the odd bottle.

I found an electric pump best because it's much faster but I also know people who found a manual just as good. I washed all parts in hot soapy water, then rinsed them and popped them into an icecream container with a milton tablet. That solution needs to be changed every 24 hours. My lactation consultant said some pumps dry out in the microwave so maybe look online for a manual for the one you've got - it should indicate whether you can pop it in a saucepan (I would have thought it would be fine).

Ollie definitely got nipple confusion but that was very early on and we were offering three different options - one good breast, one defective and one teat!! He still managed but it was much harder - If you are only offering the bottle every so often you might be fine.

Good luck - dinner out with just the two of you sounds nice!!!

All I can say is - don't overexpress! I would only express 1-2 times a day if also BFing and don't take anymore than baby would be having at that feed anyway. You won't want to end up with masses of supply and get sore or infected.

80mls is a reasonable amount to express, thats not bad for someone who's just started expressing

You can freeze your milk, but shouldn't really add new milk ontop of frozen milk. Each express should be frozen separately, though once thawed you can add different lots of expressed milk together to make up a whole feed.