Expressing b/milk..HELP!!
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Topic: Expressing b/milk..HELP!!
Posted By: aussiegirl
Subject: Expressing b/milk..HELP!!
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:10pm
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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! -------------  Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:13pm
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this is what I did:
I went to the baby city shop and spent 20 bucks on a microwave sterelizer instead of crappy milton which stinks of bleach and used that instead. I expressed just before Thomas's normal time to feed And yes you can combine the milk from each breast :D I hope that helps! ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: sunnyhoney
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:20pm
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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!  ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:22pm
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Yay for your mum arriving! I'd be happy to sterilise the breastpump by boiling for 10 mins but you can also buy a manual medela for about $40 from the chemist and connect it with your friends electric pump. This way the parts that touch your breast milk are brand new. I always found it easiest to express off one side while Michaela fed on the other. I'd get her latched and comfy first then put the pump on the other breast. This way Michaela stimulated my let down making expressing faster and easier. You can mix milk as long as it's at the same temp. I.e you can mix warm milk from either side, or you can refridgerate your milk and mix it with milk that was expressed and refridgerated earlier but you can mix milk from the fridge with freshly expressed milk. -------------  
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Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:27pm
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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! ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 24 July 2008 at 6:56pm
Good Luck .. I never had any luck expressing  ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 25 July 2008 at 9:24am
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Thanks...am going to give it a try over the weekend! ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 08 August 2008 at 9:56am
| Expressing is really hard work! I know midwives are fantastic but a lactation consultant will tell you not to do this too early if she is happy and gaining weight on the breast. For 3 months I have breast fed, topped my baby up (she has a tube in her nose) and then expressed and its exhausting. Apparently it can cause nipple confusion, or as with my baby she now prefers the bottle cause its easier for her, which is breaking my heart cause breast feeding is soo lovely. By all means you have to do what works best for both of you but if you have the supply and she is thriving you will find this is much less hassle than expressing, warming bottles etc etc |
Posted By: happymumma
Date Posted: 08 August 2008 at 10:10am
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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!!! |
Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 08 August 2008 at 11:09am
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Thanks everyone for your advice and comments. While mum was here (Shes gone back now ) I expressed once, but didnt get a whole lot of milk (80mls). Hayley LOVED drinking from the bottle, but I did have to top her up. I think I will pretty much express only when I really have to. Hayley drinks so well from the breast, it is much easier to feed her. At least I know she will take a bottle! ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 08 August 2008 at 11:30am
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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. ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |