CARE Fertility Bulletin Board

emerald · 25 May 2005

Hi,

I was hoping to pick your breast feeding brains Smile

Jessica never had formula in her life and I expressed afew bottles for her here and there but nothing major, Isabella was the same. With Sophia I am exclusively express feeding which I was sad about to start with but I have learnt with her I have to do what is best for her and not what I expected and as long as she is getting breast milk it doesn't really matter how she gets it.

The reason she has to have a bottle is that she was tube fed for weeks and could never stay awake for more than afew sucks on breast. I was hoping to get her back on the breast but when she stopped breathing and they diagnosed reflux and she has to have alot of thickner in her feed to make it like custard. Since we started the thickner we have had no apnea episodes; aside from the big one which I had to do cpr she was having little episodes alot but would right these herself. Her reflux had no real symptoms apart from the breathing and the doctors have said it was so severe we need to use the thicker long term (and other drugs). I wouldn't feel confidant feeding her on the breast due to this as I thought she was dead at one point.

So I have just been expressing but doctors etc seem to keep telling me my supply will dry up as I don't have a baby on the breast. Do you think that will happen? So far there has been so sign of it and I am expressing about a litre a day Smile

which is more than she takes as she is on 24oz a day. I have been freezing the rest and have about 30+ bottles/bags in the freezer each containing a full feed and I am adding to this daily (I have frozen 8oz today so far). I was using medela swing pumps which are great but I have just rented the symphony and use the swings for when out and about.

I have been thinking about buying a chest freezer for the garage just for breast milk as I am filling up our freezer. I think the milk in the freezer should last 6-8 months but if I get a chest freezer up to 12 months.

I would like to feed her for a year so I am hoping to fill the freezer up so that if my milk dries up at say 8 months I will have enough for her for another 4 months stored away.

Do you have any experience of just express feeding. The only thing I don't like is that I am very self aware when expressing and at home if people come round I don't express and I only occasionally express in the car under a poncho (I have hands free bra and am not the driver Smile

). Where as I would breastfeed everywhere and felt confidant feeding in public be it a bus, plane under a tree etc

Thanks

Emerald x x

LottieH · 23 Mar 2009

I know I'm not Briony, and have picked her brains many times myself but I have a La Leche League breastfeeding book she recommended and that talks about expressing a lot so maybe you could get some answers from their website. We never got on with expressing as DD wouldn't take a bottle after a couple of months but well done you for persevering.
Best of luck,
Lx

Loui5e · 21 Oct 2004

Wow Emerald, your dedication is amazing you are doing an amazing job. I would guess that if your expressing that much and it's been that successful then in theory no reason why it shouldn't continue.

Keep up the good work

Louise x

Ruby B · 22 Jan 2011

That is amazing,

I would think that you would need to speak to a lactation consultant as your situation is more complex, you would find information on the la leche league website or by ringing their helpline.

The Kelly's mom website has lots of useful info on it too

But from what I know I think that lots of skin to skin contact where possible after expressing or cuddles with Sophia where it is not and being able to see her as well whenever you are expressing would help the milk to flow. Also I would think that although you cannot actually breastfeed you could feed her with her bottle with you both topless when you can and her cuddled in to mimic the hormones released when you were feeding which should help your supply and milk flow. Warm baths together prior to expressing might also be good. You could also aim to keep her with you and close to you as you would if you were breastfeeding as that too should help too. Hope any of that helps

I have a lot of respect for mums who express lots and imagine that it must be really difficult at times, well done

Briony · 06 Apr 2001

Hi Emerald,

Ooh, a message just for me! I can completely understand why you'd want to keep Sophia on the drugs/thickeners that have been recommended and why you are expressing to achieve this. Its not so common, but there are plenty of mums who just pump for baby for a whole host of reasons. Sadly as you've discovered its not got the same convenience as breastfeeding, but it sounds like you are doing an absolutely awesome job in keeping Sophia breastfed so massive kudos to you!

I seem to remember that you've always had a good supply anyway, this will def stand you in good stead and you're obviously getting on fine with expressing enough. I don't see any good reason why your supply would dry up, as you know its 'supply and demand' so as long as you keep removing milk from the breast it will continue to produce it. Some women find it difficult to get enough pumping, but that doesn't sound like the case for you - so I'd just go for it. Its always good to have a stash in the freezer and I can see where you're coming from with your longer term plan of a chest freezer too, its an insurance policy isn't it? And if you do find that its starting to drop off (even though you're pumping the same amount of times) then there are ways to bring your supply up again. I guess most doctors' experiences are where supply does drop, but it really depends on the individual and you sound like you are doing really well.

There are some articles you might find helpful here : http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/bf-links-excpumping/

I had to pump a lot in the first few months and i know what you mean about doing it when other people are about, its not the same as just sticking a baby on is it? Some things you might find helpful are knowing that you don't need to sterilise pumping equipment each time you use it because breastmilk contains so many antibacterial properties, you can just wash the flanges in hot soapy water, rinse and leave to dry.

Also you might want to look into the costs of an Ameda pump to buy - they are double and hospital grade, around Â£100ish I think - might work out cheaper in the long term, but if you're getting on well with the symphony perhaps stick with what you know!?

You are doing such a special thing for Sophia, I take my hat off to you Emerald!

Love Briony

Briony · 06 Apr 2001

Ruby is completely right, you'd get great support from La Leche League if you wanted it - either from a local group or the helpline. You could also ask the doctors at the hospital to put you in touch with their Infant Feeding Co-ordinator if you've got concerns, but as Louise says if its working then no reason to think that it won't keep doing so!

Love Briony

Dianne1004 · 25 Oct 2011

Hi Emerald, I've got nothing else to add, other than Well Done!!! I expressed for 15 days and know how hard it is.

Do you have a breast feeding cafÃ©? They might be able to give you some additional support and help with your worries

Dianne

emerald · 25 May 2005

Thanks ladies

I have been measuring how much I am getting each day and it is increasing with the extra pumping sessions. I was doing 3/4 a day and now have upped it to 7/8. It is just annoying as even with the hospital grade pump and massaging my breast I can feel they still have milk in them due to the weight but even if I express for 40 mins it doesn't come out. With my other girls I had a huge over supply whereas with sophia I am getting one extra feed per day. I think this has caused me to worry but as long as this doesn't drop its ok, it won't be long till she is 3 months so at the very least she has that.

I have been expressing whilst feeding her which seems to work well as it is a good time to sit and chill out. The best item I have is the hands free double bra as without this I would be lost. On a really cute note my just turned three year old can't say her s sound properly yet and it comes out with a b sound so when she says mummy is expressing it is the cutest sound ever.

Thanks for all the info on website I will have a good read. I have developed OCD (in a funny way) about the freezer. Prior to me having sophia I had lost everything in my freezer 3 times in the last 6 months as the kids would try and sneak ice lollies and as the freezer is out of sight they would not shut the door and it would all defrost. I am now always checking it is shut and the kids as terrified to go any where near it Smile

Another good reason to get a chest freezer so I can split up my supply so its safer.

emerald x x

AuntyMand · 22 Mar 2010

Round of applause from me too, Emerald. I pumped and tube / bottle fed for 12 weeks, (LO was prem) so I know it's not easy. Well done.

I found no problem with supply either. Think it depends how you respond to the pump, and it sounds like you've found the ones which work for you. I used the same ones and they worked well for me. We also bought a chest freezer to store milk.

The "inconvenience" was what I found hardest as I'm not much of a planner, so having to think about how I'd pump every 3 hours was a chore. Got by though by using a combination of breastfeeding rooms, or pumping in the car. Never actually pumped in a public place other than those.

Well done. Sophia is a lucky little girl!

Amanda x

Rallygirl · 06 Mar 2006

Wow Emerald!!!!!! well done!