Expressing for solids

[FreddieEden]

Hi ladies,

DS is breastfed.  Before he stopped taking a bottle at about 8 or 9 weeks I used to be able to pump 6 ounces in the morning with no trouble at all.  I've now started pumping again to get expressed milk for cereal and to mix with purees.  I'm trying to get 4 ounces every day but it's a bit hit and miss.  I know pumping can be a bit tougher in the later days of breastfeeding.  I'm not sure whether I'm going to be able to pump enough as his appetite increases.  What did those of you who have difficulties with pumping do?  Seems like the alternatives are formula and cows milk.  I'm not too keen on cows milk as there is eczema and asthma in the family.  And formula either seems to come in really expensive ready mixed packets or huge boxes of powder which have to be thrown away four weeks after being opened.  I'm hoping the pumping might pick up as my boobs get the message...

Thanks
Freddie

[Samuel's mum]

I've heard of people using goat's milk and even coconut milk to mix with purees. I always used vegetable water (the water from the steamer for vegetables) and water for fruit. With cereal I did use breastmilk but it actually contains enzymes that semi-digest the starches so the mix becomes runnier after a few minutes. Sam wasn't a big fan of cereal so I didn't do it for long. I would probably stay away from cow's milk and even formula with your history. Does anyone near you sell goat's milk?

[FreddieEden]

Thanks.  With the veggies, I do use some water from the pan but I'm finding DS takes it better if the taste is mellowed a bit with some breastmilk.  I expect he'll get used to it and not need it eventually.  Might give the goats milk a try.  I'm in Croydon so I'm sure I can find somewhere either there or in central London.  Whereabouts in London are you?

F

[Samuel's mum]

I'm in West Hampstead, NW6. It's funny how people on this site can be in Missouri or Croydon!

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

How are you working on increasing your supply?  I found that pumping for short sessions several times a day worked best - I'd just keep the bottle going and keep adding to it.  Have you thought of or are you taking fenugreek and blessed thistle?  If you want to increase your supply, it can really make a big difference.

[FreddieEden]

Well I'm swimming in milk at the moment as I had a day out yesterday and missed the afternoon feed (DS amazingly took six ounces of expressed milk in a bottle from DH - I'm sure he wouldn't do it if I was in the house).  And last night DS didn't feed till 5am.  DS has gone from two months solid of going 12 hours in the night without a feed to a bizarre pattern of feeding anything from 0 to 2 times, which plays havoc with my supply.  More generally, though, I'm not sure its a supply problem.  I think it's to do with responding to the pump because I can be switching the pump from side to side for about five minutes and then suddenly get a huge letdown and pump 2 or 3 ounces in a couple of minutes.  I think it is best to try to pump bits throughout the day but I'm so lazy about washing and sterilising the pump every time  .

West Hampstead is nice and quite child friendly, I think.  I have a college friend who lives there and now has three children under the age of four.  She copes marvellously and is ruthlessly efficient but I like to think she has angel babies, unlike my mega spirited DS!

Freddie

[Samuel's mum]

I did read something about people who pump at work who put the pump unwashed in the fridge and then only have to wash/sterilize once when they get home. Maybe you could try something similar. Breastmilk is fine for 24 hrs in a fridge so it should work.

I do like West Hampstead although the parks aren't great and the education is a bit hit and miss! Your friend with 3 kids under 4 needs a medal!

[squeaky's mum]

Hiya,

Just a word of warning about Goats milk. DD has eczema and I have been off dairy for a while now and it has really worked. However, goats milk has exactly the same effect on her skin as cows milk. The advice I had from the dietician was that goats milk contains exactly the same proteins/sugars that cause the intolerances seen in babies and goats milk is nutritionally inferior to cows milk.

We were advised to use soya milk that is fortified with calcium. The dietician also told me that it is ok to give girls over 6 months soya milk, but for some reason (she didn't explain) boys should not be given adult soya milk until they are a year old. I was also trying, without much success, to pump enough milk for mixing feeds so the dietician gave us a prescription for soya formula and that worked well. You can buy this in chemists but it is quite expensive.

It may be an idea to ask your health visitor for a referal to the dietician.

The other thing is if you are going to use soya milk in the long term look out for gm free soya. Soya beans are one of the most genetically modified food stuffs there are in the human food market place. If it doesn't say it is gm free it is probably made out of gm soya. 

Food for thought!

Good luck

[daisymelan]

For what it's worth,

I some of the difference between cow's milk and goat's milk is the pasturization.  I know someone who was fed goat's milk as a baby because he was allergic to something in the pasturization process.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Just about the washing and sterilizing of the pump - I think after 6 months, you probably don't need to sterilize it that often - most kids are starting on solids, tap water, putting dirty hands in their mouth. I personally felt that just a good washing was fine.  I also would just keep the dirty pump in the fridge until I was done with it and ready to wash it.

[katriona]

just had to jump in and reminisce (sp?) about good old west hampstead. an ex-boyfriend and some music pupils of mine lived there, and it was a regular stomping ground. they had a bakery with great bagels if i recall correctly. now i've ended up in oregon!

[VickyB20]

Hi!  I've been expressing since dd was about 2 weeks old and have noticed just recently (she's now 6 1/2 month) that I'm getting less at each expressing session.  She's bf-ing at about 8am, 12pm, 3pm and bedtime and I've found that one of the best times to express is mid-morning while she's having a nap.  I normally then pop the pump in the fridge and express again in the evening at about 8 (before dream feed at half tenish).  I figure that if milk in a bottle is OK in the fridge, then the milk in the pump should be OK in the fridge too!!!  I've found that sticking to this pattern my body seems to have got used to expecting this and that I'm getting more at each express again.

By the way, I'm in Caterham - just 10 minutes from Croydon!!

Vicky
xx