Hi, i have bf both my girls, i had to stop bf Emma at 3 months old as she was so hungry. But i remember that i used to express every day so her bed time feed was from a bottle (so she got used to a bottle early on) but i know i only could express about 3-4 oz in one go.
This time round i am really struggling to express enough to actually be worth it! Sophie is 4 months old and i haven't had any problems with feeding her, she seems quite content with bf and goes about 3 and half hours between feeds, the only time she seems a bit hungrier is at night and i'm thinking of either giving her a little baby rice at tea time or giving her formula at bed time. I started expressing when she was about 5 week old and again i could only get about 3-4 oz out of both breasts which is about 1 and half -2 oz each breast which is rather crap and pointless especially now as she has a lot more than that. So i started expressing and then leaving it in the fridge and then adding to it later that day and then either giving it to her or freezing it for backup. But it got so hard to find the time to express twice to 3 times a day as i have a toddler too and it was really getting me down so now i only express when i need to, eg-if i go out and don't want to bf there). I find it so hard to just get the smallest amount and that one session of expressing would never be enough to give to her. What i don't understand is if she gets enough from me in one feed surely i should be able to express the amount she needs too-or doesn't it work like that? I know that some people only express and don't bf-i could never do that-she'd stave!
does anyone else experience the same thing, can you bf fine but can't express?
I know its not a big deal but sophie never has a bottle now and the only time she would is if i went out and i had a babysitter ( which doesn't happen) and then i would have to express for days and days before hand so i know i had enough to leave her in case she woke up while i was out. I want her to be used to a bottle because i am going to stop bf once she is fully weaned.

xxx

Didn't want to r&r but I don't know the answer! I am actually the opposite!

i wasn't producing enough milk to satisfy her so started supplementing with formula and expressing the rest! I am now getting about 2-3oz out of each side and I express around 3-4 times a day! I was only getting 1-2oz when I first started!

What breast pump do you use? I was really struggling when i first started expressing, i was managing about an ounce from each side! I went and bought a medela swing electric pump, and now i get 4 oz in 20 mins just from one side! It was well worth the money for me! i tend to express twice a day and pop it all in the freezer, then its there if i need it. The problem i have is that i seem to be able to get more from one side than the other, and typically its the side with the sore nipple! I think babies do get more than you express, as they are the experts at getting it out lol! The only other thing i would suggest is trying to express at the same time each day when you're at your fullest. I express 1st thing in the morning and last thing at night, and usually express off one side as she's feeding off the other. It works for me as i have 2 older kiddies, so i'm sitting down to feed her anyway and not using up any more time by expressing aswell if that makes sense xxx