Does anyone routine feed?

[peanutter]

congratulations on the arrival of your little one!!!

I'm thrilled to hear she seems to be doing so well - and it sounds like you're checking all the right things, nappies, weight, etc.

My DS came out of the womb on a 4 hourly routine - he would wake to be fed around 3am, 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 11pm. He wasn't hungry between then, he didn't need any more feeding between then, he'd still do the right number of wet and pooey nappies, gained weight, slept beautifully, and was just a perfect healthy little thing.

Some babies are just like that! No issues.

As some others have said, your expressing is *awesome*!! 60ml is great, and (as you're probably already doing) you can start just supplementing her feeds after he's had boob with a bit of EBM.

Expressing is hard work (as you'll know) but it's great to keep your milk supply up, on top of your bf, and it's great to be able to give her your milk when she needs more food, rather than formula. If you can keep it up, then you're doing wonderfully.

At the start, I expressed a fair bit, after each feed. The midwives told me I could keep the milk out on the bench for 4 hours, in the fridge for 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. So I never had to throw any out - DS would always have it as a supplement sooner or later!

And DS never rejected the boob or the bottle, until he weaned around 10 months old - and I was working full time, with him being fed EBM for most of that time. He managed fine.

And if you have concerns about "nipple confusion" or whatever, you can feed her with a cup instead, if you like. I found it messier and unnecessary, but know others who found it much better for them and their babies - which is the important thing!

With the 10 minutes / 15 minutes / 20 minutes, the Lactation Consultant I saw said that DS would get 80-90% of his feed in the first 10 minutes, and so I didn't need to feed him for more than that ... but at the end of the day, he took 45 minutes to get his fill. Yes that's a really long time, and I would have to do all sorts of things to stop him from nodding off while feeding (so warm and comfy and comforting being nuzzled up in there, he'd just doze and feed and doze and feed!!) so I'd put him on, and progressively unwrap him, tickle his toes, blow on his face, change his nappy half way through, etc, until he'd finished feeding. That way, he didn't need a top up - and I could still express a little afterwards.

I watched a lot of telly in those first few weeks, until he got quicker with his feeds!!!

Some people aren't happy to do it that way, and would prefer to do 10-15 minutes (or 10-15 each side) and then top up with EBM or formula.

It depends on what works for you and for her.

If she gets frustrated at the boob, or stops feeding after a shorter space of time, or if after her birth etc you're too sore for extended feeding sessions, you just need to do what is best for the two of you ...

Just letting you know what worked for us, in case it's of any assistance.

But can I repeat: over all, it sounds like you're doing a really, really good job.

Get some sleep, and some chocolate, and give yourself a pat on the back.