How do you express?

[Feijoa Mum]

I have my new fandangle Medela breast pump but im not sure when is the best time that I should be expressing.
I am trying to save up some milk for the freezer so I can leave her with DH or he can take over for a feed here and there. I do know my iron levels are very low and that this can affect supply but I have been taking Fenugreek the last few days and I am feeling a bit "fuller"
Her pattern is feed for as long as she likes off one side, nappy change, play etc then as she starts getting grumpy and sleepy I offer her the other side and she drops off to sleep.

I have tried expressing after a feed and only got like 5mls off both breasts is this normal?
Should I just completely stick to the one side and then express off the other?

How do you do it? Any suggestions gratefully received

[Fleur]

Are you wanting to express after every feed, or just once a day?

In the morning your breasts will be at their fullest so it's probably the best time of day to express, (after a morning feed).
Otherwise I think it's around 20-30 minutes after a feed that your breasts will start to fill with milk again.

Just keep in mind of course that even when you leave her with your DH or he takes her to feed her, you will still need to express that feed...it can be just as much hassle as doing that feed yourself

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I never got much with DD1 but with DD2 she slept through from 7pm til 6:30 2 nights last week and while she was feeding in the morning off 1 side i expressed off the other and got over 100ml from 1 side alone

I def agree that the morning is the best time, will she take 1 side have a nappy change then take the other? if so then maybe 30min later you can try expressing off the side she finished on and see how you go?

It's not easy and even more annoying that DD2 doesn't seem to want to take expressed milk, i guess you just have to go with the flow, with DD1 the onyl time i could express was in the middle of the night when my (.)(.) were a little fuller while she was feeding off the other side.

Some tips i was given were:
Have a warm/hot shower first, if possible do it WHILE your bub is in the room, looking at them and hearing them can help trigger the let down.
If you can manage express 1 side WHILE feeding off the other (this might work best for you as your DD doesn't feed off the other side straight away)

GL with it all, we have just moved and i need to get my pump out and work on stocking up.