Thanks ladies. It's not so much the ability to express as the time. Toddler-wrangling, 2-hourly feeds and a bub that's not a huge fan of naps means that there's few moments in the day that I can sit and express. I actually haven't tried to express this time round but last time found that my boobs stopped responding to the pump (had a borrowed elec medela and own a hand pump) and had to hand-express. This works fine but takes me aaaages!
He does seem to last a little longer when I'm away. It's more about peace of mind I guess. Knowing that I'm leaving DH with something to give him in case he really gets desperate. I won't be able to relax if I think DS could be at home crying for a feed.
I'm feeling utterly drained and touched-out and am desperate to just get my body to myself for a few hours. My mother's group have monthly dinners and I'd love to go to one, but it's at the time when DS usually cluster-feeds so it's looking like a no-go unless I take him with me and feed as I try to eat and socialise (less than relaxing), or get enough expressed milk to keep him going.
I feel very guilty saying that I want to get out. With DD I didn't want her away from me for more than 5 minutes. I do, of course, adore being with them both. Just got some seriously flat Mummy-batteries and need a re-charge. Sounds like formula is not the way for us though.
Why don't you hire an electric breastpump through ABA for a couple of weeks and get some tips from the counsellor you hire it from on expressing? I bet you could get a stock pretty easily. As a mum you do need to do a few things for yourself and have some time out. Maybe suggest lunch or brunch on the weekends as a mums group get together. What do others do with their little ones? If other people take their babies (which you would expect) then take yours.
You've had heaps of good advice here on breastfeeding and expressing here. But to answer your question more specifically: if you think that your LO has a cows milk protein allergy then you will need to give them either an extensively hydrolyzed formula (such as Pepti-Junior) where the milk proteins are very broken down or a completely elemental formula (such as Neocate) which have no milk proteins at all. Both of these formulas require a script from a pediatrician. It can't be just a GP.
Most babies who are allergic to cows milk are also allergic to soy formulas, but if you wanted to give a non-prescription formula a try, then you could try soy. Note that some people think that soy formulas are very bad - there is an article on the main bellybelly website I think.
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