Congratulations! I am expressing 3 hourly during day and once at night for a total of 7 sessions each day. Here's my schedule: 6:30am, 9:30, 12:30pm, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30pm, 2 am - then back up at 6:30. I am very tired from all this but it has worked and my supply is good. I had the midwives hand express me a number of times each day before my milk came in and then I switched to a Medela. I totally understand why you are forcing yourself to do this - it is the same for me as DS is still only on nose feeds although I put him to the breast when I can and he has a little tries (he is now 35 weeks and 2days). Hopefully just 2 more weeks in special care but no one has committed to a date yet.
Wow! I'm glad to hear things are working well for you. Is that amount of expressing covering you DS's feeds or are you still needing top ups? (If you don't mind me asking?). I'd like to just do one overnight, but want to wait til my milk is in first. I think it's getting close - I'm getting 7-8ish ml a time now (about double yesterday). Still not huge, but an improvement....