Re the bottles- This is just my personal opinion and my experience but in the early days I found it just too difficult to express so DH could get involved. The first few weeks are all about building up your supply and getting the hang of bfing so expressing just so Dad gets some feeding bonding is not necessary and can just be a big hassle which gets in the way of this important learning curfe you and bubs are going through. Dads can bond in other ways....Dh is in charge of daytime nappies in our house and baths. He also gets lots of cuddles and is the best at burping him! In my experience I would express with an electric pump, spend an hour of valuable mummy sleep time doing it and only get enough for one bottle feed (and I have tons of milk!!! it pours everywhere from the breast not being nursed from when he feeds. Even collecting that excess drippage would only contribute to one feed) That one bottle feed would take fifteen minutes for bubs to finish and I would spend most of that time sterlising equipment, and preparing it. So my 'break' from feeding was just more work not a break at all. Also many newborns cluster feed, so DH may just finish giving him a bottle and ten minutes later bubs will want more!!!! I had visions of storing milk and having a bank but unless you are exclusively expressing that would be hard work. I would have to be hooked up to a pump while sleeping to get more than a bottle or two stash!!!
So my advice is if you are able to exclusively BF then don't bother expressing just for Dad. It could turn out to be a whole lot of hard work. Unless of course you have a dream baby that only feeds every 3 hours or less(which mine isn't!!!!) Also those first 6-8 weeks are all about establishing supply and that is hard enough work!! I am hoping that as my feeding settles down (supposed to happen at 6-8 weeks) that the gaps in between feeds will be long enough to be able to express but at the moment it is just not worth it. Dads get bonding with bubs in other ways and are much more needed getting you drinks, food, cloths and support on those days you feel like you are chained to the couch feeding!!!!! This has just been my experience!!
btw I use tommee tippee closer to nature. Well I will be when I can be bothered expressing again!!!!
) that the gaps in between feeds will be long enough to be able to express but at the moment it is just not worth it. Dads get bonding with bubs in other ways and are much more needed getting you drinks, food, cloths and support on those days you feel like you are chained to the couch feeding!!!!! This has just been my experience!!
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