Pumping

Hi! My little one is nearly 3mo, and I’ve started pumping once per day, in the evening so my other half can give a bottle occasionally. (I’m storing in the freezer for when needed.) I’ve not had any issues with my little one going back to the breast at all, I think the more common issue is getting them to take a bottle in the first place. My little one definitely prefers the boob to the bottle. 🥛 xx

I had to pump very early on (1 week post partum) and my boy is now 6.5 months, he will take the boob and the bottle no problem!
I think at 5 months you may have more issue with getting her to take a bottle as a lot of the time they reject them if they’ve been exclusively breastfed

You don’t actually have to introduce a bottle at all, from 6 months babies can have sippy cups. I’ve heard people have a lot of success from this x

My son had a severe lip and tongue tie that we had fixed around 4/5 weeks. He was only taking bottles until we had it fix and never had the intention to regularly breastfeed. He was strictly bottles until we had it fixed and it was like a switch flipped , he now LOVES the boob. I work 50 hours a week so it honestly made it easier for me to return that he didn’t mind bottles, and now he only nurses at night when I’m off work or my days off. Even when I was on maternity leave and trying to EBF there were times he preferred a bottle over the boob or vise versa.

10/10 recommend giving it a try so you can have your you time and not have to worry if baby is eating while you’re away

How soon can you express? I want to do the same as you, but I’ve been told to wait at least 3 months. Is that right? X

I was told by midwife to start expressing when baby was a week old bc he hadn’t gained weight! I think as long as you have established breastfeeding it should be okay? I think they suggest not to bc it CAN cause an oversupply but doesn’t always for everyone x