Just thought I would tell you what I do with mine. I have a jersey cow I've been milking for three years. I don't wean my babies until I'm about ready to stop milking her. I leave the baby on full-time for the first week to two weeks, then I separate for maybe 4 hours and do my milking for a little while - I just keep tabs on how much milk I'm getting and/or want.
Eventually, I separate the baby all night and milk in the morning and they spend the day together. I like to milk in the morning so that if I want to go to a friends house or something in the evening, that particular chore is already done. My cow is pretty easy going and I can leave her with the calf and skip milking occasionally.
I think for a first-time milker you should be as consistent as possible, but after awhile, mine has become very pliable.
Good luck! I LOVE my cow - and I have to say that the steer that we butchered our first year with her was the MOST DELICIOUS beef I have ever had. It was pure jersey, and he didn't get huge, of course, but WOW!
