Expressing your milk
Why you may need or want to express your milk
- If you need to help your baby attach to a very full breast
- If your breasts feel full and uncomfortable
- If your baby is too small or sick to breastfeed
- If you need to be away from your baby for more than an hour or two
- If you are going back to work
Methods of expressing your milk
There are three main methods of expressing breastmilk.
- By hand
- By using a hand pump
- By using an electric pump
Whichever method you choose, the milk may take a minute or two to flow after you start expressing. Express from one breast until the flow slows or stops. Change to the second breast and when the milk stops flowing from that breast return to the first breast and start again. Repeat this several times until you can no longer get any milk from either breast.
The first milk your breasts produce is called Colostrum. This is usually produced in small amounts to meet the needs of your baby in the first few days of life. Colostrum is very high in antibodies so is very important in helping your baby fight infections. As your milk supply develops the amount of milk increases and your breasts may feel fuller. This later milk also contains lots of antibodies and other ingredients to ward off illnesses as well as providing all the food and drink your baby needs to grow and develop.
Encouraging your milk to flow when expressing
- Try to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Sitting in a quiet room with a warm drink may help. Have your baby close by. If this is not possible have a photograph of your baby to look at instead.
- If you can, have a warm bath or shower before expressing, or apply warm flannels to your breast (especially when you are learning to express).
- Gently massage your breast. This can be done with your finger tips (A) or by rolling your closed fist over your breast towards the nipple (B).Work around the whole breast, including underneath. Do not slide your fingers along your breast as it can damage the skin.
- After massaging your breast gently roll your nipple between your first finger and thumb. This encourages the release of hormones, which stimulate your breast to produce and release the milk.
- As you get used to expressing your milk you will find that you do not need to prepare so carefully. Just like breastfeeding, it gets easier with practice.
Hand expressing
This is a free and convenient way of expressing milk and is particularly useful if you need to relieve an uncomfortable breast. These instructions are a guide but the best way to learn is to practice (perhaps in the bath) so that you find what works for you. With practice it is possible to express from both breasts at the same time.
Technique for hand expressing
Each breast is divided into around 15 sections, each with its own milk ducts. It is from these ducts that you express the milk. It is important that you rotate your fingers around the breast to ensure that milk is expressed from all sections of the breast.
- Place your index finger under the breast, at the outer edge of the areola (dark area around the nipple), and your thumb on top of the breast opposite your index finger (you may be able to feel the milk ducts under the skin). (C) If you have a large areola, you may need to place your index finger and thumb slightly nearer your nipple (if your areola is small, you may need to move them farther back beyond the areola).Your other fingers can be used to support the breast
- Keeping your fingers and thumb in position (as outlined above), gently press backwards towards your chest wall (D).
- Maintaining this gentle backwards pressure, press your thumb and first finger together and so push the milk along the ducts and toward the nipple.
- Release the pressure to allow the ducts to refill and then repeat steps 2 and 3.
You should not squeeze the nipple as this is not effective and could be painful. Be careful not to rub or slide your fingers along the breast as this can damage the delicate breast tissue.
Once you have the ‘knack’, steps 2 and 4 take no more than a few seconds. You are then able to build up a steady rhythm. This results in the milk dripping and perhaps spurting from the breast. Use a sterile jug to collect the milk.
Hand pumps
There are a number of different designs, all of which work in slightly different ways. Some are operated by hand and some by battery. They all have a funnel that fits over the nipple and areola. Different pumps suit different women – it is therefore best, if at all possible, to try out a pump before buying.
Electric pumps
These are fast and easy because they work automatically. They are particularly good if you need to express for a long period, for example if your baby is in the Special Care Unit. If this is the case, then you should try to express a minimum of 6-8 times in 24 hours, including once during the night, to maintain your supply.
It is possible to express both breasts at the same time using some electric pumps that have a dual pumping set. This is quicker than other methods and may help you to produce more milk.
