Parent Panel: How To Express Milk by Lansinoh
Whatever your reason for wanting to express, we have some helpful tips on how to get the best from your breasts!
Why Express Milk?
Mum’s may want to express for a variety of reasons;
If your breasts feel uncomfortably full
Building a bank of breast milk for when you may be away from baby
If baby is struggling to feed at the breast
If you’d like to share the feeding with a partner
How To Express Breast Milk
When, and How To Express Milk
Mums can start expressing their breast milk soon after birth, though if you are planning to keep breastfeeding, its important to establish your breastfeeding for at least 6 weeks before starting to express
The best time to express breast milk is in the morning when your breasts are the fullest. But overall, the number of times you need to pump depends on how often your baby feeds during a 24 hour window. If you need to feed them 8-12 times a day, then you should express milk at least 8 times a day to keep up with their demands. If so, pumping every 2-3 hours may be the best way to go. Since your breasts will naturally feel fuller when your baby wants to feed, it’s best to express breast milk while feeding your baby, so you can save it for the next round.
How To Express Milk
There are a few different ways to express your breast milk: by hand or through a manual or electric breast pump.
Hand expressing is a great way to release milk from your breast and can be helpful to try before you start to use your breast pump. The trick to this technique is to press the milk ducts behind your nipple. If you squeeze just the nipple, you won’t get milk and it will more than likely hurt!
Here’s some direction from the NHS on how to get the best out of hand expressing:
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Cup your breast with one hand and with your other hand create a ‘C’ shape with your forefinger and thumb.
Squeeze gently, keeping your finger and thumb around your areola – avoid squeezing your actual nipple as this could make it sore.
Release the pressure and repeat without sliding your fingers over the skin.
You should see drops start to appear and then your milk flow. If drops don’t appear, try move your finger and thumb slightly while still avoiding the nipple.
Once the milk flow begins to slow, move your fingers to a different section of your breast and repeat the process.
Once it has completely slowed in one breast, switch to the other breast and keep changing breasts until your milk either drips very slowly or stops completely.
Many mothers use a pump to express breastmilk. You can choose between a manual or an electric pump; with both single and double electric pumps working well. You could also use a Silicone Breast Pump while feeding on the other side to catch any letdown milk and store it for a later feed.
Once you have your breast pump set up, it is best to be seated whilst expressing. It sometimes helps to have a picture of your baby with you as this can encourage the release of a special hormone that encourages your body to produce breast milk. It’s also important to keep a drink nearby (water for example) so that you can stay hydrated during your pumping session.
Stress and cool body temperature can sometimes make pumping less effective, so it’s recommended to try using a warm compress or pad, do some gentle breast massage, and try some relaxation techniques. It also helps to have a photograph of your baby to look at, or a piece of their recently worn clothing to remind you of their smell.
If you have any questions or require assistance with breast massage and hand expressing, speak to your health professional.
About Lansinoh
For nearly 40 years, new mothers have trusted Lansinoh to support and care for them while they enter the messy magic of motherhood. Born from one mother’s realisation that as they tirelessly care for their babies, parents often go without the support they need and deserve. That’s why Lansinoh proudly stands with mothers all over the world. The brand’s journey started (and continues) with the multi-award winning, healthcare professional recommended HPA Lanolin Nipple Cream (affectionately known as the purple tube!). Today, it offers a comprehensive collection of solutions that help new parents navigate pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and pumping.
