How to Express Milk by Hand Or Machine. Breast milk is essential for babies. To ensure that your baby has adequate milk supply you may need to express breast milk by hand or machine.
HOW TO EXPRESS BREAST MILK BY HAND
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Sit or stand comfortably, and hold the container near your breast.
- Put your thumb on your breast ABOVE the nipple and areola, and your first finger on the breast BELOW the nipple and areola, opposite the thumb. Support the breast with your other fingers.
- Press your thumb and first finger slightly inwards towards the chest wall, avoid pressing too far, because that can block the milk ducts.
- Press your breast behind the nipple and areola between your finger and thumb. You must press on the lactiferous sinuses beneath the areola. Sometimes in a lactating breast, it is possible to feel the sinuses. They are like pods or peanuts. If you can feel them, you can press on them.
- Press and release, press and release. This should not hurt – if it hurts, the technique is wrong.
- At first, no milk may come, but after pressing a few times, milk starts to drip out. It may flow in streams if the letdown reflex is active.
- Press the areola in the same way from the SIDES, to make sure that milk is expressed from all segments of the breast. Avoid rubbing or sliding your fingers along the skin. The movement of the fingers should be more like rolling. Avoid squeezing the nipple itself. Pressing or pulling the nipple cannot express the milk. It is the same as the baby sucking only the nipple.
- Express one breast for at least 3 – 5 minutes until the flow slows; then the other side; then repeat both sides. Use either hand for either breast, change when you tire. To express breast milk adequately take around 20 – 30 minutes, especially in the first few days when only a little milk may be produced.
HOW TO EXPRESS BREAST MILK BY PUMP
Electric Pump
The better quality pump you use, the better you will be able to maintain your breast milk supply. Start the suction on low each time you pump and gradually increase the suction (over the first 2-3 minutes) to the maximum setting that is comfortable for you. That is different for everyone. The pump is pre-set to the strength of a normal infant’s suck so it is unlikely you will find it too strong. If you do, stop increasing the suction just when it begins to pinch. Too much suction can collapse your milk ducts and result in poor milk emptying. Do a 10–15-minute session or watch for 2-3 let-down reflexes (the time when the milk is flowing faster, then it will slow down again). Pump for 2-3 minutes after the last drops of milk. If you are pressed for time, short frequent sessions are better than just one long one.
Manual Breast Pump
- Connect the elements of your pump properly ensuring the suction is there.
- Make sure that the rubber seal is in good flexible condition.
- Put the funnel over the nipple.
- Make sure that it touches the skin all around, to make an airtight seal.
- Your nipple moves in and out with each suction/release phase.
- Your breast empties all over, no pockets of hardness.
- The flange or funnel should support the breast and areola; none of the areolae is pulled into the nipple tunnel.
- There is slight movement in the breast with each cycling of the pump.
- The nipple should not be sore or cracked and there is no pressure ring around the nipple.
