How to express breast milk

Real advice from real mums

When to start expressing
Unless your baby was premature or is ill it’s best to wait until your milk supply is established before starting to express. This is usually at around the six to eight weeks point.

‘Express often – after the first feed of the day is a good time,’ says midwife Sharon Trotter. ‘If you’re separated from your baby, use a photo, piece of clothing or even a video of your baby to stimulate your let-down.’

How to express milk
You can chose to express by hand or by breast pump or it can be a good idea to do a bit of both as the pump ‘sucks’ but hands ‘milk’ – the combo is similar to your baby feeding.

Start by relaxing. Expressing is a skill to practice and may take a while to get the hang of.

If you decide to express by hand, cup your breast with the palm of your hand and walk your thumb up from your nipple until you feel a change in texture. Place your middle finger opposite your thumb and make a ‘C’ shape and then start expressing – try to press back, bring together and press forward. Keep going until your milk flow subsides.

With a manual pump, make sure the funnel isn’t too small when your nipple is brought into the narrow part of the funnel, as this could be painful. Operate the handle as instructed on the packaging and swap breasts frequently. If you prefer an electric pump, the motor will operate the handle for you. You should be able to alter the suction to suit you and just like the manual pump, make sure it fits you correctly.

For more advice visit: www.motherandbaby.co.uk