How to express breast milk? Technique for expressing breast milk with your hands and a breast pump

Expressing breast milk is one of the most important skills of every nursing mother. It is necessary in various cases: due to swelling of the mother’s breast, the need to feed the baby, during the establishment of lactation. Milk production depends on both the mother and the baby. However, not everyone is able to establish feeding quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to properly prepare for this process. How to express breast milk, we will tell in this article. The health of the woman and the usefulness of the diet of the baby depend on the correct pumping technique.

When to express milk

There are several situations where feeding is impossible without pumping:

• Premature birth. A baby who was born prematurely has not yet developed a sucking reflex. Such children do not know how to suck, but they really need breastfeeding, their life and health may depend on this. Unlike purchased mixtures, breast milk contains the maximum amount of nutrients that accelerate the development of the baby. Therefore, decantation in this case is considered the only right option.
• Weak sucking reflex. Many babies are born with an underdeveloped sucking reflex. They suckle their breasts very slowly and for a long time, as a result they do not overeat. Most often, this lasts only the first week after birth, and then the baby gets used to the daily efforts. But if this continues further, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of serious illness in the baby by contacting a doctor. In any case, you can’t stop feeding, just study how to express breast milk and start feeding the baby from the bottle.
• Bad lactation. When there is very little milk, all the means to produce it are good. Knowing how to express breast milk with your hands, you can increase its arrival. Continuous decantation enhances lactation, although it makes it unstable for the baby's regimen.
• In the treatment. Many drugs are prohibited for nursing mothers because of their penetration into milk, which can harm the health of the baby. But it happens that their analogues do not cope with the treatment. In order not to stop breastfeeding, the milk is decanted before taking the medicine and frozen to feed the baby for the treatment period. Regular pumping allows you to not stop breastfeeding during treatment. The breast continues to produce milk, albeit not for the baby.

How does lactation normalize?

The establishment of lactation is waiting for every woman who gave birth. Therefore, knowledge of the technique of expressing breast milk is necessary. In the first minutes after the birth of the baby, colostrum is produced in the mother’s chest . This can not be called milk, but for a newborn it is already a complete diet. Only after two or three days, the breast is poured with milk. The child is not able to immediately suck out such large portions, so it is necessary to express breast milk. When and how much milk needs to be expressed, it is easy to determine by the appetite of the baby. Failing to express milk from both breasts in a timely manner can lead to serious health problems.

Periodic pumping during this period will normalize lactation. It is impossible to squeeze out all the milk from the breast immediately, as soon as it ceases to be firm to the touch - pumping must be stopped. The intake of milk will gradually adjust to the baby’s feeding, and pumping may no longer be required.

Preparing for expressing milk

The proper pumping of breast milk is especially difficult for those women who have a first child. But with proper preparation, the process will be as comfortable as possible. Where to start:

1. 15 minutes before pumping, you need to drink hot relaxing tea.
2. It is good to warm the chest, go to the shower, and then attach a warm towel to the chest.
3. If the baby is not nearby, think about it, closing your eyes.
4. Lightly massage your chest with your hands.

This completes the preparation for pumping. The most important thing is not to be nervous and not to worry. Before expressing breast milk with your hands, you need to tune in to a good result. Then everything will happen naturally easily. A more serious procedure should be carried out in the presence of lactostasis. With it, stagnation appears in the chest, which must be removed with a special massage and rubbing.

Expressing milk by hand

When manually expressing breast milk, it is worth remembering about hygiene. Before starting the procedure, hands should be thoroughly washed, and dishes should be sterilized. For expressing, you need crockery with a wide base, such as a deep plate or cup. The container must be placed at chest level so that pumping is as comfortable as possible. Next, you need to adhere to the following technique:

1. Grasp the areola with your fingers, the big one should be at the top, and the rest below. The fingers should be squeezed in the direction of the ribs and resemble the letter C.
2. Next, you need to roll your fingers towards the nipple. Movements should be slow, but rhythmic and confident.
3. You can move your fingers around the areola for more active pumping. But you can not let go of the skin or go beyond the areola.
4. At first, milk will drip, but then it will pour in trickles.

Expressing one breast takes about 15 minutes. However, at first it can drag on for up to half an hour. After several procedures, the technique will improve, and the process will be significantly reduced.

Manual Pumping Rules

So that this process does not cause pain or discomfort, it is worth considering some rules for expressing breast milk:

1. During pumping, you cannot massage the chest, press on it or squeeze it. Painful sensations that cause discomfort will only reduce milk production.
2. The fingers should be continuously on the areola. You can not tear them from the chest and re-compress the skin.
3. Fingers must move continuously around the circumference. Thus, all milk ducts will be worked out as much as possible.
4. Breasts must be changed every 5-7 minutes.
5. Do not pull the nipple, such actions can lead to dryness, wounds and cracks.
6. Breast pumping should be painless, if there are discomfort, then the technique is broken.
7. A woman should be in a comfortable position, maximum relaxation contributes to good lactation.
8. Before the first procedure for expressing milk, you must consult a doctor.

Pros and cons of manual milk pumping

Like any procedure, expressing breast milk manually has a list of advantages and disadvantages. Of the advantages of this method, it can be noted:

1. There are no contraindications for breastfeeding.
2. It does not require investment.
3. A woman can regulate the entire process of feeding the baby herself, without even getting out of bed.
4. The absence of any injuries.
5. Manual pumping does not cause pain, as is the case with a breast pump.
6. Skin contact promotes good lactation.
7. It is only possible to stimulate the mammary glands well with one's own hand.
8. Side effects in manual pumping are absent.

There are several disadvantages:

1. A long time for expressing breast milk.
2. A woman should carefully prepare and clearly observe the technique of decantation.
3. Not everyone succeeds in evenly emptying the chest; this results in stagnation of milk.

Pump pumping

Breast pumps are the constant helpers of every nursing mother. They make it possible to quickly and safely express milk. There are a huge number of their variations, divided by cost, manufacturer and mode of action. Knowing the merits of each model, a woman can choose the most comfortable device for herself.

Breast pumps are divided into two large groups: mechanical and electrical. To determine the model, you need to know how these two types of devices work. Following the instructions, you can learn to work correctly with any of them.

Mechanical breast pumps

These devices are most often called manual breast pumps. They are suitable for those women who rarely express milk, for example, with the normalization of lactation immediately after childbirth or with short partings with the baby. Mechanical devices are divided into several types, divided by mode of action.

• Pump-action. This model of the breast pump is the easiest to use. It consists of a funnel and a pear-shaped rubber pump. Expressing breast milk with a breast pump of this type occurs when the pump is squeezed by hand. The vacuum created inside the device provokes the secretion of milk secretion.

• Syringe. The device itself looks like a syringe. The breast pump includes two cylinders: internal and external. The internal is applied to the chest, and the external needs to do translational movements.

• Piston. This unit contains a nozzle for the chest, a milk bowl and a lever. To empty the mammary glands, you need to attach a funnel to the areola and constantly press the lever. Of all the mechanical models, it is piston breast pumps that are considered the most comfortable. They do not provoke stagnation of milk and are very easy to manage.

Electric breast pumps

These models also create a vacuum in the nipple region, but their motor is not manual power, but a battery or mains motor. To begin the process of pumping, a woman just needs to put a breast pump to her breast and press the button. Electric devices greatly simplify milk production, do not cause discomfort, and also do not require a lot of time for the procedure. How much to express breast milk, a woman decides for herself, thanks to the adjustment of device modes. Breast after expressing with the help of such a breast pump becomes soft, and the flow of milk is a stream. This is a good sign of successful pumping.

Breast milk storage

Every woman should be aware of the rules for storing expressed milk. If they are neglected, milk will not only lose all its beneficial properties, but can also negatively affect the baby’s health. Bacteria and pathogens develop in spoiled breast milk. To prevent this, milk needs to be expressed and stored, observing the rules of hygiene. At room temperature, milk is stored for no more than 3 hours. Storage of breast milk after decantation in the refrigerator should last no more than 4 days. If expressing milk in reserve, you need to take care of the container in advance. Transfusions are not recommended at all, so you need to express yourself immediately in a bag or container for freezing.

How to store breast milk

Having decided on how to properly express breast milk, you should find a suitable store for it. When choosing a milk container, it is worth considering the shelf life, as well as its required amount. Recommended storage tanks:

1. For one-time feeding, simple baby bottles are suitable.
2. In electric breast pumps there are special containers for storing milk. They put on a pacifier and immediately start feeding.
3. For storage of 2-3 days or more, use special plastic containers for breast milk. They are sterilized and suitable for storage in the freezer.
4. It is also convenient to keep milk in jars of baby food. They can be sterilized together with lids at home, but you can not store such containers in the freezer. Glass under the influence of subzero temperature bursts.
5. Industrial production packages. They have a place for marking and date of decantation. Such packages are very convenient to freeze.

How to freeze breast milk

Freezing breast milk is a real salvation for women. Lactation can stop at any time due to stress, lack of sleep, rest and many other reasons. Given that frozen milk can be stored in the freezer for up to six months, each mother can prevent this unexpected loss by periodically replenishing milk in the freezer. Cool it well before freezing. This can be done both at room temperature and in the refrigerator. Transfer milk from one container to another is not worth it, even if sterilization is observed.

The freezing mode must be turned on immediately after placing the container in the freezer. For this purpose, you need to select a separate shelf where other products will not be stored. On packages with milk must be indicated date of decantation. You must also indicate the date of freezing. These storage rules are very important, since milk can not be stored longer than the allotted period.

How to heat milk from the refrigerator

Before you feed your baby milk from the refrigerator, it must be warmed up in a special bottle warmer. It can also be done in a water bath or heated under hot water from a faucet. Before you heat milk from the freezer, you need to bring it to a liquid state in the refrigerator. Only when it has thawed can it be taken out and heated in the usual way.

Do not heat milk in a microwave, oven or under boiling water. These methods can only destroy all the beneficial substances of breast milk. Such food will not only not benefit the baby, but may also worsen his health. Do not re-freeze milk; leftovers that are not used in food should be thrown away.

About how to breastfeed and express milk is explained in detail in the hospital. But each woman and her child is a separate, unique case. Therefore, it is worth getting a personal recommendation on feeding while at home, in a comfortable environment.