How to express breast milk (with hands and breast pump)

Breast milk is the best food that can be given to the baby. However, there are situations in which it is not possible to give the breast or when it is preferable to give the milk in the bottle and for this it is necessary to express breast milk. Know the composition of breast milk.

There are several ways to express it, which can be done with your hands or with a single or double manual or electric breast pump, depending on the frequency with which you want to express the milk and the preference of each woman. For any method, you should always maintain good hygiene and follow tips that ensure the quality of the milk for the baby and the best comfort for the mother.

How to express breast milk with breast pump

The choice of the breast pump is related to the frequency with which the mother plans to feed her baby with breast milk through the bottle. Thus, if the mother intends to give her milk with the bottle once or twice a week, just use a manual breast pump, however, if she intends to give it more often, the best option is to use an electric breast pump with double breast pump, in that milk is expressed more efficiently.

Hand pump

Electric pump

1. Hand pump

There are several manual bombs on the market, the method of use of which may vary slightly. However, what you need to do in most of them is to place the funnel on the breast so that the nipple is properly centered in the tunnel, hold the funnel against the breast with the help of your thumb and forefinger and support the breast with the palm of your hand and then just start the extraction process according to the pump instructions.

2. Electric pump

Electric breast pumps are easier to use, because they do the job for the woman and can be simple, if you express milk from one breast at a time or double, if the extraction occurs in both breasts at the same time. There are several different electric pumps for sale, which can have several modalities available, such as speed adjustment or pressure, for example.

The double electric breast pump has more advantages than the simple breast pump because it is possible to obtain more milk in less time, the milk obtained has a higher energy content, which is especially beneficial for premature babies and in addition, it also makes a better emptying of the breast, which promotes the maintenance of breastfeeding.

How to use the inhaler step by step

To use the pump correctly, you must:

Wash your hands thoroughly before starting to express the milk; choose a funnel with the right size for the breast, which should fit well to the nipple, leaving enough space so that it does not rub against the wall of the funnel and can move freely to front and back; Extract the maximum comfortable vacuum, which is the strongest vacuum that the mother can tolerate with a feeling of comfort; Massage the breast before or during the extraction, making circular movements around the areola, to stimulate the descent the flow of milk; if you choose to express the milk from one breast at a time, you must alternate several times between both breasts;

Breastfeeding should never be painful and if the woman is in pain, she should immediately stop the process.

How to wash the pump

Breast pumps should always be washed before and after use, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Generally, a deeper wash should be carried out each day. To do this, the extraction kit must be disassembled into individual pieces and boil the non-electrical components for about 5 minutes in water and the electrical components must be cleaned with a dry cloth.

In any case, before cleaning, the manufacturer's instructions must always be read first, to avoid any damage to the pump.

How to express breast milk with your hands

Although it can be more difficult, breast milk can also be expressed by hand. For this, the same measures should be adopted as for the use of a breast pump, such as washing hands and massaging the breasts, and then, the thumb should be placed about 2 to 3 centimeters above the nipple and the index and the middle finger about 2 to 3 cm slightly below, directly aligned with the thumb and applying light and firm pressure towards the chest, compressing the breasts with a rotating movement.

At first it can be difficult, but then the woman can usually find a rhythm, which will help to express the milk more easily. The milk must be collected in a container with a wide opening.

When it is recommended to express breast milk

Breast milk is the best food that can be given to the baby and the best way to do it is through breastfeeding. However, there are situations in which this is not possible, such as when the baby is very small or premature and still cannot suck on the breast, when the mother needs to be absent, when she is sick or needs to take some medication.

In addition, breastfeeding can also be done to help the baby catch when the breast is very full, to increase milk production or so that the father can also participate in the baby's breastfeeding.

It is important to know that the more the breast empties, the more milk it produces and that a withdrawal routine must be established so that the production is done more efficiently.

How to store breast milk

To be able to store breast milk taken with a breast pump, it must be placed in a suitable container that can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

After defrosting, the milk can stand for about 24 hours in the refrigerator and about 4 hours if thawed at room temperature. Learn more about how to properly store breast milk.

Tips for expressing milk

To get breast milk in the best way, you should relax and stay in a comfortable position, with your shoulders relaxed and your back and arms well supported and follow the following tips to the fullest:

Establish a routine, which will help to stimulate milk production for fixed hours of the day; Choose a place with privacy and preferably without distractions, with everything you need within reach; If necessary, place hot compresses on your chest or massage the breast, making circular movements around the areola before the milk is withdrawn, to stimulate the descent and flow of the milk; hold the funnel of the extraction kit between the thumb and forefinger, using the palm of the hand and the other fingers to support the breast; rest as long as possible.

In addition, before breastfeeding it is necessary to tie the hair, remove the blouse and bra and wash your hands well. After expressing the milk, it is essential to put the date and time it was expressed in the container, so that you can know if the milk is good to give to the baby.