2 Ways To Express Breast Milk
Today, during the lactation period, many women are encouraged to express and store their milk in containers, to be able to feed their baby more comfortably. However, there are many other reasons why you decide to express breast milk.
Another reason why a mother may have decided to carry out this action is because she wants to feed her baby safely, either because she is sick or was born prematurely.
Regardless of the reason, it is clear that expressing and storing milk to give it to the baby later is a measure that has several advantages. One of them is that it allows the mother to have more rest times throughout the day.
On the other hand, this measure allows to alleviate the sensation of heaviness or pain in the breasts that usually occurs as a result of the accumulation of milk. In addition, it stimulates the production of it, which will be a great benefit for the baby.
Expressing breast milk is a simpler practice than most people think. With a little practice, all breastfeeding mothers can do it quickly and without any complications.
2 ways to express breast milk
1. Manual extraction
To manually express breast milk, the first thing to do is wash your hands with soap and water to minimize the risks of infection due to improper handling of the breasts. No tools are needed and the great advantage it offers is that it greatly alleviates discomfort and pain, by ‘decompressing’ the breasts.
It is important for the mother to get into a comfortable position and have a clean container close at hand (on a table or directly on her lap, just below the breasts). You should then proceed to massage the breasts with both hands. Said massage should be done as follows:
- The thumb is placed on top of the breast. The index finger should be under the areola, while the breast is supported in the hand.
- The breast is then gently “pushed” toward the rib cage.
- Once this is done, the fingers and thumb should be slowly turned towards the nipple, applying light pressure.
- All the steps are repeated slowly, to continue releasing pressure.
- You should change breast when you see that the milk stops coming out quickly and in less quantity.
- In case the milk does not come out, the thumb should be placed more or less close to the nipple.
Keep in mind that the first few times, only a few drops may be removed. However, over time this practice will prove very beneficial.
2. Expressing with a manual or electric breast pump
The second easiest and fastest way to express breast milk is to use a manual or electric breast pump. The choice of instrument will depend on the preferences of each mother, as well as how often she plans to use it.
In the case of those mothers who have little time and need to find a schedule to express milk, it is advisable to buy an electric pump. To use it, you have to place the suction cup on the breast and turn on the pump. Once placed, you have to wait for it to do its job and pour the milk into a previously sterilized container or bottle.
To consider
If it is about expressing milk, from time to time, so that the couple or a relative can feed the baby during your absence, a manual breast pump is the most indicated. The cost of this type of extractor is usually very affordable.
It should be noted that these types of tools also have a suction cup, but the milk is removed through a pressure mechanism and not an electric motor. To do this you will need time and patience, because it takes between 15 and 45 minutes to express the milk from both breasts.
Once expressed in any of the ways mentioned, you should immediately store and preserve breast milk in sterilized containers. You must place a label on these containers where you indicate the amount of liquid and the date of extraction.
