5 top tips for expressing breast milk

I was very grateful to be able to contribute to this blog for Dr Brooke Vandermolen, Obstetric and Gynaecology Registrar. You can find Brooke over at @theobgynmum or www.theobgynmum.com

Not only is breastfeeding a challenge enough, but once you start expressing it can be a whole new minefield.

Whether you are pumping to help boost supply, to make a stash of milk when you go back to work, or just to allow your partner get involved in the feeding, here are 5 really useful tips to help improve your experience of expressing breast milk:

1.You may not get much milk when you start pumping.

This is normal so try not to get too disheartened.

Your milk ejection reflex (MER) or ‘let down’ reflex is conditioned to happen when your baby sucks at the breast. It needs to be ‘retrained’ to also let down to a pump.

There is no ‘right time’ to start expressing for your baby, as it often depends on your own situation. The usual recommendation is to wait 6 weeks for breastfeeding to be properly established, ie your baby is comfortable latching to the breast, and your supply has adjusted to match your baby’s needs.

However, you may be advised to express milk for other reasons. eg;

If baby is losing weight in order to boost supply, or if mum and baby are separated eg in the NICU.

Consistency is key – Pumping regularly e.g. once a day at the same time can help.

Try not to watch the milk drip into the bottle as the MER can be inhibited if anxious or stressed. Cover the bottle with one baby’s little socks so you can’t see the milk. Relax and do something else instead

Being near your baby or looking at baby pics or videos can help milk to flow

To optimise milk output, massage your breasts before you put the pump on and hand express in the middle if you think your breasts haven’t fully emptied. Hand express again once you are finished.

2. Most women get the best yield of milk in the morning.

You may also get greater milk yields is if your baby sleeps for a longer stretch than normal between feeds.

Again …. Consistency is key – Pumping regularly e.g. once a day at the same time can help.

3. To boost supply, try to power pump:

Find 1 hour to pump uninterrupted and use this pumping pattern:

• Pump 20 mins, rest 10 mins

• Pump 10 mins, rest 10 mins

• Pump 10 mins.

Do this 1-2 times per day for 2-3 days to see increased volumes

4. Make sure your pump fits you properly, there are different shield sizes for a reason!

The nipple should move freely in the breast shield and not rub against the sides. Ensure that little to none of the areola is pulled into the narrow part of the shield.

Pumping should feel comfortable and certainly not cause any pain.

Breasts should feel less full after.

Most companies make different size shields so you should be able to find one that fits.

5. The volume of milk is not reflective of the milk your baby can transfer from you.

Don’t use pumped milk volumes to estimate how much milk your baby is getting.

If your baby is doing the right number of wet and dirty nappies and is gaining weight that should be your indicator.