Breastfeeding: expressing breastmilk
Breastfeeding—expressing breastmilk
You can have a social and work life, and still breastfeed for as long as you want. The trick is to learn how to express your breastmilk. It may seem strange but it enables you to go out or go back to work. It’s also a useful way to help overcome some breastfeeding problems.
Getting your breastmilk into a bottle
Expressing can be as simple as standing over a bowl, while you gently massage your milk into it. However, if you are going to be doing it regularly, consider buying an inexpensive manual pump that will speed up the process.
You can also hire electric breast pumps from:
- a pharmacy
- your local maternity hospital
- the Australian Breastfeeding Association.
Expressing while at work
By expressing at work, you can ensure your baby still gets all the health benefits of breastmilk. By law, your employer is obliged to ‘reasonably accommodate’ your breastfeeding. Before you return to work, let them know you’ll need a private room with a comfortable chair where you can express, and somewhere to store your equipment. If possible, try to express at the times you’d normally feed your baby. Make sure your workplace has a fridge where you can store your milk, and make sure you label it clearly!
Get ideas on how to talk with your employer about breastfeeding.
