Expressing breastmilk
Expressing and storing breastmilk
Almost all mothers in Australia (98%) express milk at some time for their baby in the first six months.
It is important you know how to express milk by the time you are discharged from hospital.
Reasons why some mothers will have to express:
- baby is sick or preterm
- mother and baby are separated
- mother is returning to work
- to increase milk supply
- if breasts are uncomfortable or full.
There are three methods of expressing breastmilk:
- hand
- hand pump
- electric pump.
Encouraging your let-down reflex
Whichever way you are expressing, it is important that milk 'lets-down' so that a good quantity of milk is obtained.
Ways to encourage your let-down reflex:
- sit comfortably
- relax – practice deep breathing exercises
- listen to relaxing music
- warmth – apply gentle heat from a warm face washer
- massage – lightly massage your breasts towards the nipple before and during expressing
- stimulation – gently roll your nipples between your fingers
- thinking of your baby or looking at a photo of them, while expressing.
In this guide:
- Expressing and storing breastmilk
- Steps for expressing milk by hand
- Storage of expressed breastmilk (EBM)