Hand expression is an efficient way to pump when occasional expression is necessary. In the first few days, when colostrum, or your first milk, is present and milk volume is not abundant, it is easier to express by hand than with a breast pump. Even when milk volume increases, many women find hand expression to be the easiest method.
How to express breastmilk
- Wash your hands and have a clean, wide-mouth container to catch the milk.
- Begin by gently massaging your breasts for a short time to encourage the let-down or flow of milk.
- Position your thumb on one side of your breast and two to three fingers on the other side, about one to two inches back from the nipple.
- Compress your thumb and fingers together.
- Release and repeat; catch drops of milk in the container as they appear.
- When the milk flow stops, rotate your thumb and fingers to another position around the nipple and repeat the process until the breast is drained.
- Express milk the same way from your other breast.
- When done expressing, pour breast milk into a clean bottle or storage container.
Tips to help the milk flow
- Relax and think about your baby.
- If your baby is not with you, look at a picture of your baby.
- Use warm compresses on your breast.
- Practice in the shower with warm water running over your breast.
- This works well if you are trying to soften full breasts when your baby is 3 to 5 days old.
Things to remember
- With a newborn, it is important to nurse or express milk at least eight to 12 times per day to maintain a supply.
- Hand expression gets easier with practice and should not hurt.
- The trick to hand expression is discovering where to position your fingers. Experiment until you find what works best for you.
- If you are expressing to increase milk supply, switch back and forth between both breasts. Expressing each side two to three times may increase milk supply over time.
- If you have concerns about your milk supply, contact a lactation consultant or breastfeeding expert for assistance.
How is hand expression helpful?
- Provides breast milk to a baby that will not latch.
- Relieves breast fullness or engorgement.
- Provides drops of milk to wake a sleepy baby or coax a baby to the breast that is having difficulties latching.
- Provides breast milk to rub on sore nipples.
- Softens full breasts to make it easier for your baby to latch.
- Increases milk supply by completely draining the breast after a baby finishes nursing or after pumping.