GUIDE TO BREASTFEEDING: EXPRESSING MILK
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Mothers express their milk for several reasons:
- Decrease the feeling of swollen breasts
- To improve lactation in the first months
- To feed a sick or premature baby
- To replace a feeding when they are away from baby
HOW DO I PREPARE TO EXPRESS MY MILK?
Important: 30 to 40 minutes before shooting, drink a large glass of water.
Read the instructions for your breast pump. Wash your hands thoroughly. Find a place where you can relax and sit comfortably to brace your back and shoulders.
Center the shields well on your nipples. Press them lightly against your breasts to yield a cushion of air. You are ready to begin.
HOW CAN I GET THE MOST FROM MY BREAST PUMP?
A very strong suction does not necessarily allow you to express more milk.
Set your breast pump to the highest suction that's still comfortable for you. And no harder: expressing your milk shouldn't hurt.
Expressing milk is not like sucking through a straw.
With a straw, the more you suck, the more liquid you will have coming out.
When you express your milk, it is thanks to the physiological reflex of ejection that you obtain the maximum of milk. Without physiological ejection reflex and therefore without milk ejection, most of the milk remains in the breast.
HOW LONG SHOULD I PUMP?
This is to do with your lactation consultant or midwife.
In most cases, 10 to 15 minutes per breast is enough.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M USING THE CORRECT SIZE BREAST BREAST?
Generally, mothers are comfortable with the standard size. If you can't express your milk, or if you have pain, even with weak suction, you may need a more suitable breast shield.
A larger or smaller breast shield will allow you to be more comfortable.
Checking the size of the breast shield is done during pumping . If you see space around your nipple in the breast shield tunnel, you are using the correct size.
If your nipple sticks or rubs on the edges of the breast shield tunnel, the breast shield is too small.
If the areola is sucked into the breast shield , the breast shield is too big.
If in doubt, make an appointment with your breast pump rental company , your lactation consultant or your midwife.
WHEN SHOULD I EXPRESS MY MILK?
If you are at home and your baby is full: the morning is the time when you have the most milk.
Otherwise, express 30 to 60 minutes after the feed and at least 1 hour before the next feed , to save the milk for the next baby feed.
If your baby wants to breastfeed after you've pumped, give him the breast. Babies are patient and suck longer in this case to get the amount of milk they need.
If you are pumping for a baby who is not breastfeeding, plan to pump 8 to 10 times a day. Until your lactation is fully established , i.e. 700 ml to 1 liter per day. Do not leave an interval of more than 5 hours between 2 pumpings.
Then when lactation is properly established, you can sleep 8 hours without having tight breasts. Most mothers manage to maintain their lactation with 6 to 7 feeds per day.
HOW MUCH MILK CAN I EXPECT?
It depends :
- your baby's age
- the time that has elapsed since the last feeding
- the practice you have with your breast pump
- your physical form.
If you're pumping for a missed feed , you can expect to get a full feed's worth.
From a bottle, babies often take more milk than you pump at one time. Use a teat, the low-flow horizontal bottle helps baby consume only what he needs.
For more information, personalized advice, see your midwife or your lactation consultant.