Remember that expressing milk is a very individual thing.  If you are struggling with it please speak to you midwife, health visitor or breast feeding counsellor, but don’t stop breastfeeding your baby.


Why would I need to express?

Women want to express for many reasons - maybe they are going back to work or having an evening out.  The one thing they all have in common is they want to continue to provide their baby with the very best - their breast milk.

When should I start to express?

It is advised that you wait at least 4-6 weeks before you start to express, to allow your milk supply to fully establish, and for any problems that you may have in those early days to be resolved.
Occasionally you may be asked to express before this time by your midwife or health visitor but this is usually because there is a medical need to do so. For many women, not all, expressing sooner interrupts the supply and demand process and then breastfeeding starts to fail.

Do I need a breast pump, and what sort of pump should I get?

To express milk you can either do it by hand (ask your midwife or health visitor to show you if you do not know how) or with a breast pump.

There are many types of breast pumps out there and it is very confusing to know which one is the right one for you. For most mothers a simple hand pump is all that is needed, but if you are going back to work early (before 6 months) and want to continue to breast feed then an electric pump may be worthwhile. You midwife or heath visitor may be able to advise where you can hire an electric pump and try before you buy.

What should I do to make sure expressing is successful?

A good time to express is in the morning when you are at your fullest and, if you can manage it, whilst baby is feeding from the other side (as they are much more effective at stimulating your let down reflex).

When you start to express, you need to maintain your milk supply, so ensure that:

• The majority of feeds are still breast feeds. The baby stimulates the breastfeeding hormones more efficiently than a pump.
   
• Continue to breastfeed for the evening/night time feeds. The breastfeeding hormone that produces your milk (Prolactin) tends to be higher through the evening and at night. It is this hormone that baby has to stimulate - it is almost like he is putting in his order for the next day.  Even if you express at this time it still does not give as much stimulation as a baby.  Also, if they have a growth spurt it is at this time that they will tend to feed more to get your milk supply to increase.
   
• Try to avoid your breasts getting too full when you have missed a feed.  Milk production also works on a supply/demand basis.  If you get too full, it will think you do not need to produce as much milk, and thus reduce your milk supply.

How do I build up my supply of expressed milk?

If you are expressing because you are going back to work, the advice is to plan ahead and start building up your own bank of milk by expressing once or twice a day and then storing it in the freezer. By expressing at the same time every day, maybe first thing in the morning when you are at your fullest, you will increase your milk supply enabling you to feed your baby and to ‘tap’ some off to be stored.  Once at work, try to replicate your baby’s feeding pattern, and try to avoid getting to full.  Ensure that your expressed milk is stored in sterile containers inside a cool bag.  Then when you get home you can pop what you have expressed in the fridge for the following day (or freeze it) and enjoy unlimited breast feeding with your baby.  Remember breastfeeding mums have special rights within the work place, including extra breaks to allow you to express and flexible working hours.

If you are going out for the evening and you want to leave some milk for whoever is looking after your baby, again the secret is to plan ahead. Start to express a few days before and slowly build up a supply which can be stored in the fridge in case it is needed. Breastfeed your baby just before you go and if necessary when you return. Your expressed milk may not be needed, in which case pop it in the freezer.

How much milk can I expect to express?

The amount of milk that is expressed can vary from mum to mum.  It can be as little as 5mls to as much as 200mls or more.  As breast milk is so precious every drop counts, and storing it in small quantities allows you to use as much or as little as you want.

How do I store expressed breast milk?

Breast milk can be stored in a sterile container at the back of the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for 6 months.

Refrigerate expressed milk immediately.  You can continue to add to the container throughout the day, so long as you put it straight back in the fridge every time.

When you freeze milk, it’s a good idea to mark the date clearly on the container – then you can ensure that you use the oldest milk first.

An ideal way to store your breast milk is in a large sterilized ice cube tray, each compartment holding about 25mls.  Then you can thaw just the amount you need for a feed, without wastage.


How do I thaw/ warm up Breast milk?

Breast milk that has been stored in the fridge or in the freezer should be warmed slowly by placing the storage container in a jug of warm water to gradually bring it up to room temperature.
Never use a microwave or boiling water to heat or defrost breast milk.

Last Updated: September 15, 2008