How to Express Breast Milk: Tips for Nursing Mothers. Video
The need to express and store breast milk can arise for various reasons: for example, a nursing mother needs to leave or leave for a while, heal a tooth under local anesthesia, or take medication that is not compatible with breastfeeding. In cases where the baby cannot or does not want to breastfeed on its own, but the mother does not want to transfer him to artificial feeding and is going to continue to give the baby breast milk, regular pumping becomes part of daily life.
Most of the difficulties that breastfeeding mothers experience when expressing is due to the inability to induce milk flow. The fact is that during expression, breast stimulation is carried out differently than during sucking, and the hormone oxytocin, which activates milk secretion, is produced in smaller volumes.
Haste and nervousness only make the problem worse. Therefore, before pumping, you need to try to calm down, find a place where the nursing mother will not be disturbed. It is good if you can hold the baby in your arms before expressing, inhale its smell – the closeness of the baby stimulates the release of oxytocin. A rush of milk helps to induce a warm, but not hot shower, a warm drink, a gentle massage of the mammary glands, especially useful for lactostasis.
You can strain milk either manually or with a breast pump
The choice depends on your own preferences, as well as how often you express milk – if you need to do this regularly, it is better to buy a breast pump. But in the fight against lactostasis or with cracked nipples, manual expression is more effective and useful.
Having settled comfortably and waited for the tingling and warmth sensations in the chest, indicating a rush of milk, place your thumb on the upper border of the areola (areola), and the index and ring fingers on the lower border of the areola, exactly opposite the thumb. Then gently squeeze your fingers, pull them towards the chest and roll towards the nipple. When expressed correctly, the pressure should not be painful.
Move your fingers around the nipple to express milk evenly from all lobes. When doing this, try to keep your fingers from rubbing your skin. Start expressing the second breast when milk is no longer coming out of the first, or alternate between both breasts, alternating pumping with massage.
You can express your second breast while you are breastfeeding, which will allow you to milk more quickly and in greater volume.
If you decide to use a breast pump, position the nipple exactly in the center of the funnel. Try not to push the funnel deep into your chest to avoid blocking the ducts. Start pumping with minimal traction and then find the pace that works best for you. Follow all instructions in your breast pump manual to get the most out of your breast pump. If painful sensations appear while expressing, check that the nipple is located in the center of the funnel, whether the silicone petals fit comfortably around the breast. You may have set the pace too high.
Usually the choice has to be made between manual and electric breast pumps. If you need to pump frequently and in large quantities to create a milk bank (for example, when going to work), it is better to opt for a stationary electric device that mimics the natural sucking process. It is recommended to take a manual breast pump with you on the road, which does not need to be connected to the mains.
Manual breast pumps are considered somewhat less efficient than electric ones and are suitable for those who only have to express milk occasionally. There are devices with a rigid plastic funnel and silicone petals that stimulate the breasts more gently.
Remember to wash and boil your breast pump regularly
Choose a breast pump based on your own experience, and not on advertising or advice from friends and relatives. Breastfeeding centers sometimes provide such a service as renting breast pumps – you can try several models to decide before purchasing a device, get comprehensive advice from the center’s specialists on its correct use.
How to store expressed milk
Breast milk can be refrigerated or frozen; it cannot be stored at room temperature – bacteria multiply rapidly in the warmth. For the same reason, milk that has already been defrosted must not be re-frozen.
Milk should be expressed in a clean, tightly closed container made of glass or plastic, or in special sterile containers or disposable bags. Be sure to write the date and time of pumping on the container.
On a shelf (not on the door!) Of the refrigerator, milk is stored for up to 8 days (at temperatures from 0 to -4 degrees Celsius), in the freezer – from 2 weeks (if the freezer is located inside the refrigerator) to 6 months (if deep frozen). If the milk has stratified during cooling or freezing, just stir it gently.
Milk may slightly discolor and smell slightly during storage – this is normal, however, if the smell becomes distinctly sour, the product may be considered spoiled
It is better to defrost milk at room temperature or in warm water, warm it up in a water bath or in a special bottle warmer, and you do not need to boil it. Do not use a microwave oven for this purpose.
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