After a certain time after giving birth, most young mothers are faced with one of the reasons why they have to express milk. Many inexperienced parents do not know how to do it correctly, whether it is better to express breast milk - by hand or with a breast pump, and in general, when and why it is necessary to empty the breast in order to successfully continue feeding the baby. See the answers to these questions below.

Why express breast milk?

If the birth went without complications, the mother's lactation has improved, and the baby is healthy and sucks well, expressing milk may not be necessary. The female body has a natural mechanism for producing the amount of nutritional fluid for the child that he needs for normal growth and development. However, there are situations in which pumping is the only solution to the problem. It is necessary to express your breasts if:

• stagnation of fluid appears in the mammary gland, leading to blockage of the ducts;
• the child is weakened after a difficult birth, is undergoing treatment, and has not yet developed a sucking reflex (this applies to those in intensive care and premature babies);
• after a break in breastfeeding (breastfeeding) due to illness of the child or mother, the baby refuses or is simply not yet able to latch onto the breast;
• too much time has passed since the last feeding, the breast is so full that the baby simply cannot suck normally;
• the mammary gland has become very full and painful, but it is not yet possible to feed the baby;
• the mother often has to go away on business (work, study), but she wants to maintain breastfeeding and feed the baby her own milk, not formula;
• there is a clear lack of milk, there is a need to stimulate normal lactation;
• the mother plans to continue feeding during the forced break from breastfeeding (business trip, taking medications incompatible with breastfeeding).

Do I need to do this after every feeding?

The secretion of breast milk in the mother's body is a complex mechanism inherent in nature., the hormones prolactin and oxytocin are responsible for its normal functioning. The baby's sucking of the breast provokes the reflex production of oxytocin by the pituitary gland, which helps the nutrient fluid to be released from the alveoli. Prolactin is responsible for the production of milk itself, the request for the next amount of which occurs after each feeding.

In other words, if breast milk is expressed after feeding, the mother’s body regards this as the child’s “request” for an additional portion of milk, and next time it gives it in reserve. Due to the constant production of secretions in large quantities, hyperlactation starts: there is more and more milk, the mother continues to express herself - the circle closes. For this reason, if you feed your baby on demand, there is no need to express milk after each feeding.

When to Express Breast Milk

There are situations when there is an urgent need to express after each feeding are:

• congestion in the mammary gland;
• lack of secretion produced by the glands to feed the baby or insufficient lactation;
• the need to maintain lactation during a forced break from breastfeeding;
• creating a “bank” of milk to feed the child during the mother’s absence.

With stagnation of milk in the breast

If during previous feedings the mammary gland was not completely emptied, one of the milk ducts is clogged, and the corresponding segment of the breast swells - lactostasis has already formed. In this case Doctors recommend urgently starting to express, so as not to provoke the development of mastitis. This will have to be done every one and a half to two hours and only with your hands. You should massage your breasts carefully, because any touch to the affected area causes pain. During stagnation, you need to express breast milk by hand until the lump decreases and the condition eases, but not longer than 25-30 minutes.

To increase lactation

If you see that the child is nervous under the breast and does not eat enough, it is worth stimulating the production of breast secretions. Here it would be appropriate to express after each feeding and even between meals for the child. Try to empty the ducts as much as possible at least once an hour, pumping for at least 10 minutes each time. Do not forget about warm drinks, healthy sleep with the baby and frequent night feedings - these are the best helpers in establishing a full-fledged breastfeeding.

When maintaining lactation during a break during breastfeeding

Sometimes a young mother is forced to stop breastfeeding for a while, but she wants to maintain lactation so that after solving the problem, she can continue to feed the baby. In such cases, regular breast emptying will also come to the rescue. The number of pumping sessions to maintain lactation during the break should be equal to the number of times the baby is fed as usual, but not less than once every three hours. It is better to empty your breasts as much as possible so that the growing baby will have enough milk in the future.

For food supplies for the baby while the mother is away

If a young mother studies or works, but it is important for her that her baby eats breast milk, she should express it regularly and leave supplies in the refrigerator during her absence. To do this, you should empty your breasts every time a secretion arrives in it, so that the baby has enough food during your absence. It is very important to maintain lactation at a normal level, so it is imperative to express during your usual feeding schedule and outside the home.

How to properly express breast milk by hand

The easiest and most accessible way to empty your breasts is to express them with your hands. This must be done in the following sequence:

1. Take a clean, sterile, wide-necked container (not a bottle) and place it directly under your breasts.
2. Place your palm on the breast so that the thumb grabs the areola just above the nipple from above, and the other four fingers seem to support the breast from below.
3. Using your thumb and forefinger, gently press the areola in the direction of the nipple, but do not squeeze the nipple itself. Squeeze out the milk, using your lower fingers to press the mammary gland to the chest.
4. After several pressures, move to the next milk lobe, moving in a circle and carefully emptying all the ducts in order.

Pros and cons of hand expression

Emptying the breast by hand is a procedure that has both its positive aspects and some disadvantages. The advantages of manually expressing breast milk include:

• Affordability – the manual method does not require any costs.
• Additional stimulation of lactation due to the gentle impact of fingers on each milk lobe.
• Safety - if you express correctly, mechanical injuries to the nipples and breast tissue will be excluded.

The few disadvantages of hand expression are that:

• This procedure requires a sufficient amount of time.
• It is difficult for inexperienced mothers to understand how to properly express by hand.

Expressing breast milk with a breast pump

It is much easier and faster to empty the mammary gland using a special device - a breast pump. Even the principled Doctor Komarovsky recommends that if you need to pump, you should immediately turn to this technical device. How to properly express breast milk with a breast pump:

1. It is convenient to sit in a chair so that the nipple is pointing down.
2. Think about your baby and imagine that it is he who is sucking the breast, and not the device that imitates the sucking reflex.
3. Point the nipple to the center of the funnel and, starting from the lowest level of traction, gently express milk for 15 minutes from each gland.
4. After pumping, thoroughly wash all parts of the breast pump with hot soapy water.

How to choose the right breast pump

The choice of a breast pump should be taken very seriously, because the health of the mammary glands of a nursing mother and the amount of expressed milk will depend on the quality of the device in the future. The modern market for such devices is filled with many models with different technical characteristics and prices. The first criterion on the basis of which it is worth choosing a breast pump should be the purpose and frequency of use:

• If you need a device for pumping on rare occasions, you can get the simplest, inexpensive device in the form of a plastic tube with a pear.
• If there is a need for constant, regular pumping and maintaining lactation at a high level, it is better to immediately choose a good electric model.

Advantages and disadvantages

Expressing breast milk using a special apparatus has several advantages over manual method:

• Modern models of breast pumps are able to express both mammary glands in a matter of minutes.
• Expressing with the help of the device is convenient, you can even empty one breast in parallel with feeding the other.
• Pumping with a breast pump allows you to get the maximum possible portion of food for the baby at a time.

However, along with the advantages this The method also has several significant disadvantages:

• An improperly selected, poor-quality or poorly mastered device by a young mother can severely injure the gland.
• The process of expressing with a breast pump for some women is aesthetically unacceptable and very unpleasant.

How much milk should you express at one time?

No mammologist or breastfeeding expert can tell you exactly how much milk you can express at a time, because The amount of secretion produced in the mammary glands is influenced by several factors:

• Pumping time. If you try to express your breasts immediately after feeding, there may be absolutely nothing there (unless the woman has developed hyperlactation). If you express before feeding, the approximate volume of milk will vary between 100-150 ml.
• Compliance with the correct technology for manual expression. With the wrong approach or inability to express, an inexperienced mother may not squeeze a single drop out of the gland. If you do everything according to the instructions, you will be able to express from 50 to 80 ml of milk.
• Breast pump quality. An incorrectly selected or low-quality device can injure the gland and be ineffective. A good breast pump will be able to extract almost all the accumulated milk from the breast, which is approximately 120-175 ml.
• Mother's emotional state. If a woman for some reason experiences anxiety, is tense and cannot relax, the brain temporarily blocks the production of hormones responsible for the secretion of milk. In this state it will be very difficult to express.
• Proper preparation for pumping: warm drinks, warming the breasts, massage. If you do not wait for the tide to flow, the portion of expressed milk will be scanty. When the milk arrives, it can be expressed to the maximum.

Rules for expressing breast milk

There are a few simple rules for expressing breast milk:

• To stimulate the flow of secretions and express quickly and painlessly, before starting the procedure you should drink a cup of hot tea, take a warm shower or warm your chest with a well-heated diaper.
• It is imperative to follow the rules of hygiene: before pumping, wash your hands and mammary glands with warm water and soap, dry well with a clean, soft towel.
• To express milk comfortably, you should initially take a comfortable position in a chair or on a bed.
• You can only express milk into a clean, boiled container, so it is better to prepare it in advance.
• It is necessary to begin expressing as soon as the milk begins to arrive, continuing the procedure until the mammary gland remains completely empty.
• The main thing is that during the procedure the woman should not experience any discomfort in the mammary gland. If pain occurs during the process of expressing breast milk, it must be stopped immediately until the cause of the discomfort is determined.

How to pump your breasts for the first time

Immediately after childbirth, colostrum begins to be released from the mother’s breast in small quantities, which only after a few days turns into full-fledged milk. In order to properly start the lactation process and ultimately feed your baby for a long time, it is very important to successfully pump the first time. To do it right you need to know basic rules for first straining:

1. The first pumping of breast secretions is possible only a day after delivery.
2. In the first days, do not pump more than two or three times a day.
3. You can then partially empty your breasts several times a day between feedings.
4. Squeeze out the milk until you feel relief, not until the last drop.
5. Do not pump after 10 p.m., because more prolactin is produced at night, which stimulates the secretion of breast milk and can trigger the process of hyperlactation.

Features of the procedure for stagnation or mastitis

Often nursing mothers suffer from such an unpleasant problem during breastfeeding as lactostasis, which can quickly develop into mastitis. Lactostasis is a blockage of the milk duct and stagnation of milk, and mastitis is an inflammatory process in the breast tissue. To properly drain your breasts during stagnation, you must:

• Stimulate the production of oxytocin and properly prepare for pumping: take a warm drink or shower, calm down.
• Carry out a warming massage, lightly rubbing the glands in a circular motion with your hands.
• Express milk by hand or with a breast pump until your breasts are relieved and soft.
• Keep your breasts open for 10-15 minutes after pumping to allow a new portion of secretion to enter the ducts.

Is it possible to store expressed milk?

Mother's milk is not only the most delicious, but also the healthiest food for a baby, because with it the child receives immunity for life. To ensure that your expressed milk brings maximum benefit to your baby, store it correctly. Here Some important points regarding storing breast milk:

• Milk can only be stored in sterilized, hermetically sealed glass containers.
• Freshly expressed milk can be stored at room temperature for eight to 12 hours.
• In the refrigerator, breast secretion remains suitable for feeding the baby for 7-10 days, but it is better to keep jars of milk in the back of the shelves.
• Regular freezers keep breast milk fresh for up to three months, while deep freezers keep breast milk fresh for up to six months.

How to feed your baby

After exposure to low temperatures, mother's milk loses some of its nutrients, but still remains the best food option for a baby. If you need to feed your baby expressed milk, it is important to know:

• Breast milk contains a large amount of fats, which over time can break off and sit on top of the nutritional fluid. Shake the bottle well before feeding to ensure uniformity of the product.
• Even if the recommended “expiration date” of the milk has not yet passed, smell and taste the baby’s food before feeding it. It should not be bitter, sour, or have foreign odors.
• To preserve maximum nutrients and a homogeneous liquid structure, defrosted milk should first be kept in the refrigerator for a while and then heated.
• Milk for feeding and the baby’s body must have the same temperature - 36 degrees, so the product must be heated before feeding the baby. Under no circumstances should you use a microwave, as it heats the milk unevenly, which inevitably leads to the destruction of a large amount of nutrients. It is better to bring your baby's breastfeeding to the desired temperature using a cup of hot water, a water bath, or a special electric heater.

Video

For nursing mothers who are faced with the problem of lactostasis, the question of how to strain milk stagnation is relevant. Clogged milk ducts interfere with the movement of milk, resulting in pain associated with lactostasis - this is the medical term for stagnation of milk in any part or in the entire mammary gland. The problem must be resolved in a timely manner.

It is necessary to strain lactostasis not only because of discomfort, but also in order to prevent inflammation of the gland tissue - mastitis. Of course, experienced mothers are always ready to give advice on this topic, but a clear and understandable algorithm of actions is needed to get rid of obstruction of the milk ducts.

Ways to solve the problem

The problem of lactostasis can be solved at home. If all recommendations are scrupulously followed, milk will be expressed after childbirth without any inconvenience. It is the stagnant milk clot that becomes the reason why it is difficult to express stagnant milk.

However, despite the difficulties and inconveniences that arise, you should find out how to properly drain hardened breasts and get rid of the discomfort that arises when breast milk stagnates.

After some time of active practice, the process becomes simple and understandable, and the question of how to express milk will no longer arise.

Expressing milk should be a regular and mandatory procedure.

Here are some of the most common reasons to start pumping:

1. Premature birth. A premature baby is unable to latch onto the breast when feeding. In this case, excess milk is formed, the breasts are literally overflowing with liquid and swell. It is important to prevent the formation of milk clots and lumps.
2. An abundant flow of milk immediately after childbirth is a natural and completely inevitable phenomenon.
3. The baby does not latch on or feeds reluctantly, which creates excess milk in the breast.
4. The presence of cracked nipples makes feeding difficult.
5. Inability to breastfeed due to prolonged separation of the mother from the baby.
6. Diseases that make breastfeeding impossible.

Whatever the reason, the consequences are the same. Too much milk accumulates, as if clogging the milk ducts, causing obstruction. Gradually, the milk clots harden and turn into lumps. This should not be allowed under any circumstances; it is because of the hardening of the clots that pain occurs, so you should constantly strain your breasts. If the breast is expressed, the pain goes away.

Women often refrain from hand expressing due to the pain of the process. This is true, and the pain can be quite severe. You should be patient a little, after the first pumping you will notice improvements, and after a couple of days the stagnation of milk will disappear and stop bothering you. If relief does not occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Decantation technique

The sequence of actions when pumping should be as follows:

1. Cup your chest with your palm so that your thumb is at the top and the rest provide support from below. It is important to monitor the position of the thumb and index finger and place them within the radius of the halo.
2. Slowly, observing the rhythm, slightly pressing your fingers into the chest, make smooth movements towards the center of the chest.
3. Strain over the entire surface of the chest, especially carefully in places of compaction.
4. Periodically changing the position of your fingers, carefully express the milk. Changing positions is necessary to activate different milk ducts.
5. Perform a gentle massage, making circular movements without pressing on the breast, if milk has stopped being expressed.
6. Repeat all previous steps to finally eliminate stagnation.
7. When you stop pumping, but there is a clear presence of lumps, massage the breasts again. Alternating massage and pumping effectively helps eliminate pain from stagnation of milk. The direction of circular movements during massage should be changed.

Sudden movements during pumping are excluded, you should not get rid of clots in the breast using force, gentle massage movements in different directions and gradual restoration of milk flow are the principle of correct actions for lactostasis in order to avoid complications from the problem.

The most important advice from experienced mothers: if milk stagnation occurs, you should breastfeed your baby more often. When sucking, the resulting milk clots dissolve, freeing the milk ducts. Breastfeeding is the most natural and easiest way to get rid of breast congestion. Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and child, which is also important.

For proper and painless pumping, you should follow simple rules.

Despite the simplicity of the advice, if you follow them, you can avoid the discomfort associated with lactostasis:

• breast massage during a warm shower before feeding will prepare the mammary gland for pumping;
• the baby must be placed on the breast so that the seal is under the chin;
• after feeding, you should express your breasts to the end; it is undesirable to leave the remaining milk in the breast unexpressed, since there is immediately a risk of new clots forming;
• after pumping, a half-hour compress of cabbage leaves will help relieve tension and reduce pain; this is the most common remedy available to everyone at home;
• compliance with a special diet, the diet should include fatty fish, olive or any other vegetable oil, exclude salted, fried, flour; a diet during lactation is inevitable and mandatory, besides, proper nutrition of the mother will save the baby from tummy problems;
• warm compresses with camphor oil at night will bring relief; it is important to consider that any warming procedures are possible only at normal body temperature;
• the use of special underwear that prevents chafing of the nipples and pads to absorb excess milk, cleanliness and dryness will not create an environment favorable to microbes;
• In order not to irritate the delicate and injured skin of the breast, it is recommended to use soft disposable wipes after pumping.

Feeding for lactostasis

As a rule, no one succeeds in avoiding stagnation of milk during breastfeeding. This is a natural problem that can be solved in the same natural way. The process of lactation immediately after childbirth occurs due to the feeding regime that has not yet been established. The amount of milk can significantly exceed its consumption, which causes clots to form, blockage of the ducts, and pain.

If the problem of lactostasis is neglected, mastitis can become a possible complication. Treatment of mastitis involves the use of antibiotics, which is completely undesirable for a nursing woman. A timely solution to the problem of milk stagnation will relieve unpleasant and harmful consequences for the child and mother.

With lactostasis, a slight increase in body temperature is possible, up to approximately 37˚C, this does not affect the quality of milk, so there is no reason to abstain from feeding. The baby should be fed alternately with both the right and left breasts. The more often the baby attaches to the breast, the faster the improvement will occur. The nurse explains and clearly demonstrates how to feed the child correctly.

The number of auxiliary mechanical devices that help to express breasts is increasing every year. Using a breast pump is possible, but it is much more physiological to express breast milk with your hands.

Stress is one of the factors leading to milk stagnation

The physiology of the occurrence of congestion in the ducts of the mammary glands is clear. The thing is that lactostasis can be caused not only by physiological reasons. Various factors can provoke milk stagnation. One of them is psychological. Awareness of the enormous responsibility for the health and life of a child becomes a huge stress for parents, especially young ones. As a result, the problem of lactostasis arises.

An important point both when feeding and when pumping is the psychological state of the woman.

Pumping should be done in a calm, good mood; irritability and stress are unacceptable. No methods, tips or remedies will work if your mental state is unsatisfactory during pumping. A woman should be relaxed, content and happy.

Good, restful sleep is a must. You should try to sleep on your back so that your chest does not get compressed. If it is more comfortable and habitual to sleep on your side, you should use a pillow.

A soft gentle breast massage before pumping, a little warming up (allowed only at normal body temperature), a hot bath, drinking tea - these simple actions will help you calm down and tune in to the desired wave. All this ensures a rush of milk to the breast through the milk ducts.

The most important thing is the flow of milk. The hormone oxytocin is responsible for this process. The mood helps to speed up and enhance its release. Think about pleasant things, about the baby, take a few deep breaths and exhalations, or even complete breathing exercises.

When faced with the problem of difficult pumping, you should never ignore it. In most cases, lactostasis goes away even without seeking help, but simply by following the appropriate rules.

It is extremely rare, but there are still nursing women who experience stagnation of milk for a physiological reason - they have narrow milk ducts. In this case, you cannot do without the help of a specialist.

For whatever reason, the problem of milk stagnation arises, you need to try to solve it as soon as possible, since ignoring the problem leads to serious consequences that cannot be eliminated without medication (in advanced cases, surgical) intervention. In order not to lead the situation to irreversible consequences, it is imperative to combat lactostasis. If no improvement occurs after following all the recommendations, you should notify your doctor.

Video

You can learn more about the technique of expressing breast milk in our video.

Not all breastfeeding women necessarily express milk - this can be decided individually. At least, this is what experts from La Leche League, an international public private organization created to support nursing mothers, say. Pumping should supposedly increase lactation, but this process is completely natural, because nature has created a self-regulating mechanism: when feeding, as much milk enters the breast as was drunk by the baby.

Normally, pumping is not necessary, since the mammary glands are filled with the amount of milk that the baby usually drinks

When is pumping necessary?

Modern medical experts identify 6 situations when it is necessary to express breast milk. In other cases, such a procedure is considered not only useless, but can even be harmful. The main reasons for pumping:

1. Relief from full breasts. If milk comes into the breast abundantly, you need to express it to create a feeling of lightness. Excessive engorgement can cause microtrauma to the mammary glands, as well as painful sensations in the nipples. You need to express a little, otherwise milk production will increase.
2. Inability to breastfeed naturally. If the baby is weakened or has been in the ditch for a long time, he cannot breastfeed on his own. In this case, it is worth emptying your breasts in order to initially feed mother's milk from a bottle to maintain the baby's immunity.
3. Mother's illness. If a nursing mother has to take medications, it is worth removing milk from the breast, especially hind milk. While treatment is in progress, it should be poured out, but after that, natural feeding can be continued.
4. Formation of lactation. Immediately after birth, milk production may be insufficient. In this case, stimulating the mammary glands through pumping will help enhance lactation.
5. Prevention of lactose. If a nursing woman feels lumps in her breasts, this may be a sign of lactostasis. This stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands easily disappears if you lightly massage these areas and express a few drops.
6. Long absence of mother. If a young mother goes to work, this should not become a reason to stop breastfeeding. The mother expresses milk in the morning, and during the day the family continues to feed the baby with mother's milk.

In other cases, there is no need to express. As the baby grows and needs more nutrition, lactation increases in proportion to his needs. If the baby sucks well, it means there is enough milk and there is no need to further stimulate lactation.

Sometimes the need to pump arises in mothers who cannot feed the baby on their own due to pain or are forced to be absent from home. Milk is collected in a bottle and given to the baby as needed.

How to express breast milk correctly?

Despite the presence of a large number of different manufacturers in pharmacies, hand expression is still the safest, but at the same time effective method. You definitely need to know how to express breast milk correctly. To prevent breast injury and increase milk supply, you must use the following rules:

• to obtain milk with a full composition, it is necessary to carry out the procedure for about 20 minutes;
• if you want to get rid of the feeling of fullness in your breasts, then express just a little bit so that your breasts soften;
• if the milk begins to come out in drops, do not interrupt the procedure - soon it will flow in streams again;
• You can secrete milk from one breast while the baby is suckling on the second;
• The manual expression procedure is best carried out alternating: first, empty one breast, after 5 minutes the second, and return to the first again so as not to miss the last portion (hind milk is much fattier);
• the procedure is carried out once every 2-3 hours, which coincides with the interval between breastfeeding of the baby;
• no need to squeeze and pull the nipples - the milk ducts are damaged;
• Do not squeeze the skin or slide over it;
• It is better to collect milk in sterilized or boiled containers and store in the refrigerator.

Every breastfeeding woman sooner or later asks the question: “How to express breast milk correctly?” Modern business women cannot be with their children around the clock, but at the same time they want to develop immunity through breastfeeding.

What is “Marmet technology”?

There are many ways to increase milk production, but the Marmet technique has been developed for a safe and effective process. At first glance, it seems quite simple, but to master it you need to make some effort and know all the subtleties:

• The breast “gives” milk effortlessly if the “oxytocin factor” is at the right level. Having a baby nearby will be the best incentive, because milk flows into both breasts at the same time. If your baby is suckling on one breast, manually emptying the other breast will not be difficult.
• By pumping, you may not get a large volume of milk. It happens that a woman does not experience problems with feeding, but if she needs to go away and leave milk for the baby, she cannot pour even a spoonful. You can teach your breasts to “give” a product on demand only through personal practice.
• There is no milk in the nipple, so there is no need to stimulate it. The nutritious fluid for the child is located in the milk ducts of the gland itself: it needs to be “pushed” to the exit by acting on the isola.
• To increase milk production, you need to express little by little, but often. This approach is more effective than prolonged physical impact on the gland and squeezing “to the last drop.”

The use of the technique is approved by doctors, so it is recommended for use. Following the recommendations will help make pumping comfortable and avoid discomfort in the chest.

How to perform the procedure

The pumping procedure using the Marmet technique is reminiscent of natural sucking. Outwardly, it is similar to sucking a baby, but in reality such a process is unnatural for the body, so this procedure must be carried out correctly:

• Wash your hands with soap and trim your nails if necessary. Wash your breasts thoroughly with baby soap.
• Drink hot tea with milk, relax, and apply a flannel diaper soaked in warm water to your chest. Warmth and relaxation will help the hormone oxytocin ensure milk flow.
• Place the container directly under your chest, holding it with your left hand. You can collect the liquid directly into a feeding bottle, store it in the refrigerator, and warm it up before feeding.
• Place the thumb of your right hand on top of the areola above the nipple: it should be on the border of the nipple and the skin. Place the middle finger and index finger under the thumb, but on the lower part of the nipple.
• Lightly press your fingers on the mammary gland towards the chest, while at the same time slightly stretching the nipple. After milk releases, release the pressure and then repeat the movements again.
• Periodically move your fingers to other areas of the isola. This allows milk to be squeezed out from all lobes of the mammary gland.

Your fingers should not move too much over the delicate skin of your breasts, otherwise you may cause irritation or rub the skin too much. There is no need to make a big effort - let the movements be soft and careful.

Weak tea with milk remarkably increases lactation, so it is recommended to drink it before starting the pumping procedure

If at first during feeding there is painful engorgement of the nipple, then you can use technician Jim Ketterman– expert in breastfeeding. For the initial outflow of milk, she advises pressing on the nipples very gently: you need to gather all your fingers on the nipple and press gently for about 3 minutes. It is better to use such movements when there is stagnation in the ducts: this will make the breasts softer and pumping painless.

At the beginning of feeding, a young mother may develop such an unpleasant phenomenon as lactostasis, when stagnant milk clogs the milk ducts. If you want to properly empty your breasts during lactostasis, it is better to use the video lessons, because each woman copes with this difficult problem individually.

With stagnation in the ducts, a feeling of heaviness and even pain in the chest appears. When the temperature rises, it is better to measure it in both armpits: with a difference in temperature, there really is stagnation.

If there is a significant complication, the breast turns red, swells and even hardens (this is clearly visible in photos on the Internet): the baby does not take such a breast, because it will not be able to dissolve. With such symptoms, you should immediately contact a therapist or even call an ambulance. Sometimes it is easier to use a massage, but use exclusively manual influence.

The technique of hand expression can only be mastered through practice and personal experience. If you need to learn this urgently, a special service for expressing breast milk will help. Specialists will give a lesson or consultation by phone or online. One of the most famous is “La Leche League,” which provides free consultations on breastfeeding: how to attach to the breast, how to feed, how to store expressed milk. Experts believe that proper breast emptying not only helps solve problems with lactation, but also prevents the development of mastitis and subsequent mastopathy.

Expressing milk is as delicate a process as breastfeeding: many factors are important. And the intricacies of pumping also need to be learned. Then at any time you can leave a portion of milk for the baby when you are going to leave. Use pumping as an additional aid for stimulation or elimination. Or collect milk competently and hygienically for a reserve milk bank.

Preparing to Express Milk

But let's take things in order. As before, before pumping it is useful to perform a 1-2 minute breast massage. It is performed with light movements without strong pressure in the direction from the periphery to the center.

Half an hour before your pumping session, drink hot drink. It doesn’t matter what it will be: tea, compote or just water. The main thing is that its temperature should be really hot, not warm. Such a drink will have a beneficial effect on the dynamics of milk extraction and promote a good flow.

Place water, a telephone, and photos and things of your baby. A familiar smell or the image of your favorite face will help you psychologically tune in to pumping - tested by practice!

How to ensure milk flow? Stimulation phase

Start with stimulation phases(for example, using a Swing breast pump). Discovered in the course of research by Peter Hartman (University of Western Australia), the principle of biphasic breast sucking proves that pre-stimulation of strictly determined parameters - 100-120 cycles per minute, combined with a low level of vacuum - helps to get a quick and full flow of milk. Medela's 2-Phase Expression technology accurately reproduces the natural phases of stimulation and expression of milk, as it happens at the breast during feeding. Such pumping is not only physiological and comfortable for the mother, but also allows you to get more milk in less time.

Double pumping: more milk

Very important during the pumping process comfortable body position and relaxation. Sit in a comfortable chair or sofa with back support. It is also better to place your feet on a support: for example, a small bench.

In order not to hold the breast pump funnel at the breast, it is convenient to use the special Easy Expression bustier for hands-free pumping. The elasticated edges of the bustier securely hold a funnel or two while you relax or use your freedom of movement to drink water, answer the phone or check your email. It is especially convenient to use a bustier with double pumping - that is, from both mammary glands at the same time.

In addition, double pumping will help with a tendency to stagnation of milk - lactostasis. The breast ducts are cleared better when pumping twice, and with the help of the Swing maxi or Freestyle double breast pumps it is much easier and faster to clear the clogged duct until the condition is relieved.

And in prevention of lactostasis Medela seamless underwear will help, which not only reliably supports the breasts and delicately adapts to changing volumes, but also does not pinch the breast tissue, which is very important for breastfeeding.

For example, the Nursing Bra: with a comfortable supportive back, external and internal straps and an elastic stretchable cup that adapts to lactating breasts. The bra is designed in such a way that with one movement of the hand you can unfasten the strap and proceed to feeding the baby. The beautiful low neckline of the Nursing Bra allows mom to look feminine and attractive.

How to customize a breast pump for yourself

Has a big impact on the success of pumping correct funnel size. The fact is that if the funnel is large, not only the nipple, but also a significant part of the areola is drawn into it. This can cause discomfort and tissue swelling. On the other hand, if the funnel is small, the nipple moves in the funnel tunnel with difficulty, and not freely, as it should be. In this case, abrasions that occur as a result of friction of the nipple against the walls of the funnel can also add to the discomfort.

In such cases, it is necessary to purchase a breast shield of a suitable size so that the pumping process occurs smoothly and rhythmically, without pain or discomfort. Remember: pain when pumping or feeding indicates that the process is not going well! Pain can never be tolerated. The size guide will help you choose a breast shield that fits your breasts.

Another important detail to pay attention to: alignment personal vacuum level when pumping. It is a mistake to think that you must express milk at the limit of the vacuum that a breast pump can create. And although the upper limit of the vacuum of breast pumps from responsible manufacturers is always limited to avoid the risk of spasms of breast tissue, most mothers still have a comfortable vacuum level that is much lower.

To build a personal level, you need to gradually increase the vacuum (for example, on electronic breast pumps, pressing the “plus” button), analyzing your sensations. As soon as you feel slight discomfort (a slightly unpleasant pulling sensation indicating that it is already “too much”), take a step back (by pressing the “minus” button). This will be your own maximum permissible vacuum level, which is called Maximum Comfort Vacuum. It is this that will allow you to get the maximum amount of milk possible for you. And your feelings will only be pleasant.

Surprisingly, expressing with a breast pump is gentler and more physiological than expressing by hand. This was proven in a scientific study by Ramsey and Donna Geddes in 2005.

In the process of extracting milk from the mammary glands, vacuum plays the most important role. But the squeezing and pressure on the breast that occurs when expressing by hand is not at all healthy or natural, because the baby does not put pressure on the breast when sucking!

These studies help to understand how to collect milk softer and more comfortable: with the help of modern Medela breast pumps, which bring the mother’s sensations and results as close as possible to the process of breastfeeding.

Pediatricians advise putting the baby to the breast as soon as required. Experts say that with proper feeding, the best regulator of lactation is the baby. Unnecessarily expressing milk will harm a nursing mother. But sometimes the process is important to preserve the health of the woman and baby. Proper pumping improves your well-being.

Expressing milk will be an unnecessary procedure if:

Each child is individual, and the volume of milk in the mother's breast is released in accordance with his needs. Disruption of the natural process will lead to malfunction of the mammary glands. Experts identify situations where expressing milk is the only way to normalize a woman’s well-being or feed a child.

Optional Terms

Contrived conditions for expressing milk:

1. Pumping after childbirth. Lactation, after the birth of the baby, is established for a week. When pumping early, a signal is given about a lack of milk in the body. Excessive milk production can lead to hyperlactation.
2. Express after any feeding. You should not do this, since the woman is expressing hind milk. It is more nutritious and promotes the breakdown of lactose. The child does not receive important components. This is the cause of poor weight gain, bloating, gas, and metabolic disorders.
3. Lots of milk in the breast. Pumping promotes a greater flow of milk. Pumping is effective in a gentle form to ease the sensation.

Prerequisites

Preparing the mammary glands

Simple tips will help a woman make expressing milk effective:

Marmet and other pumping methods

There are 3 types of milk expression:

• hands;
• breast pump;
• using a warm bottle.

Doctors recommend using the first method. It is not expensive, it is used regardless of conditions, contact with warm hands has a beneficial effect on lactation. There are two types of the “hands” method – the nipple squeezing method and the Marmet technique.

Expressing milk with a breast pump is faster than other methods. The warm bottle method is suitable for expressing a small amount of milk from overfull breasts to make the breasts softer.

Marmet technology

It is recommended to express breast milk correctly using the Marmet technique in the first weeks with your hands.

How to properly express breast milk by hand

Preparation: wash your hands, prepare a sterilized, clean container or milk bag, choose a comfortable position. It is more comfortable to express milk while sitting in a relaxed position, but the flow of milk is greater if you lean forward slightly.

Finger placement: cupping your chest with your palm. Place the thumb and forefinger in a crescent around the areola, the remaining fingers support the chest.

Movement: lightly squeezing the areola with two fingers and move them forward. Swollen mammary glands can be felt between your fingers; it is important to stimulate them. Main! Do not move your fingers across the skin with shuffling movements.

Area: It is important to work the entire area of ​​the mammary glands, moving in a circle around the areola.

Warm bottle method

Every woman should know how to express breast milk correctly in order to avoid problems with feeding and diseases of the mammary glands. You can express using a baby bottle. Milk is extracted from the breast using heat and vacuum.

Preparation: Take a bottle with a neck 3-4 cm in diameter. Sterilize and heat the bottle. Wrap the bottle in a towel, cool the neck under running, cold water. Lubricate your breasts with baby cream or Vaseline.

Technique: Place the neck of the bottle on the nipple, along the edge of the areola. The nipple will retract, a stream of milk will appear from the breast, when the milk stops flowing, remove the bottle.

The method is suitable for expressing milk if the child cannot grasp the nipple due to an overfilled breast. It is not recommended to use milk to feed a baby from this container. Baby cream or Vaseline may get into the milk.

Nipple compression method

The method is used for rough nipples and congested breasts.

Preparation: wash your hands, turn on pleasant music, sit comfortably in a chair.

Finger placement: Place four fingers on the nipple and areola.

Technique: For 2-3 minutes, apply light pressure in the area of ​​the nipple and areola.

Expressing with a breast pump

You can learn how to express milk correctly from a gynecologist who is caring for a woman’s pregnancy. Breast milk can be obtained faster using a breast pump. It is recommended to use it only a month after giving birth. Lactation has already established itself, and the likelihood of nipple damage will be minimal.

Preparation: Wash your hands, sterilize the breast pump, take a comfortable position, lean forward slightly. Apply the funnel to the breast (it is imperative to choose a funnel, taking into account the shape and size of the breast, so that pumping is easy and there is no pain), tightly so that no air gets in.

Technique of use: Set the electric breast pump to low level. When expressing with a manual breast pump, squeeze the bulb as little as possible so that the vacuum force is minimal. If the milk is expressed well and there are no unpleasant sensations, gradually increase the traction force. Move the breast pump around the areola so that all the mammary glands are emptied.

Important! If a woman experiences discomfort or pain when expressing milk, stop the procedure! If within 4-5 min. milk does not come out, stop the procedure and try after a while.

Caring for the device: After completing the procedure, rinse the breast pump well and sterilize for 4 minutes.

Possible errors

By expressing breast milk according to the rules, a woman does not injure the mammary glands. Mistakes made:

A consultation with a breastfeeding specialist or gynecologist will help you avoid mistakes.

Complications from insufficient pumping

You shouldn’t neglect pumping if your milk doesn’t start flowing right away. It will take time to stimulate milk production. To express the required amount of milk, the procedure lasts 25-30 minutes. If the milk stops flowing after 10-15 minutes, continue pumping for another 2 minutes. and stop.

If you don't express enough, problems will arise with:

• blockage of passages;
• swelling of the glands;
• engorgement of the nipples.

Rules for storing milk in the refrigerator

Breast milk (how to express it correctly and how long it can be kept in the refrigerator is shown in the table) will not lose its beneficial properties if it is stored correctly.

3 ways to store expressed milk:

How long to store the expressed product and under what conditions:

	Room	Fridge	Freezer -15-18°	Freezer -18-20°
freshly expressed milk	3-6 hours	1-2 days	5-6 months	12 months
Thawed in the refrigerator	1-2 hours	24 hours	Do not refreeze	Do not refreeze
Thawed, warmed up.	Until the end of feeding	2-3 hours	Do not refreeze	Do not refreeze
Defrosted, warmed up, started.	Until the end of feeding	Do not store	Do not refreeze	Do not refreeze

Important! Freshly expressed milk must be cooled to the appropriate temperature before mixing (with chilled milk in the refrigerator). You cannot keep milk in the refrigerator door; it will spoil due to the temperature change when it is opened.

Bags for storing milk in the freezer

Milk is stored for 6 to 12 months, at temperatures from -16 to -20. Milk storage bags eliminate the problem of container damage. The bags are differentiated by milliliters in order to express different volumes for all occasions: feeding, preparing porridge, a full meal in the required volume. Fits compactly in the freezer.

Usage: Print the package. After expressing milk, release any air and close the bag. Thanks to the vacuum, the beneficial properties of breast milk are preserved. Mark the date you pumped milk on a sticker. Cool the milk in the refrigerator before freezing.

Feeding your baby expressed milk

Freshly expressed milk, stored in the room or refrigerator, is heated in a water bath or in warm water. The temperature acceptable for the baby is 35-38 °C. You can easily check its temperature by applying a little on the inside of your wrist - it should not burn. The woman chooses the method of feeding the child herself: a spoon, a bottle, a syringe without a needle.

Milk from the freezer is defrosted first in the refrigerator, then it is heated under running water.

Important! You cannot heat milk in a microwave oven or boil it on the stove. The milk will lose its beneficial properties and will heat up unevenly, which will lead to a burn to the baby’s mucous membranes.

When milk is cooled or frozen, the structure, color and smell change. Sometimes there is a bitter or soapy taste. The milk is not spoiled; this is due to the action of lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats. Missing milk smells sour.

What to do if breast milk is not enough: ways to increase lactation.

The body secretes two hormones that are responsible for a woman’s lactation. Stimulation of hormone production increases lactation; there are also artificial methods.

Drugs to increase lactation give visible results if a woman takes them in combination with other methods: feeding on demand, rest, massage, pumping.

How to increase the fat content of milk so that it becomes nutritious

Test for the fat content of milk at home: express 50 ml of milk into a baby bottle, leave at room temperature for 4-5 hours. A whiter layer, cream, will separate from the milk. The amount of cream indicates the fat content of breast milk. The scale shows that if the white layer is 2 mm, this is 2% fat content, 4-5% is considered the norm.

Fat content will help increase:

• Dairy products: boiled cow's milk, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, sour cream.
• Walnuts and hazelnuts.
• Hard cheese. Eat 2 sandwiches with cheese and butter for breakfast.
• Pumpkin seeds.
• Cauliflower and broccoli (boiled or steamed).
• Meat: beef, rabbit.

2 recipes to improve the fat content and taste of breast milk:

1. Recipe: Grind walnuts 4 tbsp. spoons, pour into a kettle, pour 350 ml of hot milk, add half a teaspoon of honey; leave for 2 hours. Drink the infusion throughout the day, in equal parts.
2. Recipe. 1 Finely grate the carrots or chop them in a blender, pour in 400 ml of boiled, hot milk. Let it brew for 15 min. Drink carrot milk during the day, warmed up.

Expert advice for new mothers on expressing breast milk

To increase lactation, it is permissible to express milk only after feeding the baby. This gives a signal to produce more milk.

1. It is convenient to express milk for reserves when the baby misses a feeding: complementary foods (vegetable puree) have been introduced or the baby sleeps longer.
2. If there is excess production, in order to avoid getting into a vicious cycle of pumping and let-down, you need to express a little foremilk before feeding the baby. The woman will feel relief, and the baby will feel more comfortable taking the nipple. Plus, he will eat less foremilk and become full of hindmilk faster, which will help reduce the volume of milk produced.
3. Do not abuse this procedure. Active work of the glands during pumping, unnecessarily, will harm mother and baby.
4. Spending a lot of time with the baby, a good mood, pleasant music, the desire to breastfeed, rest - these are the components of good lactation.

Proper pumping and following the rules for breastfeeding will help a woman maintain her lactation period longer and the baby to stay healthy thanks to mother’s milk.

Article format: Vladimir the Great

Video about expressing milk

How to express breast milk by hand: