Expression, Collection And Storage Of Breastmilk

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Expression of breast milk is getting milk from your breast without your baby sucking on it. Your breast milk can be expressed using your hands. This is called hand expression or manual expression. Hand expression may work well if you only need to express milk once in a while. You can also use a breast pump to express milk from your breasts. A breast pump may work well if you are away from your baby. For example, you may be at work for several hours before you can breastfeed again.
  
  
• Start expressing within six hours of giving birth. Express your milk as often as your baby would normally breastfeed, or at least eight times a day. Express and store your milk if you are going to be away from your baby. Express your milk if your breasts are tender or engorged (too full of milk). Choose a breast pump that is comfortable and easy to use. Collect and store your breast milk in plastic or glass bottles. Plastic bags made for storing breast milk may also be used. Expressing milk may help increase your milk supply.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take your medicine as directed:

Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

Expression of breast milk:

Expression of breast milk is getting milk from your breast without your baby sucking on it. Your breast milk can be expressed using your hands. This is called hand expression or manual expression. Hand expression may work well if you only need to express milk once in a while. You can also use a breast pump to express milk from your breasts. A breast pump may work well if you are away from your baby. For example, you may be at work for several hours before you can breastfeed again.

How to express breast milk:

• Hand expression: Ask your caregiver for more information on how to express your milk by hand.
  
  
• Breast pump: Choose a breast pump that is comfortable and easy to use. There are many types of breast pumps to choose from. They can be manual (hand pump), battery-powered, or electric. Manual pumps may work well for women who only plan to express breast milk once in a while. Double electric breast pumps can express milk from both of your breasts at the same time. Double electric breast pumps work well if you have a lot of milk. They are also helpful if you are at work and need to pump quickly. Ask your caregiver to help you choose the best breast pump for you.

When to start expressing milk, and how often to express milk:

• Start to express within six hours after giving birth. During the first few days after birth, you will produce colostrum. Colostrum is a thick type of milk that has many nutrients in it. It may take about 2 to 4 days for your milk to come in (replace the colostrum).
  
  
• Express your milk as often as your baby would breastfeed, or at least eight times a day. Express milk for about 10 to 15 minutes or until your milk stops coming out.

Milk let-down:

• Let-down is when your breast milk flows down to your nipple. You may have a warm, tingling feeling in your breasts when let-down happens. More than one let-down may happen during every feeding. Let-down usually happens when your baby latches on to breastfeed. It may also happen when you see, hear, or think of him.
  
  

How to collect breast milk:

• Use plastic or glass bottles for collecting and storing your breast milk. Plastic bags made for storing breast milk may also be used. Collect the amount of breast milk that your baby usually drinks at a feeding. Store your breast milk in small portions so you can thaw only what you need. This will help avoid wasting breast milk. Throw away any thawed milk that is left over after your baby’s feeding.
  
  

How to store breast milk:

Store your breast milk right after you express it. Use any of the following ways:

• Room temperature: You can store breast milk for up to six hours at room temperature.
  
  
• Insulated cooler with ice packs: You can store breast milk in a cooler with ice packs for up to 24 hours.
  
  
• Refrigerator: You can store breast milk in the refrigerator for 5 to 8 days. If you thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator, you can store the thawed milk for up to 24 hours.
  
  
• Freezer:
  
  
  • Refrigerator freezer compartment: If the freezer section has its own outer door, you can store milk in the freezer for 3 to 6 months. If the freezer door is inside of the refrigerator, you can store the breast milk for two weeks. Keep the frozen breast milk on the bottom or at the back of the freezer.
    
    
  • Deep freezer: You can keep breast milk in a deep freezer at 0°F for 6 to 12 months.

How to use stored breast milk:

Place frozen breast milk in the refrigerator overnight to thaw it. You can also thaw breast milk in warm water. Do not heat breast milk in the microwave because the heat from the microwave will cause hot spots in the milk.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You feel that you are not making enough breast milk for your baby.
  
  
• You have nipple pain while expressing. Your nipples may look red, dry, and cracked or bleeding. They may have scabs on them.
  
  
• One or both of your breasts is very swollen or painful and keeps you from expressing.
  
  
• You see or feel a lump in your breast. The lump may be tender (painful when touched).
  
  
• One or both of your breasts is red, swollen or hard, painful, and feels warm or hot.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about expressing, collecting, and storing breast milk.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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