Posted on December 24, 2007 in Chest Feeding
Most young mothers are worried about feeding their babies in their absence. Either because they are planning to resume full time work soon or they want the fathers to start feeding the babies just to get the baby and the daddy bonding.
While most mothers use breast pumps to express milk and refrigerate, some may be worried about the one time cost factor of investing in breast pumps. For those of you who are still wondering if you can hand express breast milk or just want to know more about it so that you can suggest to your friends who have just become mothers, this article can help you.
Before you even start out on this endeavor, remember, you have to get into a calm environment and make sure that you are relaxed. When you are in a better mood you will be able to express more milk.
- Wash your hands clean before you start expressing milk.
- Your first finger should be placed on the areola above and below the nipple opposite each other
- Press the thumb and the finger inward towards the wall of the chest. Then press the areola behind the nipple between the finger and thumb so that the lactiferous sinuses beneath the areola are compressed.
- Do not slide the fingers along the skin
- Give and release pressure alternately till the flow of milk starts.
- If the procedure is painful, then there is something wrong with the technique.
- Roll your fingers and thumb forward to squeeze milk from the milk sinuses. These are located under the areola behind the nipple. Do not rub the thumb or fingers along the skin–this will make you sore.
- Repeat this sequence–position, press, roll- till you think you have got enough.
How much time does it take?
To express milk adequately it, takes 20 to 30 minutes. Do not hurry this process. It is not going to help. The trick lies in positioning your fingers. Experiment until you find the right position. Having someone show you how is very helpful, too.
Is it the same as breast feeding the baby?
The amount of milk expressed is not the same as your baby receives during a feed. When you feed the baby he not only decides how much milk he wants, but he can also control the flow.
How do you store Breast milk?
It can be stored in the fridge for up to five days and frozen for up to three months. Freeze it in small quantities. You can use ice cube trays, so that you can take only the quantity required and can avoid waste. Label and date your breast milk before you put it in the fridge or freezer. Breast milk should be defrosted overnight in the fridge or thawed before the baby is fed.
Combining hand-expression with breast massage can be a very effective way to stimulate the milk-ejection reflex. And remember it costs you nothing!
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