Instructions on how to express milk and pump milk correctly

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Pham Lan Huong - Pediatrician - Pediatric Center - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Breast milk is an especially important source of nutrients for a baby's development. Expressing milk (suctioning) helps the baby still have milk to drink, so that each milking time is painless and produces a lot of milk, it is necessary to express milk or express breast milk properly.

1. When should I start pumping?

During the first 6 months of life, the baby is exclusively fed by direct breastfeeding is the most optimal choice. However, there are some situations where you need to express milk, such as:
Your baby is not able to suckle or latch well on your nipples Your breasts are engorged or your ducts are blocked You cannot be with your baby for long periods of time, because you need to go back to work and study after giving birth. You want to increase the amount of milk.

2. How many milking times is appropriate?

If you feed your baby directly most of the time and only occasionally bottle feed, then you only need to express a few times a day. It's best to try expressing milk in the morning or when your breasts feel engorged.
If you feed your baby by expressing milk exclusively? Express milk according to your baby's needs. If your baby eats 8-12 times a day, you need to squeeze at least 8 times to meet the baby's needs.
The number of milking sessions will not have a fixed number or a certain rule, this depends on the nutritional needs of the baby. Expressions should not be more than 5 hours apart. You should express milk every 2 or 3 hours during infancy.
Also, you need to pump at least twice at night to help establish a good milk supply.

3. How much milk per pump is enough?

As your baby grows, the amount of milk he needs at each feed will change. It may even change by date.
In the first few days after giving birth, you only need to pump a small amount of colostrum. Colostrum is the first drops of milk, very nutritious.
After the first week, the baby needs about 50 - 80ml of milk / pump. Each puff is spaced about 2 to 3 hours apart. However, in the case of twins or triplets, the amount of milk needed to be pumped should be doubled.
One month after birth, babies need about 700-900ml of milk per day. To meet the baby's needs, each time you pump about 80-110 ml of milk, it should be spaced every 3-4 hours.

4. Choose the right breast pump method

With each method of breast-feeding, it will be suitable for each stage of the child's development and has its own advantages and disadvantages.
4.1 Manual Expressing Manual milking requires the use of hands or fingers to express milk, the expressed milk is stored in a bottle or storage device. Suitable for newborn babies 1-2 weeks old, when the baby's demand for milk is not high.
4.2 Breast Pump Breast pumps use suction to draw milk out of the breasts. There are two types of pumps: manual and electric.
Manual breast pump is very convenient, suitable for the first weeks after birth, because at this time the baby does not need much milk. Electric breast pump, suitable if you need a large milk supply when you return to work or you are exclusively bottle-feeding. Current popular breast pumps such as the MB-029 Moaz BeBé breast pump all operate in 3 stages: massage, milk stimulation, milk pumping, simulating the process of a baby sucking, helping to stimulate breast milk. secrete and protect the mother's breasts best. With multiple suction levels and flexible modes allowing to choose single suction mode (1 breast) and double suction (2 sides at the same time), the product has brought maximum comfort when used. However, care should be taken to clean the parts of the breast pump between uses.

5. Pumping breast milk properly

5.1 Expressing breast milk by hand Before you begin, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. You will also need a sterilized container, feeding bottle. Choose a comfortable seat and posture to make the milking process easier. Place the container within reach. Before expressing milk, massage your breasts properly (make sure your hands are warm). Start with long strokes from the armpit, towards the nipple. Next, cup your hands in a C shape near the outer area of ​​the nipple. Your fingers and thumbs should face each other - if you imagined that your breast was a clock, your thumb would be at 12 o'clock and your finger at 6 o'clock. Gently press your thumb and index finger into the milk-filled sinuses below the areola. Avoid pressing on the nipple. Press and release. It may take a few minutes for breast milk to come out. Express one side for 3-5 minutes until you notice the milk flow slow, move your hand around the breast so that you are expressing milk from a different area (place finger and thumb at 11 o'clock and 5 hours) and repeat the process. Once you have expressed as much as you can from one breast, repeat the process on the other breast. Then switch back to the first breast. The time to express milk lasts about 20-30 minutes. 5.2 Using an electric breast pump Although each pump has its own characteristics, the basic steps will be the same for each. You should always read the instruction manual when using the vacuum cleaner for the first time.
Before starting, wash your hands thoroughly and check all parts of the pump, make sure it is working properly and that all parts of the pump are clean and sterilized before use Choose a comfortable position. Massaging your breasts before pumping helps to get more milk. Place the suction cup around the areola with your nipple right in the middle. The suction hopper should fit snugly, without causing pain, otherwise it should be changed to a different size. The suction cup size should be 3 to 4 mm larger than your nipple. Center and press lightly. If using an electric extractor, start it on low suction pressure at first, gradually increasing it until you reach the highest suction pressure you are comfortable with. Suction each breast for 15 to 20 minutes. Once you've finished pumping, it's a good idea to express milk by hand to better empty your breasts. A double vacuum can be used to save time. If you are not sure how to use your breast pump effectively, contact a consultant for assistance.

5.3 Using a Manual Breast Pump Make sure all parts of the pump are clean and sterilized before use. Read the user manual to familiarize yourself with the process. Find a quiet place to pump. Then follow these general steps.
Wash your hands to ensure cleanliness. You will first express milk by hand. Gently massage each side. Once your breasts are stimulated, place a nipple in the center of the breast pump's funnel and position it level with your breast. Squeeze the pump in a rhythmic way, mimicking your baby's feeding cycle. Repeat the above steps on the other side of the chest. Move back and forth between your breasts to get more milk. Express milk by hand to finish.

6. Instructions for cleaning breast pump parts

Read the user manual for specific cleaning instructions depending on the type of breast pump. In addition, you need to clean the vacuum cleaner after each use with warm, soapy water. Start by disassembling the extractor parts and inspecting them for damage and replacing if necessary. Wash machine parts that come in contact with breast milk. Simply put under running water to rinse off milk. To clean by hand, place the vacuum in the sink. Fill it with hot water and soap, scrub everything with a clean brush. Rinse with clean water and let everything dry on its own. If your baby is under 3 months old, consider boiling the extractor parts for cleaning as their immune system is immature. You only need to do this once a day. Place the extractor parts in the pot and fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil and let these parts boil for 5 minutes. Use clean tongs to remove parts. To help maintain an abundant milk supply for the baby, mothers should combine direct breastfeeding, which will stimulate milk secretion more. When a baby breastfeeds, in addition to sucking on the breast, touching the mother's hands and feet will also increase the mother's love. In addition to choosing the right way to pump breast milk, breast milk after expressing also needs to be stored properly to ensure the best quality milk for the baby.

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