For mums who breastfeed, there are times when bottle feeding makes more sense. Expressing means you can continue to give your baby the vital nutrients from breast milk when you can’t breastfeed directly. In this article, we’ll explain where to start with expressing and the products available to make expressing breast milk safe and simple.

What is expressing and when can I start?

Other than breastfeeding, expressing milk is the only way to release milk from the breast. Expressing means squeezing the breast by hand or with an electric or manual pump. Once the milk has been expressed, it can be stored in bottles for feeding your baby at a later date. A recommended time to start expressing milk is after three weeks but it is possible to start expressing earlier should you have the need to. Consult with your health visitor if you have any concerns.

Why would I want to express milk?

There are many reasons and benefits to expressing milk. Common reasons include:

Giving your partner a chance to feed – Feeding a baby is a great bonding experience and one many partners miss out on. Expressing breast milk means that your baby continues to get all the nutrients from the milk while giving your partner the opportunity to feed and bond.

Allowing you to rest – Occasionally you may feel too tired or sick to breastfeed and don’t want to use formula milk. Expressing milk and having some stored allows someone else to take over feeding duties while you rest.

Giving you a chance to go out – Being a parent is a full-time occupation but you should make some time for yourself whether it be going for a meal or a day’s shopping with friends. Baby can still receive your breast milk when fed by someone else via a bottle

Feeding a premature baby – An early baby can’t always be fed from the breast, expressing milk gives them your milk without the need to suckle.

Overcoming feeding problems – Some babies have trouble with their instinctive ability to suckle from the breast. Expressing milk means they can receive your milk until they have sufficient enough suction to latch on to the breast.

Expressing milk also helps stimulate milk production and relieve engorged breasts. Engorged breasts occur from 2-6 days after birth due to extra breast milk becoming available to your baby. This process increases the blood flow to the breasts causing swelling. It is a temporary condition that eases as long as feeding or expressing takes place on a regular basis. If you’re unable to breastfeed due to taking medication, expressing will help to keep your milk supply up for when you can return to breastfeeding.

How do I express milk?

It is possible to express milk by hand which requires no equipment other than a sterile bottle to express into and a towel but this way takes practice and is very time-consuming. Expressing is easier and more efficient when you use a breast pump.

There is a great range of breast pumps available and choosing the right one for you will depend upon your circumstances. For working mums, a faster electric pump may be more suitable while for babies who only require the odd feed a simple manual pump may be a better option.

Manual Breast Pumps
A manual breast pump uses a suction cup with a manual squeezing mechanism to extract milk from the breast. Using the pump to gently massage the breast and areola mimics the suction of your baby to stimulate a reflex that encourages milk flow. A manual breast pump will take you on average 15-45 minutes to pump both breasts. The strength of the vacuum created can also be adjusted for your comfort.

Medela Harmony Breastpump

Electric Breast Pumps
Electric breast pumps work in the same way as manual pumps but are a faster and more efficient way to express milk. Electric pumps use batteries or can be connected to a power outlet and are available with single or double pumping systems.

Medela Mini Electric Plus Breastpump

How to store expressed milk

Once you’ve expressed your milk you’ll need to store it in bottles or bags that are suitable for the fridge or freezer. Expressed milk can be used immediately or stored at room temperature for up to 8 hours.

If kept in the fridge, keep the milk at the back and use it within 3-5 days. If freezing the milk, use within 3-6 months. To thaw the milk, place the bottle or bag in warm water until thawed or leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost. Avoid defrosting or warming milk in a microwave as this will kill off the nutrients. Once your baby has finished feeding, throw away any milk inside the bottle that hasn’t been used.

Medela Breast Milk Storage Bottles

Pump and Save Breast Milk Bags

Expressing Milk - Cleaning

Keeping your feeding equipment clean and sterile is essential for both you and your baby’s health. A steam steriliser can hold all your feeding equipment and complete a sterilisation cycle in a matter of minutes.

Electric Steam Steriliser

For cleaning pumps and bottles when on the move, unscented cleaning wipes provide the ideal way to clean your feeding equipment before sterilisation when you don’t have access to soap and water.

Medela Quick Clean Breastpump and Accessory Wipes