Every breastfeeding mother needs to know how to express correctly and in what situations it is necessary to avoid possible complications and breast diseases.
Why do you need to pump
Most experts say that pumping should be done only when needed. This need may be caused by:
- the period of the formation of lactation, when much more milk is produced than the baby can eat;
- overcrowding of the breast, for example, during a night's sleep (if milk is not expressed, inflammation may occur);
- a temporary transfer of the child to a mixture, for example, during the period of any treatment by the mother, after which she again plans to return to breastfeeding (if you do not express milk, lactation may completely fade away during this period);
- the baby is born prematurely, when he is not yet able to suckle on his own, and the mother will need to stimulate lactation for further feeding the baby.
It is important to remember that you should not pump too much without needing to pump. this can cause excessive milk production. As you know, you can express both with your hands and with a breast pump - each of the options is good in its own way.
How to properly express with a breast pump
There are manual and electric breast pumps. Manual will require more time and effort from you, since you will need to apply some effort to express. Electric breast pumps are much more expensive, but they can be used to pump very quickly without any effort.
Before using the breast pump, it must be sterilized according to the attached instructions. After expressing, the device and all its parts must also be thoroughly rinsed. It is important to remember that expressing should not be painful. If this happens, you need to choose the position of the breast pump that is most convenient for expressing. It is also contraindicated for those women who have cracked nipples.
So, wash your hands thoroughly, get into a comfortable position, and place the breast pump funnel on your breast so that the nipple is right in the center of it. The funnel should fit tightly to the chest. If you have a manual breast pump, start gradually pressing the plunger, if you have an electric breast pump, press the pumping mode button. Continue pumping until your breasts feel soft to the touch and discomfort disappears.
How to express your hands correctly
Expressing manually is much more difficult than pumping with a breast pump, but it has a number of undeniable benefits. Firstly, hand pumping is much more delicate, after which the likelihood of microcracks on the nipples is very small. Secondly, with your hands you can gradually and gently massage the chest, preventing the formation of lumps and inflammation. And thirdly, this method does not require money from you.
Before you start pumping, be sure to wash your hands; give a small massage to stimulate the breasts and nipples; then lean forward, holding your chest with one hand; Place the thumb of the other hand on top of the areola of the nipple, and the index and middle fingers on the bottom. Do not place your hands too close to the nipple to avoid painful sensations. First, pull the nipple as if spreading your fingers apart, then squeeze it with your thumb and forefinger. The first drops will appear first, followed by a trickle of milk. Repeat the movements, gradually moving your fingers in a circle so that you can express milk from all areas of the breast.
You can express milk in sterile containers or jars for further convenient storage in the refrigerator.
And remember, pumping is an important process that helps not only stimulate lactation, but also prevent the development of diseases such as mastitis and lactostasis. Breastfeeding experts recommend mastering both manual and pumping so that you can always help yourself in any situation.
