Expressing milk means manually withdrawing milk out of your breasts which can then be used to feed your baby. You can express by hand or with an electric or manual pump aka pumping. The milk can be used immediately to feed your baby or it can be stored to be used later. Some mums may chose to use expressing in addition to breastfeeding and / or formula feeding. For some mums, expressing breastmilk and feeding this in a bottle is the only way they feed their babies.

How to express

Not everyone manages to express large volumes of milk and indeed some mums may struggle to produce a teaspoon. So before you get started with whatever expressing technique you prefer there are a few top tips that may help. 

Firstly, find a spot in your home where you feel comfortable; you may need to be sitting in the same position for some time. You will learn what works for you and so your preferred space may evolve as you do. Pick a time of day that both suits your supply and you feel no time pressures. Easier said than done, we know. Finally, if you are struggling to get the feeling of ‘let-down’ then try watching videos of your baby. Sometimes the noise of a baby crying or seeing pictures of your baby helps the let-down reflex.

Hand expressing

It is likely that your midwife will discuss hand expressing with you at some point as it is useful in those early days to help your baby latch, and to help soften engorged breasts. It isn’t a skill that everyone masters but for some they prefer this technique. 

So how do you do it?

• Start by gently massaging the milk down the ducts from your armpit towards the nipple.

• Then using your thumb and fingers, create a C shape on the breast around the nipple area. 

• Look for a change in breast tissue outside the nipple area, perhaps a small ridge, as this is where you need to compress your breast.

• Gently compress rhythmically: it can take several minutes to get any milk to flow. 

• Once the milk is coming out, work around your breast to ensure all the ducts are emptied. Think of your breast in 4 sections and aim to empty each section. Don’t forget that breast tissue extends into the armpit, which is why gently stroking to start can help stimulate flow. 

• Have a go at the other breast. It may take several attempts to nail the technique so getting someone to help you the first time, like a midwife or lactation consultant, would be beneficial.

Hand-held pumps

Manual breast pumps, whilst more time consuming and labour intensive compared to electric, do have their benefits. First and foremost, they are cheap; depending on brand they come in around the £15 mark. They also are easy to use and often easy to clean and store. They are also small and quiet, so popping them in a bag and being able to express in more public places isn’t an issue. A hand pump is definitely more subtle than an electric one.

Getting started is always the same; ensure you’re comfy, your equipment is good to go and massage the breast to stimulate flow. Make sure the flange size is right and place over the nipple. Squeeze the hand pump to stimulate flow. The nipple is sucked into the flange, which is why the size is important. If you experience any trauma then get your technique and the flange size assessed by your midwife before continuing.

Suction Pumps

One of the newer breast pump ideas to the market is actually one of the simplest designs. Unlike other breast pumps, these don't actually have a pump action. They have a large silicone flange that sits onto the breast tightly, creating a vacuum. This vacuum applies a continuous pressure to breast. They are great for attaching to the opposite breast to the one you are feeding off (or expressing off), so no milk is wasted during let down. Due to this, they are sometimes called milk savers rather than pumps. They are great if you have a good milk supply, but probably not the go to for folk who struggle to express. They are relatively cheap, again around the £15 mark, and easy to use.

Electric Pumps

There are a plethora of electric pumps on the market to choose from and they can range in price dramatically. You can buy second hand, but be careful as there are different systems – open versus closed - and some pumps are designed to only be used by one person. If you do buy second hand, make sure all the parts can be removed, cleaned and sterilised.

The benefit of an electric pump is that they tend to be more efficient at removing milk from the breast. The most important thing is to ensure the pump you get fits your nipple size. If the flange size doesn’t fit then you can end up damaging your nipples. Poor fit = sore tit!

Some breast pumps only come with one size flange whereas others have a variety of sizes. You can often borrow a breast pump from your hospital, so they should be able to help with sizing. You can also hire a breast pump for a fraction of the cost to buy.  

Again, the procedure is the same as for other expressing methods: ensure you’re comfy, your equipment is good to go and place the flange over the nipple.