How to hand express breast milk

Breast milk is the most suitable food for newborns. Because the nutrients in breast milk are most suitable for the baby's development. However, it is not convenient for many mothers to feed their children at any time. For example, for working mothers, it is impossible for them to be with their children and feed them all the time. At this time, you need to express some breast milk for your baby to drink. So, how do you express breast milk by hand?

1. Preparation before milking

1. Choose a wide-mouthed glass cup, jar, bottle or wide-mouthed bottle; 2. Clean the cup with soap and water and dry it in the sun; 3. Pour boiling water into the cup and leave it for a few minutes. Both the sun and boiling water can kill bacteria; 4. When you are ready to start milking, pour out the water in the cup first.

2. How to make milking go smoothly?

1. Find a quiet and deserted place, or ask a friend to help you express the milk. Some mothers find it easy to express their own milk when they are with other mothers who are expressing or feeding their babies.

2. When the mother holds the baby, she should try to keep her skin in contact with the baby's skin. When the mother is expressing milk, she can let the baby sit on her lap and watch the baby, which will help the milk flow out.

3. Drink some hot, sedative beverages beforehand.

4. Apply hot gauze to your breasts or take a hot bath.

5. Gently push the breast towards the nipple. Some mothers find that gently pressing the nipple and areola with their fingertips or a comb, or gently pressing their fists on the breasts and rotating them towards the nipple, often helps the milk flow out.

6. Ask someone to help rub your mother's back. Have the mother sit down and lean forward, crossing her arms on the table in front of her, resting her head on the back of her hands and allowing her breasts to hang down. The helper can massage her back from top to bottom, including both sides of the spine, starting from the neck or shoulders, for 1 to 2 minutes each time, which will help the milk flow.

3. How to milk?

1. Wash your hands.

2. Find a comfortable sitting or standing position and place the cup or bottle close to your breast.

3. Place your thumb on the breast above the areola and your index finger on the breast below the areola.

4. Press toward the chest wall with two fingers first.

5. Then use two fingers to squeeze the areola behind the nipple. Note that you must squeeze behind the nipple so that you press on the sinus of the mammary duct behind the areola.

6. Squeeze and relax, squeeze again and relax again, and repeat this process repeatedly. This shouldn't hurt; if it does, then something is definitely wrong. There may be no milk coming out at first, but after expressing a few times, milk will drip out. If the ejection reflex is active, milk may flow out like a stream.

7. Use the same method to squeeze the areola from different directions to ensure that milk from every part of the breast can be squeezed out.

8. Squeeze one breast for at least 3 to 5 minutes until the milk flow slows down. Then squeeze the other side, and repeat. You can alternate between using each hand to squeeze your breasts, switching hands when you get tired.

9. Do not just let your fingers slide on the skin, nor pinch the nipples tightly. Simply pressing or pushing the nipple will not produce milk. If the baby only sucks on the nipple, he will not get any milk.

10. Milking time should be continued for 20 to 30 minutes, especially in the first few days when only a little milk can be produced. It is important not to expect to finish expressing milk in a short period of time.