In order for your newborn baby to be full, and for mommy to receive breast milk and have enough of it, you need to be able to express. But this process is often difficult. Let's figure out when to express breast milk.
When should mom get rid of extra milk?
1. Before each breastfeed, because the first drops of liquid will cleanse the mother's nipple, it will become moist, soft and more pliable.
2. After the baby has eaten, because it is necessary to completely empty the breast of the remnants, thereby giving space for the newly abiding flow.
3. If the child was born weak or premature, as a result of which it is difficult for him to eat on his own. In this case, mother's milk is given during feeding with a bottle or spoon.
4. When the mother doesn't feel well. In this case, you should not put the baby to the breast, but you need to feed it with milk.
5. If a nursing mother develops cracked nipples.
6. To prevent mastopathy during heavy lactation. Or,as people say, a woman needs to be "milked".
Many women, after reading the first paragraph, immediately exclaim: "Yes, but how to express breast milk with your hands?" Now is the 21st century, and there are many different breast pumps. Yes, of course there is, but it is not always convenient to use it. A breast pump is very useful and will facilitate your "exercises" with the breast if you are going to start work, and you continue to feed the baby. In the case of daily discharge of a small amount of milk, it is better and easier to do it by hand.
How to free the glands from milk?
So, how to express breast milk with your hands:
1. First, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water before each procedure.
2. The chest can be washed with soap in the morning and evening (if a cream or ointment was used during the day, it is better to remove the product with a cotton pad), otherwise it is enough to lubricate with a few drops of milk.
3. Calm down and relax so that the milk flows well.
4. Massage gently, then place a warm towel or diaper over your relaxed chest.
5. Sitting in a comfortable position, lean forward slightly.
6. It is worth putting the index finger and thumb on the areola of the nipple so that the palm takes the shape of a boat and is above the nipple.
7. Press your fingers in the direction of the chest, very gently bring them together, slide your hand, and a stream of milk will appear.
8. Beforeto start actions on your own, in the maternity hospital it is worth asking the nurse for help in order to learn the basics of how to express breast milk with your hands.
9. Both breasts need to be pumped every 3 hours.
Conclusion
After reading a little information about how to express breast milk with your hands, you have theoretically mastered the first steps. Many doctors recommend that pregnant women learn to do this even before labor begins. This is necessary both to get the skills of pumping from mommy, and to prepare the mammary gland for the appearance of milk.
Before we leave the conversation about pumping, let's take a look at one more thing. How much breast milk should be expressed? Every mother can answer this question, knowing that every three hours the child should take 100-150 grams of food.
