Hand Expression & Breast Compressions
Hand expression is a term in the breastfeeding world, used to describe using your own hands as a gentle and sensitive breast pump. Using hand expression can help you to become more comfortable with your body and your milk supply. It is a great tool, and can be able to used in several circumstances:
After your baby is born, you can express drops of colostrum onto your nipple to encourage your baby to eat.
If you and your baby have to be separated after birth for some reason, or if your baby requires special care in the NICU, you can express colostrum to give to your baby through a cup or syringe.
It stimulates more milk to come, if your baby is unable to nurse well for any reason. For the first few days, hand expression is often more effective than an electric pump.
When your milk comes in, you can use hand expression to relieve engorgement, soften your breasts, and make it easier for your baby to latch on.
Hand expression is important if you have any blocked milk ducts. Use hand expression can to massage out any uncomfortable lumps in your breasts,.
Steps to hand expression:
Apply warmth to your breasts for 5-10 minutes, using warm towels, a heating pad, hopping in a warm shower, etc. Heat helps your milk to flow.
Wash your hands well, and gather a clean container to express breastmilk into.
Take a few deep breaths, relax your shoulders, and think sweet thoughts about your baby. If possible, have your baby close by.
Gently massage your breasts, in a way that feels comfortable to you.
Place your thumb above, and your fingers just behind your areola. In most women, your fingers will not actually touch your areola, but will be just behind.
Gently press back towards your chest wall, then gently press and roll fingers towards each other.
Completely release for a moment, and then repeat.
You can move your fingers around in a circular motion around the areola, trying to relieve lumps.
It may take a minute or two to get your milk flowing. Try to relax, and keep thinking of your baby.
Feel free to experiment and find your own technique.
A few common issues may come up, which will make hand expression less effective:
Fingers too close to your nipple, or asymmetrically covering areas of your nipple.
Pinching and pulling your nipple out, rather than pressing back towards the chest wall.
Trying to do hand expression when you are stressed out or upset.
Disadvantages of Hand Expression:
Many women find that hand expression is less efficient than a breast pump, after the first few days.
Breast Compression is a term in the breastfeeding world, used to describe doing hand expression while your baby is at your breast. Not only can you use hand expression to release drops of colostrum onto your nipple. In the same way, you can compress extra colostrum or breastmilk directly into your baby’s mouth, while they are breastfeeding. This is especially great when you have a sleepy baby, and you want to encourage them to continue to breastfeed. Compressing milk into your baby’s mouth, activates their swallow reflex, which is automatically followed by a suck reflex. Often you can jumpstart a sleepy baby back into breastfeeding, with just a few extra compressions of your mouthwatering milk.
