Mom’s milk

Learning to express milk is necessary for all mothers who are breastfeeding to solve any problems that may arise later.
There are several situations where expression can be used, for example:
- To feed a premature or low-weight newborn who is not yet able to feed directly from the breast and who can benefit from the properties of breast milk that will help them recover and gain weight.
- To feed the baby when the mother returns to work.
- When the mother must be temporarily separated from the baby due to travel, illness, surgery requiring hospitalization, or simply to be away for a few hours for a special event.
- When she needs to increase her milk production or volume.
- To relieve breast engorgement when they become too full of milk (as often happens with the first milk letdown).
- To avoid clogged ducts.
To succeed in expression, it is important to start with realistic expectations. For example, understanding that the ability to express milk is learned over time and with practice. The amount of milk expressed will also vary depending on many factors such as the time of day, the skill at expressing, how comfortable and calm the mother is in the environment where she expresses milk, etc.

There are different expression techniques, all useful and adaptable to the mother’s situation.

Milk expression techniques:
- Manual expression.
- Manual breast pump expression.
- Electric breast pump expression.

Manual expression
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Gently massage the breast in a circular motion to stimulate milk letdown (a warm cloth can be applied a few minutes before to help milk flow).
- Leaning forward, hold the breast with your hand placing your thumb above the areola and the index finger below, forming a C shape.
- Push the fingers slightly backward (towards the chest wall) and press trying to bring the thumb and index finger together without reaching the nipple tip. Repeat rhythmically.
- Rotate the position of the fingers to empty all milk ducts. Milk will drip at first and then flow.
- When milk stops flowing, repeat on the other breast.

Manual breast pump expression
This system allows expressing milk from one breast at a time and works by applying pressure through a lever or handle that the mother operates to regulate the ejection. It is an economical and easy-to-use system.

Electric breast pump expression
Electric pumps have a motor. There are single and double pumps.
Double pumps allow simultaneous expression from both breasts, reducing the time dedicated to this task. They are ideal for mothers who need frequent expression.
They can also be used to express from just one breast.
The single electric pump has similar characteristics to the double but only works on one breast at a time. It is recommended for women who do not need to express frequently.

Important
The ideal time to express milk is after breastfeeding. For example, if the mother feeds the baby from one breast only, she can express milk immediately from the other breast. If feeding from both breasts, it is advisable to wait about 20 minutes after the last breastfeeding to make expression easier.
Expressed milk can be combined in the same container regardless of which breast it came from or the time it was expressed. That means if there is a bottle in the refrigerator (not the freezer) with previously expressed milk, you can add the newly expressed milk to it.

Storage of breast milk

How to store it?

Expressed milk can be kept for 4 to 8 hours at room temperature in a cool place. It is recommended to store it in the refrigerator for no more than 48 hours. In the freezer, it can remain between 3 and 6 months.
It is recommended to store in small portions (60 to 120 ml) preferably in breast milk storage bags or sterilized airtight containers.
It is not recommended to use urine test containers sterilized with ethylene oxide for milk storage.
Glass or hard plastic containers with airtight lids (boiled and clean), sterilized jars (steam sterilized), or specially designed milk storage bags can be used, leaving about 3 cm free space in the container.
Metal lids are not recommended because they cannot be steam sterilized or boiled without rusting.

How to thaw and warm milk taken from the freezer?
To thaw breast milk, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator or take it out of the refrigerator to a cool place to return it to its original state.
When taken out of the freezer, breast milk usually separates and looks uneven (similar to curdled milk), but shaking it gently returns it to normal.
To warm it, place it under warm running water or immerse the container in warm water. Do not use a double boiler or microwave to thaw it as it loses its valuable properties.
Once thawed, it can stay in the refrigerator for 24 hours but cannot be refrozen.