Hand expressing breast milk for your premature or ill baby

You may not be able to feed your baby at your breast if your baby is:

• very premature
• unwell
• separated from you

But you can express your milk for your baby. Expressing breast milk from the start helps to stimulate your breasts and enhance your milk supply.

Express your milk as soon as possible after the birth. Try to do this within 1 to 2 hours after birth. This can help you produce colostrum. You can also start using a hospital grade double electric pump. This helps you produce more milk.

Your midwife will guide you depending on your baby’s needs and how you are doing.

You may be unwell after the birth and need specialist care. Your midwife will help you when you feel well enough.

Pumping breast milk for your premature or ill baby

Expressing breast milk before birth

Consider learning how to hand express before the birth of your baby. Talk to your midwife to find out if hand expressing is suitable for you and how to do it.

It can help to have your partner or support person with you.

A video on how to hand express milk

Midwife Rebecca O'Donovan shows how to hand express milk

Express soon after the birth

Massage your breasts before and during expressing. Massaging your breasts may feel a bit strange but it is important, even after your milk comes in.

It can be difficult to make milk at first and the amount can be very small. Do not worry if there is very little or no milk the first few times you express. Keep trying and you will soon see an increase.

When you finish, write the date and time on the container or syringe labelled with your baby’s details. Then send the milk to your baby’s unit or place the closed container in the fridge.

Every single drop of your milk is important for your baby. The tiny drops you make at this point are precious and will help your baby.

Some things can delay your milk coming in, including:

• having a caesarean section
• some medical conditions
• your baby being born very early

If you have any questions or concerns, ask your midwife or your nurse so they can help you.

How often to hand express milk

Hand express at least 8 to 10 times every 24 hours. This is every 2 to 3 hours. This is how often a newborn baby feeds in 24 hours.

Try to express at least once between midnight and 6am. This is because prolactin (milk-making hormone) levels are higher at night. Expressing at night helps your breasts to make more milk. Especially in the early weeks after your baby’s birth.