112 Breastfeeding
Removing
Milk by
Hand
Another way a woman can give her baby breast milk
during the day is if she can have time at work to remove
the milk from her breasts. Then someone else can feed
the baby for her.
➤ If a mother
removes more milk
than her baby needs,
she can give it to
another baby whose
mother is sick, or
whose milk has not
come in yet.
You can remove your milk by
hand 2 or 3 times each day...
...then send or store the milk for
someone to feed your baby.
You may also need to remove your milk by hand if your
breasts are too full, or if your baby cannot breastfeed for
some reason, and you want to keep a good milk supply.
How to remove your milk by hand
1. Wash and rinse a wide-mouth jar and lid with soap
and clean water, and leave them in the sun to dry. Just
before using them, pour boiling water, that has boiled
for 20 minutes, into them and let the water sit for a few
minutes. Then pour the water out.
2. Wash your hands well before touching the jar or your breasts.
3. Find a quiet place if you can. Be patient and try to relax. Thinking about the
baby as you remove your milk may help it flow. Massage your breasts lightly with
your finger tips or fist, moving toward the nipple.
4. Then, put your fingers and thumb at the
edge of the dark part of your breast
(areola), and press in towards the chest.
Gently press your fingers together and roll
them towards the nipple. Do not pinch or
pull your nipple. Removing milk should not
hurt. Move your fingers all the way around
the areola so the milk can come out of the
whole breast. Do this with each breast
until it is empty.
Press back,
do not pinch.
5. At first, not much milk will come out. With practice you will remove more.
Plan to remove milk as often as your baby eats, or at least 3 times each day.
(The person who gives your milk to the baby can let you know if there was
enough.) If you start to practice 2 weeks before you return to work, you will be
able to remove enough milk by the time you must be separated from your baby.
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