Expressing breast milk provides a mom with a way of continuing to give her baby breast milk, even when they are separated, It also helps her to keep her milk supply going until she can breastfeed again.
In a society where most moms need to work, expressing has become a crucial part of many moms’ breastfeeding journeys. For a mom with a baby in NICU, this journey may be completely dependent on it. Exclusive pumping is another option now available to mothers, who would not have had this choice decades ago.
We believe expressing is an option that most moms can find use for. This section provides detailed information on the tools and tricks of the expressing trade.
For many years breast pumps came in a one size that (didn't) fit all. But breasts and nipples come in many shapes and sizes. It is crucial to your expressing success that you use the correct size breast pump flange. A flange that is too big or too small will lead to many pumping problems. Feeling confused? See our printable nipple and flange measuring tool to help you understand flange size and to determine the best size to use. Ideally,[...]
Do you really need an electric pump, or will a manual pump do? This is a difficult comparison as the quality of electric pumps differ vastly. A good manual pump is definitely worth more than a bad electric one. But it has some limitations. Below some advantages and disadvantages of both Manual Pump advantages: They are cheaperThey are smaller and lighter, and more easily fits into a bagSome moms feel that they have more control over the speed and suction[...]
Ultimately, all that you need to breastfeed is a baby and a boob! And if all is going well, and you are not going to be separated from your baby for any length of time for the first year or so of life, then the answer to this question is ‘probably not’. However, if you are going to be away from baby for longer periods than a quick grocery run, or if for any reason your baby is unable to[...]
