Expressing breast milk
If your baby is not feeding often or well, you may need to remove milk from your breast. This is called expressing breast milk.
Expressing your milk is usually short–term and can help your body make more milk. This is not necessary when you have enough milk, and your baby is feeding well at the breast.
Parents who have enough milk for their baby can also choose to express their milk for additional storage. Learn more about bottle feeding.
It can take time to learn how to express breast milk and may be easier once your milk supply has been established.
You can express by hand or with a breast pump.
Why express breast milk
- Your breasts are engorged or feel very full.
- Your doctor or health care provider would like you to try to increase your milk supply to meet your baby's needs.
- You have a condition which prevents you from breastfeeding, such as sore nipples or an abscess.
- You are taking medications that are not safe with breastfeeding. If you aren't sure, ask your pharmacist.
- You have had breast surgery or have been diagnosed with a hormonal problem that affects your milk production.
- You and your baby are separated for some reason. For example, you are sick, require surgery or need to return to work.
- Your baby is unable to latch.
You can also express if your baby is:
- Adopted and you need to establish your milk supply.
- Born early or is unable to breastfeed for any reason.
- Not gaining weight, which may mean you need to increase your milk supply.
- Unable to latch or is not breastfeeding well.
- Not getting enough milk because of poor suck and swallow patterns.
You can also express breast milk if your baby has a medical condition, for example, cleft lip and palate, cardiac anomalies and genetic conditions.
It may be easier to express in the morning, when your breasts feel fullest, or right after you breastfeed your baby. If you are expressing because your breasts are very full, you can express any time of day using either a breast pump or by hand.
- Find a clean container with a wide opening to collect the expressed milk.
- Wash your hands and remove any undergarments covering your breasts.
- Apply warmth and gently massage your breasts before you hand express to help your breast milk flow.
Hand expressing
The steps to hand expression include press, compress, release.
Video available in different languages
(Detailed instructions about hand expression at 2 minutes 10 seconds)
Choose one of the following containers to store your breast milk:
- First choice: glass containers with tight fitting lids such as small jars and bottles.
- Second choice: hard plastic containers or bottles labelled BPA-free.
- Third choice: breast milk freezer bags. Do not use bottle liner bags because they are thinner and can tear with freezing.
Storing breast milk at home
- Freshly expressed breast milk can stay at room temperature (16 to 29 C) for up to 4 hours.
- You can store breast milk in the fridge for up to 4 days for healthy full-term babies. Place breast milk at the back of the fridge where it is coldest (about 4 C).
- You can combine freshly expressed breast milk with milk expressed earlier on the same day. Always allow newly expressed milk to cool before adding it to the previously cooled breast milk.
- For healthy, full-term babies, wash containers in hot, soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Let the containers air dry and keep them covered. It’s not necessary to sterilize.
- If your baby is born early or is in the hospital, talk to your doctor or health care provider about cleaning containers to store breast milk.
Freezing breast milk
- You can freeze breast milk in a variety of small amounts to prevent waste (0.5 to 2 oz or 15 to 60 ml).
- Label each container with the date.
- If you will not use freshly expressed breast milk within 4 days, place it in the freezer as soon as possible.
- You can add freshly expressed breast milk to a container that already has frozen breast milk. Before adding it, cool freshly expressed breast milk first. Always add a smaller amount of cooled milk to frozen milk.
- Leave a 2.5 cm space at the top of the container when freezing to allow for expansion.
- Store containers in a protected area of the freezer to reduce the risk of damage and contamination.
- Store in the back of the freezer for up to 6 months (-4 to -20 C).
Thawing breast milk
- Check the date on the container to make sure it has not expired. Use the container with the earliest date first.
- Thaw frozen breast milk by placing the container in the fridge overnight. It must be used within 24 hours after being thawed and should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- You can also thaw breast milk by running it under warm water or by setting it in a container of warm water until fully thawed.
- Do not thaw breast milk at room temperature.
- Frozen breast milk may separate into different fat layers. Gently swirl to mix.
Warming breast milk
- Warming is optional. Babies may prefer milk either cold, at room temperature, or warmed.
- Warm breast milk by placing the container in a bowl of lukewarm water (about 37 C) for 20 minutes.
- Do not heat on the stove or in a microwave. This can create hot spots that could burn your baby, even if the container feels cool.
- Overheating may also reduce some of the natural benefits of breast milk.
Spoon or cup feeding works well if you need to give your baby additional breast milk or formula after your baby feeds at the breast. This method of feeding is meant to be used short–term and is usually done on the advice and support of a health care provider.