A study of 60 moms who experienced engorgement concluded that hand expression was more effective at relieving engorgement than using a manual breast pump (Source). Another study showed that mothers appreciated being taught hand expression techniques as a tool to manage engorgement (Source).
After pumping, use hand expression for a couple of minutes on each side. This method has been shown to remove more milk than pumping alone. Researchers found that mothers could increase the volume of milk they expressed by 48% when they combined hand expression with the use of a breast pump.
Can relieve engorgement (by releasing some milk to soften your breasts) and help your baby to latch on more easily. Encourages milk production early in lactation.
Potential disadvantages of hand expression
For some women, hand expression may not produce quite as much milk when compared to pumping. Especially when used beyond the first couple weeks after baby's birth. Hand expression often takes more time, especially if you are looking to express both breasts.
How often? If you need to establish milk production without breastfeeding your newborn baby, aim to express 8–12 times per 24 hours including at least once during the night to mimic a baby's natural breastfeeding pattern.
Hand Expression Versus Pumping
There are two ways to express milk: Use your hands to remove your breast milk. This is called hand expression. Use a manual or electric machine called a pump.
To put a number on it, it usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes after feeding to generate enough milk for your baby, and about 60 minutes to replenish fully. The more often your baby feeds, and the more they empty your breasts, the more milk your body will produce.
Can pumping decrease milk supply? Pumping itself does not decrease your breast milk supply. In fact, it can help boost it. But if you are having trouble with low milk supply, the first step is to check that you are using the right breast pump.
Why hand expression? Skin-to-skin contact with hand expression encourages the milk ejection reflex (MER) or 'let-down reflex'. Mothers usually get more milk using hand expression alone or combined with pumping than using just a pump.
This can be a little tricky because the amount of milk that a baby takes in a day can vary by so much – both 20 oz and 35 oz total per day are normal. In general, for 8-10 hours away from your baby, you'd need between 9 and 16 oz, split between 3 or 4 bottles.
It is important to express at least once during the night, between 2am and 4am. This is when your body releases the hormone prolactin, which makes your milk. Babies usually wake up and feed during the day and night. This routine helps you to breastfeed your baby in a way that responds to their needs.
Healthy infants who breastfeed effectively are often thought to be more efficient than the expression of milk either by hand or with an electric breast pump. Breastfed infants have been shown to remove 50% of the total volume of milk removed at a breastfeed in the first 2 min and 80% in 4 min [31].
Yes, if done incorrectly. Hand expressing is a skill and, like any skill, takes time to learn. If you're not careful, you can damage your breast tissue. This can lead to pain, bruising, and even mastitis.
Ultimately, if your baby has reached its birth weight and you're pumping enough milk during the day, it's okay to sleep eight hours without pumping at night. Keep in mind there is an adjustment period for your body as it begins to acclimate to the decrease in overnight milk removal.
The more you delay nursing or pumping, the less milk your body will make. That's because overfilled (engorged) breasts send a signal to your brain that you need to make less milk.
Some women's breast milk supply dries up in a few days. Others will still express a few drops of milk months later. Most women who have breastfed or pumped and begin to wean will see their milk supply drop in two to three weeks, though this can vary depending on your baby's age and the amount of milk you were making.
Pumping milk burns the same amount of calories that nursing burns. Pumping milk burns anywhere from 200 to 600 calories per day. This will also vary from mother to mother, pumping session to pumping session, and the number of pumping sessions per day.
All breast pumps can have unpleasant side effects: Some women, for example, find that their nipples become sore and irritated. Here it is helpful to try out several types of pump with different attachments. Some women find expressing milk stressful and awkward, or they may have problems operating the pump.
Pumping every two hours throughout the day should also help to increase your milk supply. It is recommended to pump at least every three hours during the day. If you are exclusively pumping, you should pump as frequently as your newborn feeds throughout the day in order to establish a full milk supply.
Adequate hydration also is important for breast milk production. The amount of liquid you put into your body affects how much breast milk you can produce. I encourage women to carry a bottle of water for themselves in their diaper bag.
Why it happens: If your breasts feel full but you're not getting much milk when you pump, you may be struggling with your let-down reflex. As nifty as your pump is, there's no comparing it to the smell and feel of your sweet baby in your arms.
Some might feed every 90 minutes, whereas others might go 2–3 hours between feedings. Newborns should not go more than about 4 hours without feeding, even overnight.
You can definately use the Haakaa as your primary pump. Some women use our pumps simply to catch excess milk that would otherwise be lost in a nursing pad. However, you can use it to express as you would with any manual pump.