How to Pump Breast Milk by Hand

Breast milk pumping is good for both mothers and newborn infants. When you pump or "express" your milk ahead of time, you can store it for feeding later while you do other things.

Unfortunately, breast milk pumps can be expensive. Hospital-grade brands go for $700 to $1,200 a unit. You could rent a pump from a hospital for around $40, but even this is too much for many families today.

Pumping breast milk by hand is the cheapest way to express your milk. It's less messy too. If you want to save money and have time to spare, learning how to pump your breasts by hand is worth the effort.

Instructions

1

Prepare a a clean container or two. Choose a container with a wide mouth. You could use a 2oz. or 4oz. feeding bottle. If you use a bottle with a narrow mouth, use a funnel. Wash the container in hot water.

2

Wash your hands with soap and water. Dry them.

3

Place the container on a table below your breast. If using two containers to simultaneously pump both breasts, measure the space so each container catches milk from one nipple. Secure them to the tabletop with a two-sided tape to avoid knocking them off by accident.

4

Stimulate you breast. Massage it gently with your hands. Use a warm cloth or towel if it helps. You might want to handle your baby skin to skin too. All this helps tell the breasts to start yielding milk.

5

Bend over. Do this either seated or standing up. Sitting would be more comfortable. Make sure your nipple is facing down on the container. Do not express milk with your nipples vertical, as this would only cause the milk to spill.

6

Begin pumping your breasts. Place your thumb and index finger on opposite sides, on the dark area around the nipple - the aerola. Not the nipple itself. If the aerola were a clock, it would look like 6 o'clock.

7

Press the thumb and index finger toward each other, as if squeezing the aerola. Then pull and roll them forward. In effect, you're holding the aerola and pushing toward the nipple. This pushing action expresses your milk out. Stop right at the edge of the nipple. You should see milk oozing out of your nipple as you stroke.

8

Continue breast pumping with varying movements. Change your pumping phase as it feels right to you. Move the thumb and index finger (still as a pair) all around the aerola "dial." Make sure you cover all directions to get all the milk out. Alternate between breasts if you're pumping one at a time. Do not squeeze the nipple directly.

9

Clean up after you're done breast milk pumping. Wipe your breasts and hands with clean tissue or cloth. Wipe the edges of the container as well.

10

Seal the container tightly. Label it with the date and time you pumped the breast milk in it. Store in refrigirator.