How To Extract And Store Breast Milk

Learning how to collect and store breast milk is a very advantageous practice. Having breast milk stored correctly can get you out of any trouble, for example when you need to be separated from your baby for a while. If this separation is prolonged for two days it will also help alleviate a possible discomfort in your breasts.

There are several ways to remove, conserve and later use milk. First of all, you need to keep in mind that the breastpump works simply and painlessly, so you shouldn’t worry about it. What’s more, it will also help you take care of your breasts.

Now, the easiest way to learn how to express milk is manually while you are breastfeeding. This mechanism occurs thanks to a circulatory milk reflex, which provides flow in both breasts. This makes it possible to extract milk from the side that the baby is not nursing.

First of all, wash your hands thoroughly. Then set aside a container to collect the milk. It is most recommended to use a wide-mouth container or a funnel specially designed for this function. Before using the container, wash it with hot soapy water. It is not necessary to sterilize this container.

If you are going to express milk without the baby being breastfed, before starting gently massage your breasts down and out towards your nipples. If possible, also wipe warm, moistened wipes over your breasts for five minutes.

The steps for manual extraction are very simple.

First, hold your breast between your index, middle, and thumb fingers, positioned two to three inches away from your nipple. Press inward, toward the chest, to reach the lactiferous ducts.

Then rotate your thumb and the other two fingers toward your nipple. This movement should not consist of squeezing or sliding, but slightly rotating your fingers as if you were taking fingerprints from your fingers. Don’t pinch your nipple, just the areola.

Nowadays, there are many types of breast pumps available on the market. If you don’t like the idea of ​​doing this manually and prefer to use the technology, there are battery-operated extractors and even electric extractors. It is important to make a careful selection. Not all extractors work for all women. Research shows that some can actually cause bruises to breast tissue.

There are many electric pumps, including those that have a double attachment for pumping both breasts at once. There are smaller and lighter extractors, ideal for traveling or taking to work. There are also batteries and adapters that allow you to plug the extractor into the car’s lighter.

How to store breast milk

If the expressed milk is going to be used in the baby’s next feeding or in the next few hours, just put it in the bottle and store it in the refrigerator. If the pump container is a baby bottle, you won’t even need to change containers.

If you want to keep the milk longer, it can be stored in the freezer for three months. In this case, the milk must be stored in sterilized bags that can be hermetically sealed. You also need to attach a label to note the date the milk was withdrawn.

The easiest way to conserve this milk can be using small, disposable baby-bottle bags or plastic or glass baby bottles. To avoid wastage, make sure not to completely fill the bag or bottle. Look for bags made especially for this purpose.

Breast milk expands when frozen. Therefore, do not completely fill the bottle or bag, leave a free space to allow this expansion. If you prefer to use the bags, fold the top and close with a flexible or elastic seal.

Label the container with the date and time of extraction. And always use the oldest milk first. When it is necessary to transport breast milk for use outside the home, try to keep it refrigerated until the time it is to be used.

Thaw the milk at room temperature or in a bowl of running hot water. Thaw using the least amount of heat possible. Never heat or thaw breast milk in the microwave, as it may overheat some servings and destroy essential vitamins and enzymes for the baby.

It is normal for breast milk to split when frozen, as the cream tends to stay on top. To reverse this, stir the milk gently stirring. Do not give your baby just a little thawed breast milk. Wait until it has completely defrosted.