The ability to express breastmilk is invaluable in supporting and prolonging breastfeeding, I believe. Of course, it is possible to fully breastfeed a baby for months without expressing a single drop, but it is useful in many ways:
· Premature/sick babies: mum can express milk to give to her baby, even if he is too small to take milk directly from the breast.
· To encourage milk to flow before baby starts to feed, if he is reluctant or impatient, or if the nipples are sore.
· To soften the areola if the breasts are engorged, to enable baby to latch on.
· To relieve engorgement if baby is not doing the job! Mum can take off just enough with the pump in order to feel comfortable again.
· To empty the breast if there is a blocked duct or mastitis and baby is not ready to feed.
· To encourage/build up the milk supply, in addition to baby suckling.
· Milk can be stored in the freezer for emergencies.
· Expressed milk can be used to ‘top up’ in the early evening when the mother’s milk supply is often low.
· Introduction of a ‘top up’ bottle after the 3rd week can reduce the risk of baby refusing a bottle later.
· A whole feed can regularly be given by someone else other than mum after the 4th week – giving her some well-deserved time-off, or sleep!
If using the breastpump to relieve engorgement, it is important to only take off the small amount necessary to make mum comfortable – remember that the more milk is taken off, the more will be made!
It isn’t necessary to pump from Day One, unless your baby needs you to because he can’t feed directly from the breast. The best way to get off to a good start is to just concentrate on getting your feeding technique right, and a good supply will follow.
I normally advise mums to start expressing once a day in the morning, from about 3 weeks, once things settle down. If you know you’ll want to give your baby a bottle of your milk at some point, introduce it before he or she is a month old, and keep it a regular feature , or he may reject it!