Breastmilk Expression

Behavior: Mother who will be away from her infant for an extended period expresses her breastmilk. Caregiver feeds expressed breastmilk from a cup.

• Breastmilk expression involves the following steps:
  1. Wash hands
  2. Prepare a clean container
  3. Gently massage breasts in a circular motion
  4. Position the thumb on the upper edge of the areola and the first two fingers on the underside of the breast behind the areola
  5. Push straight into the chest wall
  6. Avoid spreading the fingers apart
  7. For large breasts, first lift and then push into the chest wall
  8. Roll thumb and fingers forward as if making thumb and fingerprints
  9. Repeat rhythmically: position, push, roll; position, push, roll
  10. Rotate the thumb and finger positions
• Breastmilk can be stored in a clean, covered container. Milk can be stored 8¬10 hours at room temperature in a cool place and 72 hours in the refrigerator. Expressed breastmilk should be given to the infant from a cup. Bottles are unsafe to use because they are difficult to wash and can be easily contaminated.