Category Archives: Expressing/Pumping

How to Initiate or Boost Your Milk Supply

If you are just about to give birth, or have given birth recently, the chances are, you have milk on your mind. If you have decided to breastfeed, then establishing a good supply will almost certainly be one of your biggest concerns.

The best time to initiate supply is within the first hour after giving birth. If it is possible, keep your baby close to you, with as much of their skin touching yours - this is often referred to as 'skin-to-skin' As soon as you can, offer your breast and give your baby a chance to feed. If you and your baby are separated, try to hand express as soon as possible.

The more often you feed (or hand express) in these early hours and days, the better your breast a 'primed' for breastfeeding, and the more they will produce.

If you imagine that your breast are full of pumps, and each pump needs to be plugged in to work. Each time you feed your baby, you plug one of theses pumps in and they begin to produce milk. After the first few days have passed the feeds don't contain any more plugs, and the only way to start these pumps is with hard work. (But it can be done)

Boosting your milk supply

If you have begun breastfeeding and are worried about your milk supply we have some tips for you.

It is normal for your milk to 'come in' on days three to five, and it is important to keep feeding so that you avoid becoming engorged. It is also important to keep feeding, because the more your baby drinks (or you express) the more your body will produce, creating a good milk supply.

If you are already feeding every 3 hours or less, and you know that your baby is feeding effectively (Our next blog will cover this) you can also try:

Eating and drinking plenty - It is not true that you have to 'drink milk to make milk' but if you don't put anything in to your body, you cant expect to get anything out. So often we find mothers who come to us have simply forgotten to eat - have lots of snacks on hand (especially when you are breastfeeding) We recommend dark chocolate hobnobs...
Rest when you can, even a cat nap will do.
Express from one breast, whilst feeding from the other - this will trick your body into thinking it has to produce milk for two babies, and will increase supply.
Lots of people recommend eating oats, and they really are great for milk production, so porridge for breakfast, or flapjacks and oatcakes as snacks etc.
Fenugreek capsules - a great herbal supplement which can boost milk supply.
Express after each breastfeed - just to make sure your breast have been emptied - anything left sends signals to make less milk, but empty breast begin to produce more and faster.
Make sure you don't skip night feeds - the 2-3am feed is THE MOST IMPORTANT feed for milk supply. At this time you milk production is at its best, and if you empty your breast properly at this time (breastfeed and then express) you will certainly boost supply. You should be able to drop this feed again when your supply is better established. If you really cant express after, or miss this feed completely, make sure that in the morning you are sure to fully empty your breasts.

If you are worried and would like more advice, or a plan which is tailored to your individual needs, please to not hesitate to contact us. All of our online advice is free and we are always happy to follow up.

Antenatal Expressing

We LOVE the subject of antenatal expressing! Despite some of the controversial points raised about antenatal expressing, there are so many benefits, especially for babies who's parents suffer from diabetes (or gestational diabetes), or babies who are born with a low birth weight (especially multiples).

What is Antenatal Expressing?

Antenatal Expressing, is expressing colostrum in the last few weeks prior to your baby arriving. It is advised for mothers to wait until 36/37 weeks, although for mothers who are having multiple births, they should start a few weeks earlier than this, due to their higher chance of giving birth from 37 weeks.

Why do the ladies at South West Maternity love Antenatal Expressing?

Antenatal expressing gives a mother a chance to learn the valuable skill of Hand Expressing. A mother who is confident when expressing, and handling her breasts, will be confident she can produce milk, and has a much better chance of a great start when breastfeeding her baby. She is also much more likely to continue to breastfeed for longer.
When a baby is born, a blood sugar level is taken. Even in healthy babies, this level can sometimes be considered low (although it is much more likely in babies with a low birth weight) and often the hospital will suggest a formula 'top up' (or just go ahead and administer one if you have signed consent forms). This top up can often stretch a baby's tummy and can make the initial days of breastfeeding that little bit harder. If a mum has expressed antenatally, she will have a store of frozen colostrum, which she is able to give to the hospital staff in the event of a top up being needed.
Babies who's parents are diabetic, are much more at risk of needing a top up due to low blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that the bovine serum albumin in formula, can trigger an auto-immune response, which is linked to an increased risk of Type 1 Diabetes. In simple terms, Babies with diabetic parents are more likely to receive formula. which increases THEIR risk of also becoming diabetic. If a mother has been able to express antenatally, she will have a store of colostrum which can be given instead of formula. Further to this, mums who breastfeed decrease their chances of gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies.
Babies who may have difficulties after birth, and need hospital care, benefit greatly from ALL breast milk, and if you have already been able to begin a supply antenatally, your baby will have that much more support from you.

How do you Antenatally Express?

We would suggest starting at 37 weeks if you are experiencing a normal pregnancy, and 35 if you are having a multiple birth, or are at risk of delivering early.
After your shower (when you know that you are clean, warm and relaxed) begin by massaging your breasts gently toward the nipple.
You can begin to hand express - Use your thumb and forefinger to create a 'C' shape, and place them on your breast, about an inch back from your nipple. Press in towards your chest and then squeeze gently together. Your fingers should stay in the same place, and not slide down the nipple, as this would be likely to cause you pain.
Continue for up to 5 minutes, once or twice a day (if you have not had a shower, it is important that you make sure that your hands are clean)
If you experience ANY cramping in your uterus, STOP IMMEDIATELY - some studies have show that excess (4hrs plus) nipple stimulation can cause early labour. This is due to the oxytocin released. BUT you also release oxytocin when arroused, and no one advises you against night time activities 😉

How do you collect and store the colostrum?

Pick up some 2.5ml syringes from your local Chemist (or boots)
Use the syringes to suck up the drops of colostrum from your breast. (this can take a little practice!)
You can use the same syringe to collect for 24 hours, as long as it is placed in a sterile container in the fridge in between sessions. (even 1ml expressed is a great amount - so don't be disheartened if you only are able to produce a small amount - it is all useful!)
After 24hrs freeze the syringe in a sterile plastic bag, and remember to label it with how much was in the syringe and the date it was expressed, along with your full name.
Remember to take the syringes with you to the hospital in a freezer bag (so that they remain frozen on your journey)
Make sure that the hospital store them for you and that they are aware you have brought them! This can also be written into your birthing plan. Some hospitals may even allow you to bring some in prior to labour, so that you know it is safely stored before your arrival.

We hope that you have found this interesting, and if you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask us!

‘Tippett Timings’ and our online advice.

A few months ago, a lady came to South West Maternity for some online advice. It started with a little about latching her baby, and what she might look for, to make sure her daughter was getting the most out of each feeding session. We also discussed how to teach her baby the difference between night and day.

At 6 weeks we had a small chat about increasing milk supply, and storing any excess safely, for use at a later date.

At 16 weeks, we were very pleased to hear that She had an amazing breastfeeding routine and relationship with her daughter. She asked us if we might possibly be able to give her a little advice, on suitable sleeping routines. We discussed how her daughter was behaving on a day to day basis, with her rough timings etc, then were able to devise a new routine which would suit them both. We were able to outline a plan for her to put the routine into place, and of course, we were on hand at any time for tips and tricks.

We were thrilled to receive this comment in an email 2 weeks later.

" (Our daughter) is sticking to the Tippett timings well, eating well and has done 8pm-6am 4 out of 5 nights now!!!! I'm pumping like mad thing, enough to freeze some, which is ideal!!"

It makes our day when our clients achieve their goals, and we take pride in the fact that our advice really does make a difference to families. We also love it when they coin new phrases for us! 'Tippet timings' has definitely stuck in the South West Maternity Office!