Expressing milk is when you take milk from your breasts so you can feed it to your baby straight away, or store it in the fridge or freezer to use at a later time. You can express breastmilk by hand or with an electric or manual pump, whichever you feel more comfortable using.

There are various reasons why you may need or choose to express milk:

• If your baby is premature or needs extra help after birth and cannot be with you
• If you’re returning to work or are planning on being apart from your baby
• If your breasts feel uncomfortably full, or you have mastitis
• If you would like to boost your milk supply
• Or this is your preferred method of feeding.

Dependent on why you want to express your milk it may be best to wait until you and your baby feel confident with breastfeeding.

Remember, practice makes perfect. It can take time to learn how to express milk. In the beginning milk can come out in all directions. Relax and don’t worry!

Storing breastmilk

It’s important to store breast milk correctly so that it’s safe to feed your baby. At NHS Start for Life you’ll find advice and tips on the best ways to store breast milk. You can also view or download our handy guide.