Expressing Milk

Jack Newman [06 February 2010] - Many women are under the impression that it is necessary to own or use a pump to breastfeed. This is not so. You do not need a breast pump to breastfeed; uninformed use of a breast pump can lead to premature weaning. There are very few circumstances under which it is necessary to express your milk.

Certainly, if baby is not yet latching then mother needs to pump. However, it seems that women are being encouraged to pump their milk and give it to baby via bottle for the most unnecessary reasons: Weddings, doctor’s appointments, shopping…why not take the baby with you? How can babies not be welcome at weddings? Or, if it is necessary to leave the baby with someone else, why not use a cup (handout Finger and Cup Feeding)? We often hear that the father or partner would like to feed the baby. While this is very noble and often offered to give mother some rest, there are other ways partners can help. Giving a baby a bottle is not one of them and may often interfere with mother’s hard-earned efforts to breastfeed. Fathers and partners can help mother by sitting with her during the feeding, doing breast compressions to help the feedings be more efficient, and cup feeding the baby who does not yet latch.

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