When to Express Breast Milk
There are no hard and fast rules on when to express breast milk, how much to express and how often. It's really a matter of finding what works for you and your baby, unless of course your health professional has recommened a specific routine.
If you are expressing because you will be away from your baby you may be wondering how much breast milk you need to leave with your baby's carer.
The average intake of breast milk for babies aged between 1-6 months is 800mls in 24 hours. So if your baby has 10 breast feeds in 24 hours then you may like to leave enough to make up however many 80ml bottles you think your baby will need while you are away.
It can be helpful to store your breast milk in small quantities so that your precious breast milk is not wasted. It's heartbreaking to be told that a whole bottle of milk had to be tipped down the sink...especially if expressing is not one of your favourite pass times.
When you are away from your baby -even if only for a few hours- it's important to remember that you may need to express. I remember being at a wedding without my baby and wishing that I had brought my breast pump...by the end of the night my breasts were very full and painful.
So even if it's a one off occasion and you don't need to express to leave breast milk with a carer -as you would if you are returning to work- you may need to express for your own comfort and to ensure that your breast milk supply does not suffer.
Sometimes it's a matter of expressing to resolve or avoid breastfeeding problems like mastitis. In these situations you may need to pay a little more attention to when to express breast milk...it will depend on your specific situation. But again there is still some degree of flexibility.
This table will help you to work out when to express breast milk and how much you need to express for different situations. Please use it as a guide only and go with what works best for you. Or you can download it here.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
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