Hand expressing milk involves using your hands to manually extract breast milk without a pump, which can be particularly useful for relieving engorgement, collecting small amounts of milk, or when a pump isn’t available.
➜ To hand express, start by washing your hands thoroughly and gently massaging your breast to stimulate milk flow. Position your thumb and fingers around the areola, slightly behind the nipple, forming a C-shape. Gently press your fingers and thumb together and then release, creating a rhythmic motion to express the milk.
➜ This method provides a way to manage milk supply, offer relief, or feed your baby allowing for greater control and ease in expressing small amounts of milk.