This page explains how to start using a breast pump.
It is used together with practical help from midwives, neonatal nurses, infant feeding supporters and other maternity and neonatal staff who can help with expressing. It is for mothers/birthing parents who will have a baby on the neonatal unit.
What is ‘pump expressing’?
Pump expressing is removing colostrum / milk from breasts by pump.
Once you have started hand expressing, you can start using an electric breast pump on the same day. This is to provide additional stimulation to encourage your breasts to make milk.
Tip: hand and pump expressing mimics baby feeding. Babies feed by compression and suction - hand expressing is like baby compressing the breast when latched; pump suction is like baby sucking at the breast when latched.
Before you start
Wash and dry your hands.
Make sure you are in a comfortable position.
Take a deep breath in and drop your shoulders as you breathe out to help you to relax. Do this a few times. This will help you be prepared for expressing.
Hand expressing
When you have massaged your breasts and hand expressed for about a minute (there may not be any drops of milk), move to the pump. Your midwife, maternity care staff or baby’s nurse can show you how.
Position a pump flange over your breast (or breasts if double pumping), making sure that your nipple is in the middle. Make sure you have flanges that fit comfortably while you pump. Different flange sizes are available.
The nipple moves freely in and out during the suction cycle.
- Make sure the pump is turned off when you position the flanges on your breast.
- Turn the pump on with cycles / stimulation high and vacuum / suction low.
- After about two minutes, turn the cycles / stimulation down and adjust the vacuum / suction to the highest level that is comfortable for you. It should not hurt.
- Watch for your milk to drip or flow. Adjust the vacuum / suction to where the milk comes most easily and comfortably.
Please note: for the first day or two, no milk may drip or flow.
- Double pumping (expressing both breasts at the same time) is usually more efficient and is quicker than single pumping.
Double pump for about 10 minutes in total – no more. Ask us to show you how.
Tip: you can cut two holes in an old tight T shirt to hold the flanges in place or buy a double pumping bra.
- If single pumping, switching between breasts (about two to three minutes for one, two to three minutes for the other and repeat this once or twice) can help your milk to come. No more than 10 minutes total for each breast.
- Hand express again for a few minutes when you finish pumping as you may get more milk.
- Catch the milk in your breast pump flange attached to the bottle or in a small syringe.
Tip: some mothers find hand expressing is the most effective way to remove colostrum in the first few days when volumes are small.
Steps 1-4 may take about 30 minutes when you are learning to express. Once you are familiar with expressing, it should take no longer than 25 minutes.
Remember to express 8-10 times in 24 hours, including once at night when the milk making hormone is usually highest. The more often you express, the more milk you will make.
Aim to express 500-750mls in 24 hours by day 21 after your baby is born. It is easier to maintain your supply if you reach this volume in the first 21 days even if it is much more than your baby needs every day.
When starting to express for a premature baby born under 30 weeks, it is advisable to use a hospital grade electric breast pump for at least a month to get lactation going.
To find out how to hire or buy a breast pump see the separate information sheet in your expressing pack or look in the orange folder, ‘Breastmilk and Breastfeeding Information’, in your baby’s nursery.
Your local breastfeeding support team – search your local area online.
In the orange folder ‘Breastmilk and Breastfeeding Information’ in your baby’s nursery.
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Page last updated: 26 September 2024
Review due: 01 September 2026