How can breastmilk be expressed?

Ensure that supplies are clean and wash your hands before handling breastmilk.

Breastmilk can be expressed by hand, with a manual pump, or with an electric pump. Following are suggested steps for properly and safely expressing breastmilk:

  • Before beginning, make sure that your supplies are clean and dry.
  • Vigorously wash hands, fingers, forearms, and under nails with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, dry hands with a paper towel, and then use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.1
  • Inspect your breasts and make sure that the nipples are not cracked and bleeding and that there are no open sores, blisters, and/or bleeding cracks on your breast. If so, do not donate at this time.
  • Follow the instruction manual for your pump or consider expressing by hand.
  • Properly label the storage container and place it in the freezer or refrigerator.
  • After pumping and storing, wash, and properly store your supplies.

This video is a good tutorial on how to express breastmilk by hand:

  • Properly label the storage container with the name and date, and place it in the freezer or refrigerator.
  • After pumping and storing, wash, and properly store the supplies.

Pumps can be bought or rented, either by the donor or by the recipient, depending on their arrangement with each other. These arrangements are best discussed privately. No difference has been found in bacterial contamination when using a pump or manually expressing.2

Please note that there are two kinds of pump systems: open system pumps and closed system pumps. Open system pumps are not suitable for multiperson usage.3

After the use of drugs, certain medications, and alcohol, breastmilk may need to be expressed and discarded. For more information please read Drugs, medication, alcohol, and the decision to discard breastmilk?

Next: How can human milk be stored?

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  1. CDC – When and How to Wash Your Hands. ↩︎
  2. Anne Eglash, et al. BREASTFEEDING MEDICINE Volume 12, Number 7, 2017. ABM Clinical Protocol #8: Human Milk Storage Information for Home Use for Full-Term Infants ↩︎
  3. Open vs Closed System Breast Pump ↩︎