Breastfeeding Education for New Moms, IBCLC, Nurses, Midwives

Nov 24, 2022 Ultrassist

Breastfeeding is the act of providing a newborn, infant, or young child with human milk directly at the breast, or indirectly, via hand expression or pumping.

Why is breastfeeding education or lactation education necessary?

On one hand, breastfeeding plays an important role in the baby's growth and health. The importance of breastfeeding includes a reduction in gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, chronic illnesses (such as diabetes mellitus and childhood leukemias), and the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese in adolescence or adulthood.

Babies who are fed nothing but breastmilk from birth through their first 6 months of life get the best start, while suboptimal breastfeeding contributes to 800,000 infants according to the survey.

On the other hand, breastfeeding is also necessary for new mothers Postnatal. But they usually feel sad because of the lack of breast milk or severe engorgement, clogged ducts, or mastitis, even though they know the breastfeeding benefits to the new moms. Actually, proper breast massage and hand expression could help and encourage moms to start breastfeeding travel.

Breast massage and hand expression are very important practical skills in breastfeeding or lactation education.

breastfeeding education for new moms

Here are some tips for new moms, nurses, or midwives to get the skills.

3 Techniques for breast massage:

1. Both hands

When using two hands, there are ways we can do this. First, you lift, then you rub, and then you drop. You can do it vertically and horizontally.

2. Fingertips

Let's do the finger dance. Work your way from outward all the way toward the center. Slowly whirling into the center. Remember you still want to avoid the areola and nipple. Also, from outward to inward. You want to dance around your breast. Nice and gentle.

3. Knuckles

In circular motions, it's going to be the same as when you're using your fingertips to dance. But, instead, you are using your knuckles. Work your way from outward to the center. You can also do it in a straight line.

Note:

You want to massage your breast on each side for about 5-10 minutes.
After the massage, you need to follow by hand expression immediately.
If you are not a breastfeeding mother, it is still recommended to use a silicone breast model for education at this time.

If new moms need to feed their baby breast milk indirectly, knowing how to express milk by hand is essential, even with so many automated tools available. This skill is especially important for those pursuing careers as lactation consultants, midwives, and other maternal care professionals.

4 Steps to hand express:

Now let's continue to talk about hand expression.

Step 1: Stimulate nipple

Just think of your nipple as the sink faucet. Every time when you want to turn on the water, you need to turn the faucet. It's very easy. Just like that.

Gently stimulate your nipple with your fingertips until the skin of your areola is wrinkled up. You will see the little pimple-like dots popping up. These are called the Montgomery glands. It's normal to see them.

Just gently stimulate them. Very quickly. 30 seconds.

Step 2: Form a C shape

Form a C shape using your thumb and pointer.

About one inch outside of the nipple, use your 4 fingers, put them like scissors, and place them around your nipple. And use the other hand, the thumb, and the pointer to find the edge of the fingers. Make sure the edge of your fingers are forming a straight line toward the center of your nipple.

You can use one finger across the center of the nipple to test and see if the tip of the fingers is in the right place. Make sure it's not crossed over, or too far away. You want to adjust it to just the right place.

Step 3: Start hand-express milk

When you place your C shape, you want to start doing the "press, compress, release". Press down, compress, and release. Again, press, compress, and release. Do it in a rhythm.

Breast Massage and Hand Express Practice Video:

Sometimes mom keeps on compressing for too long. They do press and compress, but they don't let go because they don't see the milk coming out. Remember, do not do that.

Compressing longer doesn't help your milk come out. Just continue to do the sets of "press, compress, release" in the same rhythm.

Continue doing it for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. You'll start to see milk coming out.

Note:

When we are doing here, it is not trying to squeeze out the milk from here. We are compressing to send signals to our brain to trigger the milk let-down reflex.
If you are using a Hemisphere Lactating Breast Model, there is also no milk coming out.
If you are using a Bilateral Silicone Breast Model, there is milk eject simulation.

Step 4: Switch the side

You want to continue to hand express every angle of your breast until you don't see any more milk coming out. Then you go ahead and switch the side. And continue to hand express every angle.

Keep in mind that milk let-down will happen a few times in each session, so you may want to switch sides a couple of times in one session.

One last reminder - if you're hand expressing colostrum (the "first milk"), be patient. Colostrum is thick and sticky, so it doesn't flow easily. You might only see tiny drops instead of a steady stream. That doesn’t mean you don’t have milk - it means you do. This is your liquid gold. Colostrum naturally comes in very small amounts, drop by drop.

Don't get discouraged. Keep letting your baby latch, gently massage your breast and hands if needed. In a few days, as your milk transitions from colostrum to mature milk and you get more confident with the technique, you'll see more milk.

This information is for educational purposes only. If you're a breastfeeding mother experiencing challenges, please consult a lactation consultant. But if you're a student learning these skills in lactation training, feel free to follow along and practice. Together, we can help improve postnatal breastfeeding success.

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