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If you have sore or cracked nipples, you may wish to express your milk until they are healed.
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If you are separated from your baby and wish to continue to breastfeed when you are
reunited, you should express your milk regularly to stimulate your milk supply.
You need to find the optimum times of the day to express your milk, for example just before or
after your baby's first feed in the morning when your breasts are full, or after a feed if your baby
has not emptied both breasts. If you have returned to work, you may need to express during
a break. Using a breast pump requires practice and it may take several attempts before you
succeed. Fortunately, the Philips Avent manual breast pump is easy to assemble and use so
you will soon get used to expressing with it.
Tips
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Familiarize yourself with the breast pump and how to operate it before you use it for the first
time.
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Choose a time when you are not in a rush and will not be interrupted.
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A photograph of your baby can help encourage the 'let-down' reflex.
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Warmth can also help: try to express after a bath or shower, or place a warm cloth or Philips
Avent Thermopad on the breast for a few minutes before you start expressing.
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You may find it easier to express while your baby is feeding from the other breast,
or immediately after a feed.
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If expressing becomes painful, stop and consult your breastfeeding advisor or healthcare
professional.
Operating the breast pump
1 Wash your hands thoroughly and make sure your breasts are clean.
2 Relax in a comfortable chair (you may wish to use cushions to support your back). Make sure
you have a glass of water nearby.
3 Press the assembled pump body against your breast. Make sure that your nipple is centered,
so that the massage cushion creates an airtight seal.
Note: Make sure that your nipple fits correctly in the massage cushion (Fig. 9). Not too tight,
it is important that the nipple can move freely, while expressing breast milk (Fig. 10). The
massage cushion should not be too large, because this can cause pain or less effective
expression (Fig. 11). If the cushion is not the right size for your nipples, you can purchase a
cushion of a different size separately. Two cushion sizes are available: 19.5 mm and 25 mm.
You can find the size of the cushion (19.5 or 25 mm) on the cushion itself (Fig. 12).
4 Gently start to press down the handle until you feel the suction on your breast (Fig. 13).
Then allow the handle to return to its resting position.
Note: You do not have to press down the handle fully, only as much as is comfortable.
Your milk will soon start flowing, even though you are not using all the suction the pump
can generate.
5 Repeat step 4 rapidly 5 or 6 times to initiate the 'let-down' reflex.
Warning: Do not continue pumping for more than five minutes at a time if you
do not succeed in expressing any milk. Try to express at another time during
the day.
English
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