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16.10.2026

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Feeding expressed breast milk – one way of breastfeeding

Whether by choice or out of necessity, a woman may sometimes express her milk in order to breastfeed her child. There are different ways of doing this: milk can be expressed by hand or with a breast pump. Breast milk collected in this way can be stored in different ways. https://enfants-ados.hug.ch/sites/hde/files/documents/conserver_le_lait_maternel_a_domicile.pdf

To give the milk to the child, there are various options to try depending on the child’s age: by cup, by bottle, or in prepared food if the child is over 6 months old.

At first, the baby has to get used to drinking other than at the breast. Babies are often more willing to take milk in another form from a third person. When you are together, you can go back to feeding at the breast. 

Reasons and motivations for expressing milk

The main reason for expressing milk is to build up a reserve for times when mother and child are separated, particularly when returning to work (see our page Working and breastfeeding) or when the mother or child is in hospital.

This technique can also support the start and continuation of lactation when the child has difficulty feeding at the breast (prematurity, illness, etc.). It can be used occasionally for an appointment or medical examination, etc.

There may be other reasons for choosing to feed with expressed milk:  cultural or family context, one’s own body image, a negative or traumatic experience related to one’s femininity. Where a woman wishes to breastfeed an adopted baby, or in other situations where a woman breastfeeds without having been pregnant, the induced lactation method is required (see below).

Don’t hesitate to seek support and practical advice

How to express or pump your milk

To establish lactation: Express milk as soon as possible after giving birth, by hand expression or with a breast pump, within 6 hours postpartum.

To maintain lactation or build up a reserve of milk: Express milk by hand or use a breast pump. Adapt the frequency and length of the sessions to the volume of milk you want and to the child’s needs.

Allow yourself this time to unwind: Expressing sessions are also a time when you can refocus on yourself; settle comfortably in a quiet place, with a drink and a snack to hand. Being relaxed and taking the time to massage your breast before the expressing session makes the milk ejection reflex easier.

Techniques for expressing milk

Whatever technique you choose, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before the session and to use clean equipment.

  • Manual techniques help support the expression of breast milk.

Expressing milk (that is, drawing off your milk), whether by hand or with a machine, makes it possible to continue breastfeeding when mother and child are separated, particularly when returning to work, if the mother or child is in hospital, or for an appointment or medical examination, etc. It can be used to support the start and continuation of lactation when the child has difficulty feeding at the breast (prematurity, illness, etc.). 

Hand expression is simple to learn but may take a little patience before it becomes easier with practice. 

Chele Marmet – a breastfeeding mother, but also an LLL Leader and one of the pioneers of the lactation consultant profession – developed a hand expression technique that includes a method of massage and of stimulating the milk ejection reflex.  

Breast compression is another manual technique that can be used to improve milk transfer during a breastfeed or to increase the effectiveness of the breast pump. Studies show that expressing is twice as efficient as in a session where this technique is not used. 
By forming a C with her thumb on one side of the breast and her fingers on the other, the mother can apply pressure with her whole hand, without moving her fingers, to increase breast drainage. The movement should not be painful and should not stretch the areola.  

  • A breast pump can be a good ally for starting, supporting and prolonging breastfeeding.  

Using a breast pump complements the techniques of hand expression and breast compression for effective emptying of the breast when collecting milk.

A breast pump (manual, or electric with single or double pumping) is a practical tool in some situations, but it is not essential when breastfeeding is going well. Incorrect use of a breast pump can lead to breast problems such as cracked nipples or poor drainage of the breasts. It is important to follow the instructions supplied with the breast pump to assemble, adjust and clean it correctly.



When choosing a breast pump, it is a good idea to take a number of criteria into account:

  • match the device to the frequency of use – daily over a longer or shorter period, or occasional,
  • choose the type of equipment, manual or electric, double or single pumping,
  • test how easy it is to assemble, clean, transport and maintain…

For comfort, it is important to make sure you can get breast shields suited to the shape of each of your breasts and to the size of your nipples (it is possible to have a different size for each breast). The areola should not be sucked in while expressing. Using ill-fitting breast shields can cause breast injuries (pain, rubbing, irritation, cracks, etc.) and reduces the effectiveness of drainage, increasing the risk of engorgement.

Video: https://www.sikana.tv/fr/health/learn-the-basics-of-breastfeeding/how-to-use-a-breast-pump

Although it can be useful, a breast pump is not essential. In many cases, it will not be needed.
If one is needed, for example when returning to work, it can be hired from a pharmacy (often reimbursed with a prescription) or bought second-hand. They are easy to find on resale websites, or to borrow. A small manual breast pump may be enough for occasional use, without a large outlay.

As for the new ‘hands-free’ breast pump models, they are often very expensive. They remain less effective than conventional breast pumps, even though they may prove practical for occasional use. Their value for money should therefore be assessed.

For breast pump manufacturers, breastfeeding is a means of selling products, not an end in itself. Marketing can encourage the purchase of breast pumps from the start of pregnancy, and normalises expressing from the very first days. See our page on the International Code.

Summary of criteria for choosing a breast pump

  • read the technical specifications of the breast pump (pressure, modulation,..)
  • assess how comfortable it is to use
  • choose single or double pumping?
  • check how many stimulation modes? how many suction levels?
  • is there a breast shield suited to the breast/nipple of the woman who will use it?
  • check the cleaning requirements
  • test how easy the device is to carry and to assemble
  • check the power supply: battery or mains?
  • find out whether or not it has an anti-reflux or anti-backflow system (hygienic barrier) to prevent milk from flowing back into the device
  • read independent studies on the device
  • read testimonials from women who use it, while bearing in mind that there are influencers whose aim is to sell a product

To avoid leaving the field open to marketing by certain companies, it would be desirable to define a quality standard covering these criteria. Unfortunately, no such standard exists to date.

Preparing to express milk 

Expressing milk makes it possible to continue breastfeeding when you return to work. More information here.
A few weeks before going back to work, try expressing regularly to support your milk production and maintain your lactation. 

Choose the ideal moment, for example just after a feed.

The aim is not to perform by collecting a lot of milk, but to become familiar with the technique that suits you best, either by hand or with a breast pump. Expressing sessions done ahead of time allow you to build up a reserve of milk for the first days back at work. Breast milk can be kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen for later use.

Quality of expressed milk

Breast milk, whether taken directly from the breast, expressed (by hand or with a breast pump), frozen or even freeze-dried, remains clearly superior to any artificial substitute.

Milk taken directly from the breast is always at the right temperature and is not at risk of spoiling. Its composition adapts in real time to the needs of the child, who stimulates milk production more effectively through suckling and skin-to-skin contact.

Expressing milk is not as effective as the child at the breast in stimulating the production of breastfeeding hormones in the mother.

Expressed milk nevertheless remains a healthy and beneficial alternative for the child. The milk may lose some of its properties slightly (such as certain antibodies or enzymes) depending on how long and how it is stored (refrigerator, freezer). Its appearance, keeping qualities and certain properties may vary depending on how it is collected and stored.

Expressed or pumped milk may show different tints (yellowish, bluish, greenish or pinkish), all of which are normal and depend on the mother’s diet, the time of day and the fat content.

When milk is frozen, the fats tend to separate, forming a layer on the surface; simply shake gently to mix it again. A natural enzyme (lipase) can give a soapy or rancid taste or smell after freezing, but the milk remains safe and nutritious. Some babies accept it, others do not.

Freeze-dried milk is used in hospital settings. Freeze-drying allows long-term storage at room temperature. Most nutrients, antibodies and immune factors are preserved.

See also our page https://www.gifa.org/en/breastmilk-composition/ for studies on expressed milk and the differences between breastfeeding directly at the breast and feeding with expressed breast milk.

Milk bank – milk sharing

Surplus milk, when you express, can be donated to a milk bank, subject to certain conditions. In French-speaking Switzerland, see the CHUV milk bank in Lausanne.

Currently, milk banks in Switzerland use their milk for premature babies. If you would like your child to receive breast milk outside this context, private breast milk sharing exists. For information, please visit the Human Milk for Human Babies (HM4HB) website https://www.hm4hb.net/about-us/

Induced lactation

Is it possible to breastfeed without having been pregnant? Yes, it is possible, but it depends on the individual situation. The outlook (how much breast milk can I/do I want to produce) may vary depending on the situation:

  • Is it a matter of breastfeeding an adopted child (how old is the child?) 
  • Is it a matter of breastfeeding the child of a same-sex partner, and do both women wish to breastfeed?
  • Has the woman who wishes to breastfeed been pregnant before?
  • Is the woman who wishes to breastfeed a transgender woman?

Very important: you need reliable and effective support, as well as a clear timetable and action plan.

Some resources on induced lactation

Breast pump marketing

The breast pump is a tool that can make it possible to continue breastfeeding when mother and child are separated (work, hospitalisation, appointments, etc.). It can provide support when starting breastfeeding or during a drop in lactation due to various maternal issues. It gives some women more flexibility in managing and organising breastfeeding.

While appreciating the wide range of products on the market, GIFA – as a member of the IBFAN network – has reservations about the pervasive advertising of products and tools related to breastfeeding.

For this reason, it is important to bear in mind that the objective of companies is first and foremost commercial. Breastfeeding is a means and not an end for manufacturers of breast pumps and other accessories. To find out more, see our page International Code.

Vocabulary

We wish to make clear that IBFAN values ‘feeding with breast milk/expressing to feed’ over ‘feeding with milk or with infant formula’, and values ‘breastfeeding’ over ‘feeding with breast milk/expressing to feed’.