In plain words
Hands-on pumping means using the hands while a breast pump runs. A parent gently massages the breast, then compresses it in rhythm with the pump. The goal is to help milk flow and to empty the breast more fully. Some mothers find that more milk comes out in each session. Most research on this technique has come from mothers of babies born early, who pump often. Some lactation consultants and hospital teams teach it. It is one of several tools for pumping. It takes a little practice, and many mothers find their own pattern. It can be used alongside feeding, and in some settings it is part of a pumping plan.
The deeper version
Hands-on pumping combines manual breast compression and massage with electric pumping. Morton and colleagues (Journal of Perinatology, 2009) studied 67 mothers of preterm infants and found that hands-on pumping increased mean daily milk volume by about 48 percent compared with pumping alone. Other studies are fewer and smaller. The mechanism is thought to involve better and fuller emptying of the breast. Because most data come from mothers of preterm infants using hospital-grade devices, generalization to other groups is limited. Effects on later duration and on volume in mothers of term infants are less certain. The debate is whether the gain persists after training ends, and whether it reflects more milk made or more complete removal of milk already present.
Where it comes up
- Exclusive pumpingFeeding Your Baby
- Feeding twins or multiplesFeeding Your Baby
- Hand expression and collecting colostrum before birthFeeding Your Baby
- Returning to work and pumpingFeeding Your Baby
- Pumping: how, when, how oftenFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about hands-on pumping
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Sources
- Morton J and colleagues — Combining hand techniques with electric breast pumping increases immediate and sustained breast milk output in mothers of preterm infants. Journal of Perinatology, 2009