Expressing breast milk

Even if you decide not to breastfeed, or are unable to breastfeed, you can still express breastmilk for your baby.

Expressing breastmilk is when you when you use your hands or a breast pump to get the milk from your breasts.

You may need to express your breastmilk if:

• your baby was born prematurely or is unwell
• your baby is unable to suck well
• you and your baby are separated
• your breasts are too full and uncomfortable
• you want to increase the amount of breastmilk or relactate (start to make milk again after a period of not breastfeeding or not expressing)
• you return to work, study or other commitments.

Check out these helpful resources

Watch how to hand express your breastmilk (external site).

Read about:

• cleaning a Medela Symphony reusable pump (external PDF 381KB)
• labelling, storing and expressing breastmilk
• using expressed breastmilk for extra feeds (Healthy WA)

If your baby is in our neonatal unit

See advice on how to express breastmilk for your neonatal baby.

Contact us

A lactation consultant is available 7 days a week at Fiona Stanley Hospital for both inpatients and outpatients

If you’ve birthed at Fiona Stanley Hospital, you can book an outpatient appointment with a lactation consultant in the first 6 weeks after birth.

Call or text 0403 137 964 to chat with a Fiona Stanley Hospital lactation consultant.