Pack well

When it comes to expressing away from home, having the right gear on hand can give you an enormous confidence boost. Here’s a list of things to pack:

• Breast pump –  opt for an electric/battery-powered pump if you need to express frequently, or a manual pump if you are tight on space
• Bottles or air-tight containers to collect milk
• Labels for writing date and contents
• Breast pads
• Photos of your baby to help trigger letdown reflex
• Cool bag with ice-pack to take milk home

Choose your space

Whether you’re at a friend’s house or expressing at work, try find a space where you have the necessities, like water, and a place you can safely store your milk. Also, the best place to express is a room where you won’t be disturbed and where you will feel relaxed. In fact, studies have shown that the more comfortable you feel, the more milk you can generally express.

 

If you’re returning to work, don’t be shy about opening up the conversation with your workplace beforehand.

 

Keep it safe

Once you’ve expressed milk you’ll also need to store it safely. Here are some basic guidelines so no breast milk goes to waste.