Expressing Breastmilk by Hand

This is just a quick post before I go to sleep.  :)

 

Today, I was blessed to have experienced for the first time expressing my breastmilk by hand.  I had been breastfeeding my second child for exactly fifteen (15) months today.  I have breastfed my eldest for two years before I got pregnant with my second child.  But I had been using a manual breast pump whenever the need arises in the past.

 

Today was different.

 

I felt my left breast becoming full with milk.  I offered it to my son shortly after he had his lunch.  But he refused.  He would usually breastfeed again after eating lunch.  I thought that maybe he was still full.  So I just let him play and wait a while.

 

But he kept on playing until he eventually became sleepy and fell asleep.  He didn't get to nurse.

 

I felt my left breast becoming fuller as my baby slept.  I felt lumps around my breast.  My left breast was becoming harder.  So I decided to massage my left breast.  And as I slowly worked around massaging it gently, I saw some milk coming out from my nipple.  I continued massaging my breast for a few more minutes and more milk flowed.  At one point, much milk actually squirted out of my nipple.  That's when I asked our maid to bring me a small cup that I could use because I have decided to express my milk by hand. 

 

My milk after my baby drank some of it. 
He had a a few sips before he finished it.

 

That's what I did for a number of minutes.  I massaged my left breast in the same way that my previous lactation consultant did when I had my lactation sessions then I expressed milk by hand in between. 

 

I was so happy that I was able to experience this.  Actually, one of the reasons that I chose to do it by hand is because it would take a while before our maid could bring out my breast pump from the box and the cabinet, wash it, sterilize it and then assemble it.  (I hardly use my breast pump because I'm home most of the time.  Also, my hands get tired easily while using it so I'd rather nurse directly.)  I felt that it was too much hassle.  I'm glad I tried doing it today.

 

I was relieved of the discomfort and I gained a new option next time the same thing happens.

 

I let my baby drink the breast milk I expressed during his snack after his nap.  He drank all of it from the same cup where I expressed it.  I was so happy!

 

That's my baby who turned 15 months today 
drinking my hand-expresed milk from a cup.

How about you?  Have you tried this before while breastfeeding your child?