Breast compressions

Breast compressions are a simple, gentle technique you can use while breastfeeding or expressing to help your milk flow more easily. By softly squeezing your breast during a feed, you can encourage your baby to keep sucking actively and remove more milk. 

This not only helps your baby get the most from each feed, but can also boost your milk supply. Breast compressions are also handy when you’re expressing, making it easier to collect more milk in less time.

• While your baby is breastfeeding, place your fingers and thumb on opposite sides of your breast, well back from the areola. You can also use a flat hand on the top or side of your breast, as long as you’re away from the nipple area.
• When your baby pauses or stops actively sucking, gently squeeze or press your breast and maintain this pressure until your baby starts sucking again. Release the pressure, and repeat the compression as needed.
• As you apply gentle pressure to your breast, more milk is released and your milk flow increases. This prompts your baby to start sucking again.
• Move your hand to different parts of your breast to help release milk in all areas.
• Try not to disturb your baby’s latch while doing compressions.

• If you’re trying to increase your milk supply or using a supply line, breast compressions can help your baby remove more milk from your breast.
• Compressions can help trigger a let-down or encourage another let-down during a feed.
• If your baby stops actively sucking, gentle compressions can prompt them to start sucking again.
• If your baby comes off the breast or bites because the milk flow has slowed, compressions can help get things moving again.
• When you’re expressing, using breast compressions can help more milk flow.

At an individual feed, there’s no need to try to keep your baby at the breast longer by using compressions. Most babies will come off the breast when they’ve had enough, so you can be guided by their cues.

If you’re using breast compressions to help your baby feed more effectively or to boost your milk supply,  once your situation has improved and your baby is getting enough milk, you can stop doing them.

It’s natural to worry that pressing on your breast might make it sore or affect milk flow. If you use a flat hand and/or keep your fingers gentle and flat on your breast, it’s unlikely to cause any issues. 

Always handle your breasts with care to help prevent breast inflammation.