In a message dated 9/12/2007 9:37:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: I am continually asking staff to encourage mother to pump if they are separated from their babies, they start the mothers hand expressing but the pumping often dosent get started until 24 hrs later. Dear Friends: Is there something wrong with hand expressing? The amounts of newborn milk in the first 24 hours are relatively smaller when compared with milk volumes at 7 days. Milk removal and nipple stimulation will signal the breast to keep working while it will be easy to collect these small amounts. Many times, small amounts of newborn milk get lost in the flanges/collecting bottles. Mothers can also loose some confidence if handed two 5-ounce bottles and she can't put enough in them. Collecting her milk in a spoon or syringe tells her that she isn't expected to make lots of milk yet. If she is hand expressing every 2-3 hours, all the physiology is supported and the baby will get the perfect nourishment. There are places in the world (Kenya and Cuba are the two I know best) where mothers of premies collect milk solely via hand expression, and make plenty. warmly, Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI _http://www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com/_ (http://www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com/) www.myspace/AdonicaLee ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html Mail all commands to [log in to unmask] To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask]) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask]) To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]