The science of comfort; why feeling relaxed helps you express more milk


Breast pumps and care

We’ll let you in on a secret. Expressing milk doesn’t have to feel like a mammoth effort. In fact, research shows the more relaxed you feel, the more milk you’ll be able to express.

Behind the scenes

Let’s begin with what happens behind the scenes when you express milk. Just like your baby’s suckling action, a breast pump triggers the release of oxytocin (a feel-good hormone) in your body. Oxytocin then gives your body the signal to start releasing milk. This means the higher your oxytocin levels, the easier it will be to trigger a letdown and draw out milk.

 

More comfort, more milk

Which brings us to the comfort factor. Stress, apart from being plain uncomfortable, actually inhibits oxytocin production—which means it’s harder to draw out milk. So it turns out that comfort isn’t just a nice-to-have feature in a breast pump. It’s a must-have for easier expressing.

 

Our breast pumps are designed for comfort

So what’s a new mom to do? Finding a quiet room to express and listening to relaxing music can help you feel more comfortable. It also helps if your breast pump is designed with comfort in mind.

 

To help you feel more relaxed we designed our breast pumps so you’re able to sit up straight as you express. This means you can feel confident your milk will flow even if you’re not leaning forward. We also designed the breast shells with a material that feels warm and soft on the skin—to help you avoid that initial cold feeling. Because comfort, we think, is everything.

 

Want to know more about our breast pumps? Click here to explore the range.

Read more on this topic

a baby with a bib looking surprise

Parenthood. There is no guidebook, but there is a support crew

Want free, personalised advice and discounts delivered straight to your inbox?

Mail icon

You are about to visit a Philips global content page

Continue
Register

Subscribe to our newsletter

Our site can best be viewed with the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Firefox.