- your breasts feel uncomfortably full
- you will be spending some time away from your baby and would like someone else to give him your breastmilk, or are returning to work
- your baby is not feeding well (for example if your baby was born with a cleft lip or palate)
- your baby was born early and you need to stimulate your milk supply for when he is ready to suckle from the breast

Pumping Basics
Expressing breastmilk is the act of removing milk from your breast, either by hand or using a manual or electric pump. You may want to express milk if: