Pumping breast milk offers numerous benefits for mothers. It allows them to return to work, enables others to feed the baby, and helps prevent milk buildup.
Breast milk is essential for your baby, so pumping breast milk is the best solution when you’re away from your baby or for other reasons.
Below, we will dive deeper into breast pumps and what to consider when buying one.
What is a Breast Milk Pump?
A breast milk pump is a device that helps with milk expression when breastfeeding isn’t possible. You use it when you are away from your baby, want a better milk supply, or if your baby isn’t latching correctly.
A few types of breast pumps are available, such as manual, electric, or wearable breast pumps.
How to Pump Breast Milk Effectively
Here’s how to pump breast milk:
Sterilize The Equipment and Wash Your Hands
Although breast milk is not sterile, the pump parts should always be thoroughly cleaned to prevent contamination.
Assemble The Pump
Make sure everything is attached as it should be.
Choose a Place to Pump
Find a quiet, relaxing place. Get into a comfortable position. Prepare a snack and some water.
Position The Pump Over Your Breasts
To avoid any discomfort, make sure the breast shield fits you properly.
Start Pumping
Start with a low suction level. When milk starts flowing, slowly increase the suction. Pump both breasts until you feel them empty.
Hydration is important when breastfeeding or pumping. Since breast milk is primarily composed of water, mothers have increased hydration needs. To ensure your breast supply stays consistent and to prevent dehydration, always keep water by your side, especially when pumping or breastfeeding.
Pump regularly at the same intervals to maintain your milk supply.
Benefits of Pumping Breast Milk
There are many benefits of pumping. The main one is that you can provide your baby with breast milk even if breastfeeding does not work for you.
Breast milk pumping is also very beneficial for mothers returning to work. Pumping allows fathers or other caregivers to feed the baby with the mother's milk.
Sometimes, babies don’t empty the mother’s breasts well. Leftover milk in the breast can cause inflammation called lactation mastitis. Pumping if the baby doesn’t empty the breasts can prevent inflammation from occurring.
Choosing the Right Breast Milk Pump
There are a few types of breast milk pumps available:
Manual Breast Milk Pump: You usually operate it manually by squeezing a lever. Alternatively, there are silicone breast pumps that require you to squeeze the collector. In both cases, you create suction, and milk is expressed. These types of breast pumps are more portable and cheaper than electric pumps. However, they are time-consuming and tiring on your hands.
Electric Breast Milk Pump: It offers different styles and powers of suction and even imitates the let-down stage. It expresses milk quickly and is easy to use. On the downside, it’s noisy and much more expensive. It’s a little less portable than a manual pump. If the pump is cord-operated, you must use it near a socket.
Wearable Breast Milk Pump: Like electric pumps, wearable pumps offer a range of suction settings. They are more portable and discreet since they typically fit inside a bra. Because they’re battery-powered, it's important to ensure they are charged. However, a downside to wearable pumps is their higher cost and less powerful suction.
Before buying, consider the price, suction strength, noisiness, and portability to ensure you buy a breast milk pump best suited to your needs.
Pump Milk Breastfeeding Schedule
In the newborn phase, the baby needs feeding quite often. To ensure you build up enough supply and to feed your baby, pump frequently, every 2 to 3 hours.
Once your baby grows out of the newborn stage and feedings aren’t as frequent, aim to pump every 3 to 4 hours or after nursing.
To create a pumping schedule, you should mirror your breastfeeding routine. If you exclusively pump, you'll need to pump each time you feed the baby, including during the night. As the baby grows, feeding becomes less frequent, and you will be able to drop a pumping session or two. Still, make sure your pumping sessions are spread out evenly.
Storing and Using Pumped Breast Milk
Pumped breast milk can be stored at room temperature for a maximum of 4 hours. If you keep it in the refrigerator, you have up to 4 days to use it. When fresh breast milk is frozen, it is best if used within 6 months. However, it is acceptable to store it for 12 months.
Before storing breast milk, label the containers with the date and time of extraction or apply a MilkFresh sensor. If you store milk in storage bags, lay them flat to ensure milk freezes evenly and to make good use of the space. Always store breast milk at the back of the freezer, away from the doors, where the temperature remains constant.
Before storing breast milk, label the containers with the date and time of extraction. For proper tracking, we recommend the use of MilkFresh sensors, which track time and temperature to give you an accurate use by date. It’s an even easier way to monitor freshness. If you store milk in storage bags, lay them flat to ensure milk freezes evenly and to make good use of the space. Always store breast milk at the back of the freezer, away from the doors, where the temperature remains constant.
Common Challenges When Pumping Breast Milk
Low milk supply is a common challenge for mothers. Give your body time to build up the supply naturally. More frequent feedings or pumping sessions can increase supply.
Whether breastfeeding or pumping, you can experience some discomfort. Adjust the settings on the breast pump to find the most comfortable suction mode for you. You can also use nipple shields.
Milk pumping can take up a lot of time, so setting a personalized pumping schedule and adhering to it can make the process more manageable.
If you experience issues with breastfeeding or pumping, try consulting with a lactation specialist who can help you overcome some of the difficulties.
FAQs
What is the best breast milk pump for working moms?
Electric pumps are recommended for working moms as they are hands-free and allow for multitasking.
How long should I pump breast milk during each session?
You should pump until you feel your breasts are well emptied.
Can I pump and breastfeed at the same time?
Yes, you can offer one breast to the baby and use a pump on the other breast.
How do I clean and sterilize my breast milk pump?
Clean the pump with soap and hot water. Scrub with a clean cloth and rinse under running water.
Is pumping breast milk as effective as breastfeeding directly?
Pumping breast milk can be more effective at emptying the breasts since you can pump as long and as often as needed.
Conclusion
A breast milk pump can be beneficial, as it offers more flexibility, helps increase breast milk supply, and is better at extracting breast milk.
By choosing the right breast pump and establishing a pumping schedule that fits your lifestyle, breastfeeding your baby will become more manageable and efficient. Using a breast pump can also support your breastfeeding goals.
