Whether you are going out at night, going back to work, or just taking a break from breastfeeding, at some point, most new moms rely on breast pumps.
Convenient equipment does more than just fill a bottle of milk with breast milk. Breast pumps can also conveniently store backlogged milk in the refrigerator, helping to keep the milk supply unblocked and preventing congestion.
But for new moms, the process of breastfeeding seems daunting. When should you start breast milk, how often should your breast milk, and how do you actually do it? We have your answer.
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Watch this video “How to Pump and Store Breastmilk”(3min 2 seconds)
When should I start pumping?
You should start pumping when you start pumping, and the correct time depends largely on your specific situation.
Some new moms start working in hospitals or childbirth centers right after birth to help start breastfeeding or encourage breastfeeding. If you are unable to breastfeed your baby from birth, such as premature delivery or special needs, it is especially important to start pumping as soon as possible.
Other new moms will wait a few weeks before they start pumping. In the early stages of breastfeeding, there is usually little time to pump between treatments, and breastfeeding experts recommend deferring feeding bottles until breastfeeding is complete. (However, from the first day of birth, many babies move back and forth between the bottle and breast milk, so the most effective way for you and your family is to do so.)
When your baby is 4-6 weeks old, breastfeeding should be established, and you will have enough time to pump more milk between feedings for later use. If you plan to resume work, please start pumping two to three weeks in advance to make the most of it and build up a milk reserve.
How often should I pump?
To ensure that your milk supply is not compromised, the usual rule of thumb is to pump the baby when it is fed from a bottle so that your body will still receive a signal to produce more milk.
Eisenstadt says that if you are ready to resume work, you will breastfeed about twice a day. Eisenstadt said: “Always pump shortly after breastfeeding.” “If you draw too close the next time you breastfeed, the baby may be frustrated by the low volume, which will result in poor feeding time. “
After returning to work, try to breastfeed about every three hours. If your baby takes three bottles of milk at work, he should pump it three times when going out. If the baby is going to take four feeding bottles when going out, he will pump four times at work.
What are the benefits of pumping?
There are many reasons why a mom wants to pump her breast milk, from reducing congestion and increasing milk supply to collecting milk for feeding when you are away from young children (for example when you return to work).
If you pump and store milk, you can continue to provide the benefits of breast milk to your baby long after you stop nursing. For moms who want to breastfeed their babies but are unable to breastfeed for some reason (for example, poor forage or insufficient supply), pumping ensures that they can still provide liquid gold to the baby.
Whatever your reasons, pumping has many benefits for moms:
- You will be able to go back to work (or go out overnight, on vacation, or on a business trip) and still be able to breastfeed your baby.
- You do not have to be the only person responsible for feeding small children. Your partner or caregiver can also help.
- Pumping allows you to establish a milk supply even before the baby needs more milk, allowing you to store more milk for later use.
- Pumping gives you the opportunity to donate extra milk to moms who cannot breastfeed their babies themselves but want to bring the benefits of breast milk to their children.
How to Pump Breast Milk
There are many ways to extract breast milk. However, before you use the pump, it is best to learn how to manually express your own milk. Feldman Winter said: “It is a good thing for moms to express their hands with ease.”
In addition to facial expressions, you can use electric pumps or manual pumps to pump milk. The exact method of breast pumping depends on the type of breast pump you use. “The pumps are slightly different in handheld, single electric (one breast at a time), dual electric (two breasts at a time), hands-free, etc., so there is no set of specific directions related to it for all moms,” Ai Senstadt said. In other words, there are some general instructions on How to Pump Breast Milk:
• Step 1: Start with clean hands and clean bottle equipment.
• Step 2: Place the flange on the breast tissue, making sure the opening of the flange is centered around the nipple.
• Step 3: Place the part against the breast, put your thumb on the top of the flange, and rest your fingers flat on the bottom of the flange. Be careful not to press the breast tissue hard to avoid leaving marks on the skin.
• Step 4: Follow the pump instructions to set the dial. Usually, you start with low suction power and fast speed. Once the flow is stable (it usually takes one to three minutes), you can decrease the speed and increase the suction.
• Step 5: In order to complete a complete pumping session, you need to pump for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Step 6: After pumping, gently disconnect the suction of the flange and remove it from the breast. Carefully remove the bottle from each flange (if you are using a double breast pump) and place it on a flat surface. Unplug the pump, cover each bottle, and keep it cold.
• Step 7: Clean the pump according to the instructions of each pump manufacturer.
Conclusion
Remember, pumping will never be painful. Thomas said: “If the breast milk is painful, there will be problems with the machine settings.” “Or you are using the wrong flange size, or the suction level is too high. If you still feel pain after making adjustments, please find a breastfeeding consultant and bring Pump on to help you find the right figure.”
Although it is not easy and it takes a lot of time, I am very happy that I put in more effort to extract more breast milk. At the beginning, I was wondering how to avoid adding formula to the baby, because I couldn’t get rid of the troubles of the breast pump.
But in a short time, by using all these techniques, I can get more breast milk every day, and I am storing breast milk in the refrigerator. I have more things to use. I no longer feel that this whole mom thing has failed.
Therefore, if you are having trouble with your supplies, you should attribute them to yourself and your children to try these techniques. Try as many methods as possible to see if it helps. If you have any tips not seen on this list, I would love to hear them.