You're probably aware that breast milk is the best food for your newborn child and it is widely known that breastfeeding until a normal weaning age provides significant health benefits to both of you. However, continuing to breastfeed until this time requires some planning and preparation. Also, resuming parts of your lifestyle will be important to regain some balance in your life. There will no doubt be times when either you intend to be away from your child for a period or when breastfeeding would feel uncomfortable.
Expressing milk for later use is a way that you can spend some time away from your child or choose not to breastfeed while still providing your child with breast milk and those significant health benefits.
Using a breast pump is a skill, just like breastfeeding, that needs to be learnt.
It is normal when using a breast pump for the first time for mothers to be only able to express a few drops of breast milk so don't worry if this happens to you. However, with some practice and the right knowledge you can quickly become more efficient at using a breast pump.
The following is the best way to prepare to use your breast pump.1. Firstly make sure that you read and understand all the instructions carefully.
2. You will need to ensure that every part of the breast pump has been properly sterilized before using it.
3. After using your breast pump you need to ensure that all of the parts have been washed thoroughly. This is best done by washing with warm soapy water and then rinsing completely in hot water before being dried by draining on a clean towel. You must then allow sufficient time for it to drain and dry completely.
4. You can if you wish, or your doctor advises, sterilize the whole thing every day.5. If you opt to start with an electric breast pump you should start with the lowest available suction level.
How To Get Started
Start with warm compresses and this with gentle massages of the breast and some gentle stimulation of the nipple as this will help you to stimulate a quick let down.
It is important that you always relax when doing breast massages during your pumping. You may find it preferable to close your eyes and think about nursing your baby and actually imagining that you have your baby in your arms. What you're trying to achieve is real relaxation as this will give you a better let down and will enable you to effectively dispense more milk.
You may find it helpful to consider your first attempts at using a breast pump as just practice sessions with the main goal being to learn how to use your breast pump rather than focusing on how much breast milk is actually expressed.
If you are using a hand pump you should try and use quick and short pumps at the beginning for stimulation as this copies more closely the way that your baby feeds. After your let down has happened and your milk begins to flow more freely you should find that longer steadier strokes will be more effective and much less tiring.
When you first learn to use your breast pump you should practice for 5 minutes on each side at least once but preferably twice a day. You should find that pumping in the least stressful part of your day and actually being in your relaxed nursing area will help you tremendously.