How To Pump Breast Milk

For mothers who choose to breastfeed, the one downside that is commonly noted is the lack of freedom they have to leave baby for more than an hour or so at a time. Since breastfed newborns rely strictly on mom for their existence, new moms have little flexibility to leave their tiny bundles to tend to errands, appointments or even some precious alone time. In order to even consider leaving their babies for more than a brief walk around the block, breastfeeding moms need to entertain the idea of pumping.

Pumps

Pumping refers to the act of extracting milk from the breast and into a bottle such that baby can be fed by another caregiver when the mother is not around. Essentially there are two types of pumps, manual and electric. Manual hand pumps are relatively inexpensive and ideally would be used by moms who don’t pump daily, but rather weekly or no more than a couple of times a week. This is because manual pumps can be hard on hand and arm muscles and can lead to repetitive strain injury if used too frequently.

Electric pumps on the other hand are more suited to mom’s who plan on pumping on a daily basis. These pumps are substantially more expensive but worth the investment over the long term – especially if you plan on having more than one child. These self-contained portable small machine pumps plug into walls and are very efficient at extracting milk from both breasts at the same time. Thus for busy and working moms this system is ideal.

Cleaning

Breast pumps should be cleaned after each use to prevent bacteria build up. For manual pumps, all parts should be washed either by hand with water and a natural dish soap or by dishwasher. With electric pumps any part that comes into contact with milk should be removed and washed immediately. The electric part of the pump should never be submerged in water.

If equipment allows (meaning the plastic or materials can withstand the heat) it is also a good idea to sterilize pieces before use after every couple of weeks by boiling them for up to 20 minutes.

Hands should be washed before each pumping session.

Storage

Expressed breast milk can be stored short term or longer term depending upon your needs. Short-term storage is kept in the refrigerator and should be used within 3 days. Long term storage of milk should be done in specialized plastic milk storage bags and can be done for up to 6 months. Keep in mind however that it is always best to use milk as close to the date of extraction as possible since breast milk changes in terms of its constitution to meet your baby’s needs and so the milk you make at 1 month will not be exactly what the milk you make at 6 months is like.

Breast milk can be stored in either plastic or glass bottles. Do not fill bottles or containers all the way to the top when freezing. Ensure that any plastic containers or bags used are BPA and phtalate free.

It is a good idea to label breast milk containers by date so that it is clear how long milk has been stored and which batches should be consumed first.

Note that it is common for breast milk to separate after being frozen so don’t be put off by the different appearance.

It is never a good idea to restore remaining thawed breast milk once it has been drunk from a bottle.  If you think your baby wont consume all the milk from a bottle in one feeding, remove a portion to feed and refrigerate the rest.

How to Warm or Thaw Milk

When using stored breast milk it is important to bring it to a temperature that your baby can consume it at. This could be room temperature or slightly warmer. In order to warm breast milk it is key to not use too much heat as higher heats can damage the nutritional content and structure. It is definitely not recommended to heat or defrost milk in the microwave.  

A safe way to warm milk is by running it under warm water or placing it in a bowl filled with warm to hot water. The trick is to not let any water get under the lid and into the bottle.

When to Pump

Most women get increased milk supply in the mornings, so this is the ideal time to pump. If you are pumping later in the day try and space out your pumping so that it is at least 1 hour after a feeding and at least 1 hour before a feeding or your baby. This will ensure that your body has enough time to produce more milk.  

Although pumping won’t provide you and your baby with the same level of intimacy or bonding, it will allow you to carve some much needed time away from baby. If you can’t be there every minute of every day, at least a part of you can be there to nourish and comfort your little one.