Breast Pumping Tips Every Mother Should Know

Breast-expressing experiences differ vastly from one mom to the other. For instance, some mothers pump multiple times a day to feed an infant who has not yet mastered the art of breastfeeding. On the other hand, others will pump occasionally when they need to leave the house but still make breast milk available for their kid. Most of the mothers who express breast milk find the need to do it since they need to work while ensuring they take proper care of their children. Whatever the case, most nursing mothers will agree that they do not like pumping. Below are some tips to make the process easier and better. 

Be Prepared

This includes the most basic tips each nursing mother will need. It is important you ensure you get a good breast pump that is perfect for your individual needs. Whether you rent or purchase your own breast pump, ensure it has maximum comfort. For instance, the flange inserts for breast pumps should be made from a soft and highly flexible material that conforms with your breast shape for a secure seal. 

While you might consider renting a pump to be cost-saving, purchasing an individual breast pump is best. This is because people should not share breast pumps for numerous reasons, including decreased motor function and bacterial contamination. 

Pump While Breastfeeding

The perfect milk let-down trigger is your infant. After all, the baby forms the natural demand for your breast milk supply. Expressing milk from one breast while your baby feeds on the other helps you get a lot of milk. This is primarily because nursing the infant stimulates the body to produce hormones that trigger milk let-down. 

Stock Up Early

 If you know you will be away from home for work or other responsibilities, you must ensure you stock enough milk for your baby. You can start storing your milk several weeks in advance and select an appropriate time between your baby's normal feeding schedule to pump. This way, your baby will always have milk to feed while you are away from home. 

Massage Your Breasts

This is an essential step every nursing mother must adhere to when breastfeeding. Compressing and massaging areas of the breast that feel firm can help improve your milk supply. Simply put, your milk supply will; likely increase if you combine breast massaging with pumping. Some ways to massage your breast include massaging in a circular motion or taking the massage, stroke, and shake approach. 

For effectiveness, massage your breasts for 1 to 3 minutes before putting on the flanges to start pumping. 

Pump Both Breasts Simultaneously and Schedule Pumping Breaks

Most nursing mothers report that they get more milk supply when they pump from both breasts at the same time. This can be attributed to the increased prolactin hormone release when both breasts express milk. Usually, the increased levels of prolactin result in an increased milk supply. 

Additionally, remember to schedule short breaks in between the pumping sessions for about 20 minutes.