Pumping Breast Milk

Pumping breast milk is the process of expressing breast milk from the breasts of a lactating mother into a container using a breast pump. After pumping breast milk, you can feed the baby expressed breast milk using a feeding bottle. A breast pump performs a suction action similar to your baby suckling from your breast.

When is Pumping Breast Milk an Ideal Choice?

• You plan to return to work or are going to be away from your baby for some time. A caretaker or some other relative can give your little one the breast milk which is her main source of nutrition.
• You find feeding your baby directly from your breast very painful.
• You are under medication which prevents you from breast feeding your baby. You can use a breast pump to express your milk before you take your medicine.
• Your baby is full and you feel your breasts engorged.
• Stimulate relactation in case of early weaning.
• Induce lactation in a mother whose milk flows very slowly.

After pumping breast milk, remember to always store the expressed breast milk in a refrigerator or freezer. You can store breast milk in a refrigerator for a week and for three months in a freezer. If you are expressing several bottles of breast milk, date them before you store them and use the ones with the earliest dates first.

Breast pumps used for pumping breast milk are manual, electrical or battery operated. Manual breast pumps are the least expensive and electrical pumps are the most expensive. Whichever pump you opt for, remember to follow the instructions carefully.

An electrical breast pump is operated by electricity and stimulates your baby's suckling action more closely. Most electrical breast pumps offer the double pumping feature. You can pump from both breasts simultaneously resulting in faster milk production. A battery operated breast pump is easily portable and wearable. These breast pumps include soft breast cups with small milk collection bags attached to them that can be placed inside your bra. These bags lie flat inside your body. The main advantage of battery operated breast pumps is that they are hands free. A manual breast pump is operated using your hand or foot movements. They are portable like battery operated breast pumps and come in different styles. Before investing in a breast pump you may want to consider the following to choose the right breast pump for pumping breast milk:

• Decide how often you will be using a breast pump to express the breast milk. If you are using only a breast pump only for a brief period when you have engorged breasts, you may consider using a manual pump. If you are pumping while at work, a battery operated breast pump may work best for you. Alternatively if you are pumping full time so that you provide adequate nourishment for your preterm baby, you may opt for an electric breast pump.
• Talk to other mothers who have used breast pumps and lactation consultants about the different options available. You can also contact different manufacturers to find out the features of the different breast pumps that they sell. Medela and Pigeon are two popular brands available in India.

Tips on Pumping Breast Milk Successfully

Here are some tips to help you with pumping breast milk successfully:

• Select a time when your breasts are usually full such as a time when you would usually feed your baby.
• Wash your hands and ensure that the pumping equipment is clean. You can use hot soapy water to clean the pump.
• Select a comfortable position such as placing your feet up on a chair. Relax for a while before you start pumping breast milk.
• Choose a calm and quiet atmosphere where you will not be disturbed during breast feeding.
• Drink a lot of liquids just before you start pumping the breast milk.
• Stimulate letdown. You can do this by hugging your baby before you start pumping breast milk. Just thinking about your baby or looking at her photo may also do the trick. You may also consider taking a hot bath, soaking your nipples and breasts in hot water, giving your breasts a massage or shaking your breasts.

I would like to use a manual breast pump. Please tell me the different kinds of pumps available.

There are different kinds of manual breast pumps available in the market. You can choose one that is convenient for you. Some common manual breast pumps are the following:

• Syringe pump

  - This pump has two cylinders one inside the other. The inner cylinder is placed around the nipple. The outer cylinder is pushed in and pulled out to create a suction and fill the inner cylinder with breast milk.

• Trigger operated pump

  - This pump has a handle which creates the suction when it is squeezed. These pumps stimulate letdown efficiently and you can express breast milk easily.

• Bulb or bicycle horn pump

  - This pump has a bulb or bicycle horn shaped attachment. When this is squeezed, the suction created helps in expressing milk from the breasts. However, this pump is usually not recommended because it is quite uncomfortable and difficult to clean. If this pump is not cleaned properly or used carefully, it can cause sore nipples and damage breast tissue.

Both the syringe and trigger pumps are most often used because they are clean, portable and reasonably priced. They are also simple and easy to use.

Shoppers Stop has manual breast pumps by Philips and Mothercare to help you feed your baby expressed breast milk.