How To Use A Breast Pump

Just like breast feeding, pumping is a skill that you

learn. When first trying a breast pump, most mothers

are only able to express a few drops of milk. With

the proper practice and knowledge, the mother will

be more efficient at pumping.

Preparing the breast pump

1. Read all the instructions in the kit

very carefully.

2. Every part of the breast pump will need

to be sterilized before you begin using it.

3. After use, all the parts of the pump will

need to be washed in warm, soapy water, then rinsed

with hot water and drained on a clean towel. The

plastic tubing doesn't need to be cleaned unless

you get milk into it. If you do wash it, it should

be hung to allow time to dry and drain thoroughly.

4. If your doctor feels the need, the

entire kit can be sterilized every day.

5. When you first start with an electric

pump, the suction level should be on the lowest

possible setting.

Getting started

- Warm compresses, gentle massages of the

breast and gentle nipple stimulation will help to

stimulate a quick let down.

- You should always relax while doing

breast massages during pumping. Some mothers prefer

to close their eyes then think about nursing the

baby, imagining the baby in their arms. The more

relaxed a mother is, the better let down she'll

have and the more milk will be dispensed.

- Your first attempts at pumping should be

considered practice sessions with learning to use

the breast pump as the goal, not how much milk is

actually dispensed.

- When you use a hand pump, quick, short

pumps at the start is stimulating and will imitate

more closely the way a baby breast feeds. Once

the let down occurs and milk starts to flow freely,

long, steadier strokes are more effective and

less tiring.

- When you learn to pump, you should

practice for 5 minutes on a side at least once or

twice a day. Always pick the least stressful part

of your day for pumping.

Relaxing and realizing that the pump is your

friend is the single most important thing that a

mother can do. There are several things that a

mother can do to help herself relax, such as

putting a picture of the baby on the pump, playing

cards or a game with friends, watching television,

read books, or talk on the phone. Simply watching

the collection bottle is not helpful and will

probably put more stress on you than you actually

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