How to Use a Breast Pump

Nothing can rival in nutrition than the breast milk for babies, but regretfully enough, all mothers cannot lactate that easily to satisfy their little ones. The only panacea to this problem lies in pumping out the milk and subsequently storing it. It is also helpful in the sense when you are not around, your child won’t remain without feed.

No doubt, first of all you ought to learn how to properly use a breast suction pump. Following account will be of help in this regard:

Required Apparatus:

• Clean towels
• Soap and water (for sanitation)
• Milk storage bag / Baby bottles
• Breast pump (manual / electric)

Directions:

• Clean and sterilize all parts of the apparatus thoroughly before use. Use hot water for cleaning. When done with cleaning, dry the apparatus with the help of a neat and clean towel. It is to be ensured that the pump is perfectly dry before employing for sucking milk from out of mother breast.

• Before operating the apparatus do wash your hands with soap and water.

• Bring your nipple amid the flanges while holding the pump in position. The cone part shall ride over the breast with nipple positioned in the center. To help it fit your breast, lean out a little. Now start the process of sucking by pumping the apparatus. In case of a manual hand pump, you ought to squeeze it sufficiently. However, the process of pumping should be smooth enough not to hurt. However, if it hurts, try considering a different brand of pump.

• Those who use an electric pump ought to take a humble start by lowering the suction speed to the minimum. Ultimately, by the time you get used to the breast pump, you can enhance the rate of suction by increasing its power. Before your nipples feel excessive strain, you have the option to lower it down to a notch you think is convenient for you.

• Very often it so happens that you don’t see anything come out of it from the onset. However, as the experience has revealed, after some time, the milk will start out pouring. Initially, you will see thin, runny milk, such as skim milk, coming out first, which is referred to as the foremilk. It is particularly good for babies who are thirsty. A couple of minutes later, thicker milk begins to ooze, known as the ‘hind milk’. It contains concentrated nutrients and is rich with fats and protein.

• Pump out just for 10 to 15 minutes against each breast. Pumping beyond that length of time might harm your nipples or result in soreness of breast.

• Stay for a while and massage the breast by way of combing all over extending from the armpit point culminating toward nipple. This lets your breast to soothe.

• Revise the same procedure for other breast as well.

• The milk so extracted can be stored for a week in the fridge or longer in case of freezer.

It is strongly advised that mother’s milk is better both from the perspective of an ideal nutrition as well as fighting against diseases for a baby than any other milk. And suction remains the only means to feed mother’s milk!