How To Use The Breast Pump?

The breast pump is increasingly used by mothers. The reasons for using this device are diverse, it may be an obligation for health or work reasons.

The truth is that it is not easy to adapt to the breast pump and to a great extent neither to the prejudice it generates. Learning to use a breast pump requires a lot of practice.

Who needs the breast pump?

Although there is a certain prejudice regarding bottle feeding the baby, some conditions must be considered. For example, giving the bottle does not mean that we are going to harm the child in any way. We know that breastfeeding has countless benefits, however, breast milk is more relevant than breastfeeding. That is, even when we do not breastfeed the baby, it is essential that he take his milk.

That said, let’s recognize that certain situations prevent us from breastfeeding our child. For various reasons the mother must separate from the baby, or she simply has the right to decide not to breastfeed. In this sense, the fact that the mother cannot or does not want to breastfeed does not mean that she stops feeding him breast milk.

Expressing milk is an option applicable to special circumstances. It is useful when mother and child are separated; therefore, it is a pioneer in donating milk and feeding the most needy babies. The breast pump has been a valuable solution for over 150 years.

Not all women need to use a breast pump, even if they buy it out of anticipation. Only those who are going to return to work, or mothers of premature or sick babies should use this object to feed the baby. However, we are free to choose to use it in another context.

How to use the breast pump?

Expressing milk through this device is not easy at first. Lack of practice prevents us from obtaining satisfactory results in the first attempts. The extraction may be slow and insufficient, not to mention how uncomfortable it can get.

It is advisable to be patient and practice a lot, other aspects to take into account are the following:

• When you go to use the breast pump, try to place yourself in a calm environment, free of tension. It is known that a lot of noise or the presence of people prevents the rise of milk
• The baby himself stimulates the rise of milk, so we can have him close, use a photograph or object that belongs to him
• Perform a chest massage before beginning the extraction
• Take care not to hurt yourself, even when you are not getting the result you expect, this activity should not cause you pain. If you feel any discomfort, it is because you are not using it in the correct way.

When can we express milk this way?

The time and frequency to use the breast pump depends on the way we breastfeed. For example, if we never breastfeed, we should pump more frequently, three to four times a day.

In the case that we alternate pumping with breastfeeding, the moment to express the milk should be in tune with the rhythm at which we plan the feeding. That is, if we are not with the baby but it is time to breastfeed, it is when we must use the pump.

The morning hours are more advisable to carry out this process. During the night the breasts fill with milk, especially when the baby does not take nightly feedings. It is also convenient when the baby takes from one breast, because we can extract the milk from the other after stimulation.

How to clean and preserve the breast pump?

Although the pump is not a product that comes into contact with the baby, it must be sanitized in order to safely contain the milk. Also, being in contact with the chest, it is necessary to keep it clean.

Before using this utensil we must have clean hands. In the same way, it is convenient to sterilize all the components of the breast pump to avoid contamination of the product. In some cases these come with disposable sachets that can be filled directly from the extractor. Expressed milk can also be placed in separate containers.

The cleaning of the pump is the same as that of a bottle. As it comes in contact with milk, it must be sterilized to prevent the growth of bacteria.

As for the milk we obtain, it must be kept in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on how long we are going to keep it. If it is not going to be used in the next 24 hours, it is recommended to label it with the date and freeze it. All containers where the milk is to be stored must also be sterilized.