How To Set Up Medela Breast Pump
How to utilise a breast pump: 12 elevation tips
Learning how to use a breast pump can take fourth dimension and dedication, merely is well worth the endeavor. Read our proficient breast pumping tips to help set yous on the path to successful expressing
Dr Nania Schärer-Hernández, Head Global Medical Affairs and Didactics, Medela:
Mother-of-two Nania is a leading global authority on breast milk composition and lactation. Her team at Medela designs educational materials, grounded in the latest research, that detail best do for healthcare professionals and explicate the amazing benefits of breast milk to mums worldwide.
Like any skill worth having, it might take you a bit of fourth dimension to go the hang of using a breast pump. The central is to be patient, fifty-fifty if you're not able to express as much as you lot'd like right abroad. After all, a breast pump won't stimulate the aforementioned feelings in y'all as your babe does. But, withtime, your body will normally learn to trigger your let-downwards reflex when you lot pump, and the quantity of milk you express should increase.
1: There's no need to blitz to kickoff pumping…
In the first four weeks, you and your babe work together to initiate and build your milk supply. If your babe is healthy and breastfeeding is going well, you won't need a pump to help with this. Pumping is, however, really helpful if you need to be apart from your infant any time (see tip beneath). If non, enjoy this time with your baby and be reassured that even if you plan to pump regularly in hereafter, there'due south no need to 'train' your torso to express milk in the beginning few weeks.
2: …unless your baby is unable to breastfeed
If your baby can't feed straight from the breast, possibly because she'due south premature or has special needs, or you are separated for whatever reason, start double pumping breast milk every bit presently as you tin after the nativity.
Research shows that starting to express inside the offset few hours (when a healthy newborn would normally take her first breastfeed) helps mums produce a higher book of milk in the early days and weeks,one,2 giving their babies the best chance of being fed exclusively on mother's milk.
If you're expecting your infant (or babies) to be built-in pre-term, in need of intensive care, or to have a condition that might make breastfeeding difficult, prepare yourself. Learn about expressing, source equipment you might need, and ask a healthcare professional, lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist for back up.
There will probably exist a hospital-grade double chest pump at your hospital or nativity facility, so ask staff to show you how to use it. It's important to remove milk from your breasts whenever your baby would normally potable – this means your breasts will still become the bulletin to brand milk. Aim for eight to ten pumping sessions every 24 hours at kickoff,iii and continue this frequency once your milk comes in.
iii: Time it right
For your first chest-pumping session, express for at least fifteen minutes. Don't worry if you don't collect much milk at showtime – regular extra suction should soon stimulate your breasts to produce more milk.
Some mums find pumping one hr after a feed gives the greatest milk yield, others adopt to pump straight afterward every second feed – try expressing at unlike times to see when best fits your lifestyle. When y'all find times that work for y'all, stick with them so your body gets used to your breast pump use and the actress demand on your milk supply. You lot may be tempted to extend the fourth dimension between expressions in a bid to collect larger volumes of milk. However, if you wait until your breasts are full one pumping session won't drain them very well,3,iv and then the cardinal is to pump often and regularly.
iv: Be aseptic
Ever launder your easily before and after breast pumping, and clean whatever pump parts that have been in contact with your milk or your infant'southward mouth. You will also need to sanitise them after cleaning at least in one case a day. Be sure to allow all the pieces to completely dry and y'all can then store the pump fix in a clear bag or container until next use.
5: Be prepared
To avert interrupting your breast-pumping session, have everything y'all need shut past before you start. Y'all might want a drink and snack, your telephone or TV remote, bottles or milk storage bags for your expressed milk, and a muslin cloth to soak upwards any drips.
A particularly designed breast pumping bra allows you to proceed your hands complimentary, making information technology much easier to operate the controls and do other things while you limited.
6: Make yourself comfortable
The all-time position for pumping is i in which you feel at ease. Being relaxed is essential for the release of the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates your let-down reflex. Discomfort and distractions can hamper this procedure,5 and then choose somewhere private and comfortable, and make sure your arms and back are well supported as you lot pump.
If you're not using a pumping bra, hold your breast shield betwixt your thumb and index finger, and employ your palm and other fingers to support your breast. Hold the breast shield gently confronting the breast – pressing too hard could compress your breast tissue and obstruct milk flow.
Some mums detect deep breathing, soothing music, visualisation techniques, or having their partner massage their dorsum and shoulders, can help them express more milk.
vii: Kick-start your permit downwardly
Near Medela electrical and battery-operated breast pumps have ii-Phase Expression engineering science, which mimics the way your baby feeds (with fast, calorie-free sucking followed by slower and stronger sucks), to help trigger your let down. Massaging your breasts before and during pumping,half-dozen also equally warming your breasts7 past applying a warm compress (such as a flannel) on them before expressing has been shown to assist stimulate your milk flow and increase the amount you collect.
Scientists have discovered that having skin-to-skin contact with your babe before and during pumping tin can aid you express more milk too.eight This is because the warmth and touch of your baby'south pare against yours releases oxytocin in your body.9 In fact, some mums find expressing works best if they feed their babe from the other chest while they pump because of the extra stimulation.
If your infant isn't with you, endeavour looking at a photo or video of her, or smelling an item of her clothing, while you express.10 Existence able to connect with your baby at the aforementioned time as pumping is another way to enhance your oxytocin level and help get your milk flowing.
8: Take advantage of your milk period
Many mothers don't sense their let down, so sentry out for it as you pump. When y'all offset to see jets of breast milk squirting into the collection bottle or pocketbook, you'll know information technology'southward happening.eleven
If y'all're using a breast pump with 2-Phase Expression technology, information technology volition have a stimulation mode and an expression way. The stimulation mode ordinarily lasts about two minutes, but one time you lot run into milk flowing as described, information technology's important to switch to the expression stage. This is because that first let down typically provides around 36% of the milk book, so you'll be taking advantage of your flow to collect more milk.12
nine: Observe your comfort zone
During the expression phase, pump at your maximum condolement vacuum, which is the highest breast pump setting yous tin can use while remaining comfortable. In inquiry, this was found to remove a like amount of milk as a baby does during breastfeeding.13,14
To detect the correct level for you lot, increase the chest pump suction gradually until it becomes slightly uncomfortable, and then turn it down a notch.
10: Tailor the length of your pumping sessions
One time your supply is established (after about four to vi weeks), y'all tin start tailoring how many minutes yous need to pump for, which tin save you valuable time. Some mothers need to pump longer than others due to their number of let downs, which determine how often and how long milk flows.4,15 What's really amazing is that while every mum has a unique flow design, yours volition exist the same each time you pump as well every bit when y'all breastfeed.xvi
So how can y'all tell what your pattern is? Selection a time when you normally pump your highest volume of milk and watch while you pump, noting when jets of milk outset coming from your nipple, or when milk drips into the container over the class of the session.
A mum who only has let downs early in a session volition accept removed most of her milk within viii to 10 minutes, and pumping any longer won't reward her with more milk. Conversely, a mum who has many or late let downs may need to pump for 15 minutes or longer to drain her chest thoroughly.15
11: Double up
If you're planning to pump regularly, it's well worth investing in a double chest pump. Double pumping raises the level of prolactin, the milk-producing hormone, in your trunk.17 Amazingly, research has shown that women who double pump take an additional let downwards in each pumping session. This means they typically limited well-nigh a fifth more milk, and milk with a college fat content too, as opposed to pumping from each breast in plow.18 This tin can really add up, in addition to saving time, after just a few pumping sessions yous could have an extra bottle.
12: Don't ignore discomfort
Pumping chest milk shouldn't hurt. If you lot experience discomfort while expressing, or detect blisters or chafing on your nipple or breast, try reducing the breast pump suction.
As well brand sure you're using the right size of chest shield (the funnel-shaped part that fits over your breast). The breast shield tunnel should surroundings your nipple closely, only leave enough space for information technology to move back and forth freely without rubbing. It shouldn't abrasion or pull too much of your areola (the dark area effectually the nipple), or the breast skin effectually it, into the tunnel as you pump. A badly fitting breast shield can reduce the amount of milk you lot express, which is why Medela makes breast shields in several different sizes.
If the discomfort continues afterwards you've tried these tips, terminate pumping and ask a lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist for communication.
Source: https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding/mums-journey/how-to-use-breast-pump
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