How To Pump And Breastfeed A Newborn

Having A Great Experience While Youre Working

1. Breastfeed early and often

Breastfeed your baby before you go to work and as soon as you get home from work. Breastfeeding when you are with your baby will help keep up your milk supply.

Every baby is different, but in general, if you are apart from your baby for 8 to 12 hours, you can expect that your baby will take 10 to 15 oz. of milk during that time. This is about 1/3 of your babys daily intake.

Starting at about five weeks, many babies take 25 to 35 oz. total per day. This amount typically is stable until your baby is about six months old. Around six months old, your baby may start taking more solids and daily milk intake may start to go down.

2. Pick your spot

Find a place where you can relax and have some privacy for pumping at work. Ask if your workplace has a lactation room. If not, ask about a private office, empty conference room, storage room, or lounge with an electrical outlet. Federal laws now require that workplaces provide a private place for pumping at work.

You will also need a place to wash your hands and, ideally, your pump kit. If a place to wash the parts of your kit isnt readily available, consider having a few kits to use throughout the day and wash them when you get home.

3. Put your plan in place

Schedule your pumping breaks to allow about 20 relaxed minutes for pumping and then cleaning the parts of the pump kit. To figure out how many times youll pump at work, divide the number of hours you are away by three .

When To Start Pumping When Breastfeeding

A new mom should start pumping when she has a reason to pump. A mother who gives birth prematurely should start pumping within the first few hours after giving birth. Other mamas wont need to start pumping until their baby is several weeks old

If breastfeeding is going well for you in the early days, focus on getting comfortable with the basics before thinking about how to combine breastfeeding and pumping.

• Learn how to breastfeed in two or three different positions
• Master getting a good latch
• Learn your babys feeding cues
• Recognize when your baby is swallowing
• Become aware of signs that your baby is full

Once a mama feels like she has an easy rhythm established with her new baby, she can start to work on combining breastfeeding and pumping.

Where Can I Pump At Work

If you’re pumping at work, find a discreet place where you feel comfortable.

Many companies offer their employees pumping and nursing areas. If yours doesn’t, ask your supervisor or the human resources department about an office or other private area that might be suitable. Employers are required by law to provide an appropriate area for employees to pump breast milk and reasonable time to do so.

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How To Hold A Baby When Nursing

Place your infant on one side, close to your breasts, to start. A straight line connecting your babys ear, shoulder, and hip indicates that his whole body should be towards your chest.

Your newborns head shouldnt be twisted to one side instead, it should be parallel to the body. To raise your infant to a height that will make getting him to the breast more straightforward, use a nursing pillow or a standard pillow.

What If Your Baby Goes To The Nicu

Pumping for a baby whos in the NICU looks a bit different than other types of pumping, according to Garcia-Taylor.

If your baby is in the NICU, pumping within the first hour after birth is important to start stimulating the breastfeeding hormones. Hand expression is best at collecting colostrum . I recommend NICU parents to start pumping within an hour after birth if feeling well using a hospital-grade pump for 15 minutes followed by hand expressing for two to three minutes from each breast.

Also keep in mind that breast pumping helps with stimulating the breastfeeding hormones but is not efficient at removing colostrum.

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Maintaining Your Breast Milk Supply While Pumping

Remember the rules of breastfeeding supply and demand: The more demand there is , the more supply there will be. Which means that if youre looking to maintain your milk supply you should be pumping at the same rate that your baby would be feeding directly from you, making sure your breasts are well drained at each session.

A few more strategies that can help you maintain your milk supply while pumping:

• Relax. When you feel happy and relaxed, your body produces oxytocin, the hormone that signals that its time for the milk in your breasts to be released . Research has found that moms who listened to guided relaxation or soothing music while pumping had an increased pumping output and that those who also looked at photos of their babies pumped even more.
• Get handsy. As you pump, compress and massage both breasts. Continue until milk flow slows to a trickle, then massage your breasts again, focusing on any areas that feel full. When no more milk is expressed via the pump, finish with a few minutes of hand expression, where you do intense breast compression on both breasts to ensure youve drained both as fully as possible.
• Take a look inside your medicine cabinet. Some types of birth control pills may decrease milk supply for some moms , as can the decongestant pseudoephedrine . If youre congested, stick with non-medicinal methods to relieve the stuffiness, such as sinus rinses, steam or saline nasal sprays.

How To Breastfeed Newborn Baby: Tips Positions And Stages Of Breastfeeding

For you and the baby, some breastfeeding positions may be more effective than others. When it comes to positioning of breastfeeding using wearable breast pump made it easier that you can milk and at any position. Nursing mothers should be aware of these breastfeeding positions, which range from the relaxed to the football hold.

Avoid these positions when breastfeeding

While producing milk may come naturally, getting it from the breast to the stomach requires some knowledge and lots of practice. The early efforts at nursing for many new mothers and newborns are, at best, haphazard and unsuccessful. However, optimal placement is crucial for assisting your infant in latching on properly, as well as for avoiding nipple pain and other nursing issues.

Youll discover the ideal nursing position with a little trial and error. Youll become an expert at nursing your child in no time.

In This Article

• How to get a suitable latch

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Does The Combination Of Breastfeeding And Pumping Mean Youll Have An Oversupply

Depending on when and how you structure your nursing and pumping routine, it could impact how your breast milk supply is established.

For example, if youre nursing and pumping back to back , there is a good chance you may increase your milk supply beyond what your baby actually needs.

However, if you only pump WHEN NEEDED, youll have a much better chance of establishing a normalized supply.

Willow Sample Schedule: Breastfeeding And Pumping

Remember: This is just a sample schedule, so use it as a guideline, not as a directive. You will start to get into the groove once you start!

The most common guideline for feeding your baby is every 2 to 3 hours which means youll need to pump at this same cadence while youre away. If youre not working outside of your home and still wish to build a milk supply, try pumping after or during each breastfeeding session for 10-15 minutes. Stick to this schedule for a few weeksyoull start to see patterns and habits develop which will make it easier.

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Breastfeeding Tricks Of The Trade

When Is The Best Time To Introduce A Bottle

Garcia-Taylor recommends following these tips when introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby:

• Wait until breastfeeding is well-establishedusually around three to four weeks after birth.
• Use a bottle thats designed especially for breastfeeding babies.
• Use the paced bottle feeding method so baby wont develop a feeding flow preference.

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Wondering When To Start Pumping Breast Milk

This is a fairly personal choice that should be decided based on your specific circumstances.

Generally, if your baby is healthy and gaining weight, it is recommended to wait until your milk supply regulates, usually around 6 weeks, to begin pumping. This way you have let your baby and body determine the supply and demand necessary for feeding

That said there are many different reasons someone might choose to pump ranging from medical concerns to returning to work.

There isnt really a right time to start, rather just determining when is the best time for you personally. If youre not sure, a lactation consultant is a great resource to help you figure it out.

Breast Milk Storage System

Youll need containers to store your pumped milk and there are many different options.

For most pumps, the bottles that you pump directly into and fine for storing milk in the refrigerator.

For longer term storage, youll need to freeze the milk. Use breast milk storage bags and freeze them flat to save space.

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Can You Pump Too Much While Breastfeeding

Yes.

While we personally believe you can never have too much breast milk stored, there are dangers to your body from pumping too much.

Stashing breast milk in a deep freeze is a good idea because you never know whats going to happen on your breastfeeding journey. It allows you to be prepared for every scenario.

Excess milk can be used for mixing with baby oatmeal, in milk baths, on babys skin for eczema/diaper rash, or even donated through an organization like Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

All of that being said, if you are pumping more often than your baby is feeding, you are in danger of creating an oversupply situation.

Simply put, an oversupply is when your body is producing more breast milk than your baby is consuming. Which may sound like a good thing if you are trying to create a stash. However, a large oversupply can be uncomfortable, and even dangerous for mom.

Here are some symptoms and complications from an oversupply:

• Swollen and painful breasts
• A serious infection known as mastitis
• Difficulty latching and nursing

When Should You Start Pumping

Your particular pumping situation and goals will determine when you begin pumping for your baby.

• If your baby is unable to breastfeed at birth, youll need to start pumping immediately to establish and maintain your supply.
• If youre pumping in anticipation of returning to work, you can usually start pumping 3 to 4 weeks before your return, to start building up your freezer stash.
• If youre only occasionally pumping to relieve engorgement, mastitis, increase your supply, or go on an occasional outing you dont really have to plan your pump schedule in advance.

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More Newborn Pumping Schedules

Each of these sample newborn pumping schedules will depend on your individual situation. Be sure to pick the one that best fits you and your babys needs.

The first thing to determine is how often you need to pump for your infant.

If you are wondering how often should you pump breast milk for newborns, then the answer depends on your situation.

• If you are exclusively pumping, you should pump 8 to 12 times per day to mimic a newborns feeding schedule.
• If you are pumping and nursing, you can pump anywhere from 0 to 3 times per day.
• If you have an oversupply of milk, you should reduce pumping sessions to help reduce and regulate your milk supply.
• Use the newborn pumping schedules above for recommendations on the different times of day to pump.

How To Use A Breast Milk Pump

It usually doesn’t take long to get familiar with pumping. Here are the steps:

• Wash your hands with soap and water. Make sure your pump parts and bottles are clean.
• Gather your supplies: breast pump, tubing, containers, and flanges .
• Place the breast flange over your breast, centering your nipple in the middle of the flange. Press gently. It’s very important that the flange fits correctly so that you get a good seal but it doesn’t pinch or irritate your nipples. The flange should fit closely around your nipple but leave a miniscule amount of space for it to move without rubbing too hard against the wall of the flange during pumping.
• If you’re using an electric pump, simply turn on the machine and let it do the work of suctioning your milk. Some pumps have different settings for stimulation and suction. Most have speed variability. Start with the lowest suction and turn up the setting as needed. Good breast pumps mimic the sucking action of a baby, and while you’ll feel a slight pull, it shouldn’t cause you pain.
• If you’re using a manual pump, use your hand to gently and rhythmically pump the handle . The rhythm should mimic your baby’s sucking.
• Typically, you’ll pump directly into a plastic or glass bottle or a freezable milk bag. When you’re done, put your milk in a fridge or cooler bag with ice packs to keep it cold. You’ll also need to clean your pump parts .

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Okay Phew Back To Pumping And Milk Stashes How Much Milk Do I Really Need In My Freezer Stash

Most families only need about 2 full days worth of a milk stash . This gives you some wiggle room once you go back to work or to handle unforeseen separation from baby. There is no reason to save more milk than this, unless you:

• Travel away from baby
• Are expecting to be unable to breastfeed for a set amount of time
• Are exclusively pumping

How Should I Store My Milk

Beginning with your hospital stay for delivery, you will pump milk either into bottles or bags provided by Baptist Health. It is important to label your milk with your babys name, date and time it was pumped. You can store all the milk from a single pump session into one container but do not add new milk to a previous collection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer clear guidelines on milk storage for optimum safety, including storage location and temperature depending upon whether the milk is fresh, thawed from freezing, or leftover.

At Baptist Health, we want to provide you with all the resources you need to ensure that you feel ready to breastfeed. Baptist Health Expressly For You is a Medela Certified Nursing Center staffed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and Registered Nurses, and is our number one recommendation for breastfeeding advice and products needed to achieve successful breastfeeding.

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How To Store Breast Milk

Pumping is only half the story: Youll also need to know how to store breast milk. Many breast pumps come with custom containers that can be used as storage and feeding bottles others allow you to use a standard feeding bottle to collect milk.

You can also collect expressed breast milk in plastic bags and fill them three-quarters full if you’ll be freezing them to allow for expansion. Freezing milk in small quantities allows for easy thawing.

Expressed milk can stay fresh at room temperature for up to four hours as long as it’s kept away from the sun or other sources of heat. Milk can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to four days and in the freezer for six to 12 months .

Always label each container with the date, and make sure to use the oldest milk first.

Other Tips And Tricks

Need some pumping encouragement along the way? These pro tips from our IBCLC can help you succeed as a pumping parent.

• A positive mindset is vital. High levels of stress inhibit milk from flowing. Relaxation techniques, like deep breathing before and during a pumping session, can be helpful in relieving tension in the body.
• Moist heat compress applied to breasts for about 10 minutes before pumping followed by gentle breast massage for 30-60 seconds encourages milk flow.
• Always follow pumping with hand expression. Even if no milk comes out, dont get discouraged, keep going. The more consistent you are the more milk you will see at each subsequent pumping session.
• Breastfeeding is easier than pumpingbut pumping is also breastfeeding!
• For moisture inside the tubing, leave the tubing connected to the pump but not to the bottles and let the pump run for two minutes or until moisture clears out. If tubing is moldy, replace immediately.

And last but certainly not least, if youre struggling with breastfeeding and/or pumping, please ask for help.

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