All About Milk Pumping
Pumping or expressing milk is very common among nursing mothers. Some mothers choose to express or pump milk because they have to go back to work or have to be away from their baby during a feeding session. Others pump milk to increase their milk supply and meet the demands of their baby or babies. Other mothers choose to pump in order to relieve engorgement or in order to aid the process in which lactation will stop. Whichever reason or whatever reason you have to pump breast milk, know that it is perfectly safe and is a good method of taking breast milk from your breasts.
There are two kinds of pumps, a manual pump and an electric pump. Manual pumps usually have one suction or flange, which is the part of the breast pump that is held against the breast. The flange gently sucks at the nipple to pump milk. Electric breast pumps can have one flange or two, one for each breast for more efficient pumping.
No matter what kind of breast pump you choose to get, make sure you get the right size flange. Getting a flange that is too large may not be efficient for your breast pumping. A flange that is too small, on the other hand may hurt your nipple causing damage. Also, a flange that is too small may not get enough breast milk as it pumps, and as an effect your milk supply slowly decreases.
You can begin pumping your breasts when you are ready to begin storing breast milk for your child to drink when you are away. If you are going back to work and want a supply of breast milk for your child, begin pumping at least a week before you have to head back to work. This will give you enough time to store milk while continuing your child’s feeding sessions, as well as master your breast pump so that you can pump milk while at work.
If your child is older when it’s time for you to go back to work, and you have to wean them from breastfeeding, you will have to start your pumping earlier. Weaning them from breast milk by giving them breast milk in a bottle and while you’re still around can make the weaning process easier for your child.
Your first few pumping sessions may not yield a lot of milk. However, after your breasts become accustomed to being emptied frequently, they will produce more milk, and you will find that succeeding pumping sessions will yield a good amount of milk for storage. Keep yourself well hydrated with water, as pumping milk can be slightly dehydrating. Do not listen to the old wives tale that tells you to consume dairy products when pumping milk or breastfeeding. You don’t need to drink milk to produce it.
Page Two: Milk Pumping and Breastfeeding (All About Milk Pumping continued)
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