How To Use Your Breast Pump

When your milk supply is established, you may learn to express or pump your milk so that it can be left with a caregiver to give to your baby. This can provide you with some freedom from breastfeeding and a refreshing, well-deserved break.

If you are having difficulty learning how to use your pump, ask for help from other mothers, your midwife, doula, a public health nurse, lactation specialist or the breast pump manufacturers. In the beginning, give yourself lots of time to learn this new skill. If you wait until you have a pressing engagement you will only add to your stress levels. By planning ahead and taking time to learn, your experience will be more positive.

When you return to work, (school/routine) you can express milk manually or mechanically by using a breast pump before you go to work. Then your babies caregiver can bottle feed your breast milk to your infant throughout the day.

Your own breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator (for up to 48 hours) or frozen. Refrigerate or freeze breast milk in plastic bottles or bags and date them. Then warm it up in hot tap water before it is used. Using a microwave oven to thaw or warm your breast milk is not recommended.

For more information, check out some of the great books available in our Breastfeeding Bookstore.