Pumping & Storing Breast Milk

Choosing a Breast Pump

Many mothers prefer to rent or purchase a double electric style pump, because they work much more quickly by pumping both breasts simultaneously. If time is a factor for you then you should seriously consider a double pump. Double pumping cuts pumping time in half, so most mothers can finish the whole pumping session in 10 to 20 minutes, instead of the 20 to 40 minutes that it takes when using a single pump. Studies show that double pumping usually stimulates more milk production as well. Some of the brands that have the best reputations are Ameda, Medela and Avent.

When choosing a pump, comfort and speed of cycling are very important things to consider. Pumps that cycle quickly and mimic the baby's suction work best as babies can suck very fast, up to 60 times a minute.  Some of the smaller pumps on the market only pump five to nine times a minute and are not at all like a baby's suction, so mothers who purchase these pumps usually end up buying something else later that's more effective. No pump will ever match what a baby does at the breast, but some mimic the mechanics better than others. 

Electric pumps are not necessary as many mothers do very well with hand expression. Expressing milk by hand or with a manual pump can be done very quickly and comfortably, and is especially useful if your pumping area is not equipped with an electrical outlet. Hand expression is free, easy to learn and very effective once you master the technique. It works to relieve engorgement and to pump the occasional supplement. Some mothers even double pump using two manual pumps that can each be operated with one hand. Used breast pumps can often be found for sale on eBay! and at yard sales and thrift shops. Unfortunately, this is not usually the best way to get a pump for a couple of reasons - yard sale and thrift shop pumps are typically of poor quality and you never know who has used the pump or what kind of cleaning process it has been through. Most breast pumps are sold to be single user pumps because of the concern about how to adequately sterilize a pump between users. There is such a large variety of breast pumps and the ability to clean and sterilize them differs. You could contact the manufacturer of the pump to ask if they advise against having more than one user for that particular pump. You could also ask if there has ever been a problem reported or if it is a theoretical risk.

The safest thing to do would be to either purchase a new pump, or rent one and purchase a new kit for it containing all new parts that touch you, your baby and your milk. Pay only for the quality that you need - if you will only use a pump occasionally consider buying a handheld manual style pump, if you will be going back to work and need to pump several times a day invest in a good double pump that is easy to transport. Whichever way you decide to go if you compare the cost of the pump to the cost of formula you'll come out way ahead since the average cost of formula is about $100 per month and an excellent double electric breast pump can be purchased for between $200 to $300, or rented for even less.

Many pump kits also come with a car lighter power adapter, battery operated capability and a manual pump conversion kit in addition to an insulated pouch, coolers and bottles.

Using a Breast Pump

Using a breast pump should never hurt - if you are using a pump and it is painful, you may want to get help from your hospital lactation consultant to make sure that you are using it correctly. Lower the suction and see if it is more comfortable. Some pumps come with different size flanges to fit different sized breasts, perhaps a larger flange would be more comfortable. Many mothers find that if they lubricate the inside of the pump with fresh water or a small amount of olive oil that pumping goes more smoothly and comfortably. Don't continue to use a pump that is painful or your sensitive breast tissue could be damaged. A breast pump should be easy to operate, comfortable to use and remove milk in a timely fashion.

Breast pumps should be cleaned thoroughly between each use. Wash your hands before each pumping session, and take care to keep the milk storage containers very clean. Use extra care in collecting and storing your milk if you are pumping for a sick or premature baby.

Most mothers find that pumping once a day in the morning is enough to begin collecting some milk and to become familiar with their pump before returning to work. The milk supply is usually highest in the morning and the mother is usually more rested and relaxed. Feed the baby first then pump after the feeding. You could even use a one-hand manual pump or automatic electric pump to pump one breast while the baby is nursing on the other. Pumping this way allows the baby to induce your milk to let down. Our bodies are designed to produce milk for babies, not for pieces of plastic, so you may want to try nursing while pumping if you are having a problem with getting your milk to let down. If you are pumping while your baby isn't nearby you can try to trigger your milk's flow by looking at your baby's picture, listening to a tape of his cry or even smelling clothes that he's worn.

Some mothers begin pumping the first week, and others wait a while. If you are going to go back to work rather quickly, you may want to go ahead and start pumping and storing up some of your milk. Keep in mind that pumping in the early weeks may cause you to overproduce, but this should not be a problem if you are planning on doing a little pumping each day.

If you need to increase your milk supply, you can do this by continuing to pump for at least two minutes after you see the last drops of milk. This increases the prolactin levels in your blood stream which influence milk supply. You should also try not to have intervals of more than three or four hours between pumping or nursing sessions if possible to help keep prolactin levels stimulated. If your milk supply is really low you could try to nurse your baby as often as possible over the weekend, or even consider taking a day off work so that you can increase your daily nursing sessions which should increase the milk supply over the following days.

Storing Breast Milk

While at work you can pump and carry the breast milk in a small lunch cooler with a freezer pack inside. It does not have to be immediately frozen. The general rule of thumb if adding newly pumped milk to already cooled milk is to add less warm milk than you already have in the container of cooled milk. This is especially important if you are adding warm milk to frozen, but should be applied for refrigerated milk as well.

When storing breast milk you should keep it in the back part of the refrigerator or freezer where it will be coldest, not in the front or in the door. You may want to store your breast milk in small 2 to 4 ounce quantities, depending on your baby's age, so that your caregiver only needs to warm the amount needed for a particular feeding and there is less chance of waste.

Breast milk stays freshest and more nutrients are preserved if kept in a clean, hard-sided container with a tight fitting lid. There are also some brands of soft sided freezer bags that are designed to store breast milk, they are very thick and are specially designed for this purpose. If using bags for storage you might consider keeping them inside a box or plastic container in the freezer to protect them from being punctured.

Much like human blood, human milk contains living disease-fighting cells as well as other components that allow it to keep longer than formula or pasteurized cow's milk.  Recommendations on how long to keep breast milk for healthy full-term babies are as follows:

Always date any breast milk you store so that you can be sure to use the oldest milk first.

Using Stored Breast Milk

When warming breast milk before a feeding, run the bottle or storage bag under hot water - never microwave or boil because excessive heat can destroy valuable disease-fighting components of the milk and there is a danger of uneven heating or hot spots. An electric warmer designed for warming bottles is also okay to use. You should always shake the bottle before feeding as breast milk tends to separate with the "cream" going to the top. Only prepare what you think your baby will use within an hour or so, you can always warm more if he's still hungry.

Since babies get more nutrition out of a smaller volume of breast milk than of formula, it can be difficult to determine how much breast milk to feed your baby from a bottle.  Until you can better judge his appetite, a good method is to start with a bottle containing two ounces, then if he continues to act hungry or looks "expectant" you can add more breast milk in one ounce increments so that none of your expressed milk goes to waste.