SUMMARY :
- The breast pump in a few words
- Expressing milk: an act of love and conviction
- Small equipment for beginner breastfeeding pumps!
- 6 women's secrets to expressing your milk more easily
- 4 mom’s tips for a successful breastfeeding pump!
- What you must remember
- Have the right reflex, check out our other articles to become an even more zen mom 🧘♀️!
It's a funny word, breastfeeding pump.
However, more and more young mothers are choosing this way of feeding their breastfed baby, girl or boy , sometimes from birth or after a few weeks (time to recover).
Breastfeeding allows you to reconcile the life of an active woman and the desire to still breastfeed your child, to feed him with his own milk, without him being put to the breast. The collected milk is then administered in the form of bottle feedings.
As an alternative or complement to breastfeeding, but also as a derivative of mixed breastfeeding , the breast pump opens up the possibility for all women who cannot or do not want to put their baby to the breast after childbirth, to use their breast milk anyway. Which often removes a considerable weight of guilt from them!
The breast pump in a few words
You will have understood – the breast pump is aptly named – the idea is to express your milk every day to give it to baby at each meal, using a bottle . You can also, if necessary, express milk at night.
Why use a breast pump? Because :
- breastfeeding could not be implemented but you do not want to give powdered milk ,
- you find this method practical and flexible,
- your child's palate or tongue does not allow him to latch on well ,
- it better suits your lifestyle (work, sport, physical disability, etc.)
- And for many other reasons.
Expressing milk: an act of love and conviction
Why choose to express milk? The answer is up to you. But, we have still tried to draw up a (non-exhaustive) list of reasons which may lead you to question, consider or choose a breast pump.
- The return to work is approaching and you want to continue giving your baby your milk for a few more months, even when you are away... A good solution: expressing your breast milk!
- A sucking problem , baby does not want to breastfeed , a physiological problem (inverted nipples, pain, cracks, etc.) or health problem (lack of milk, fatigue, etc. ), prevents you from breastfeeding comfortably or prevents your baby from breastfeeding.
- You want to involve your spouse or partner in this unique moment of breastfeeding your child. Exit the feedings; the bottle can be given by a third person.
- Expressing your milk yourself can relieve you in the event of engorgement , when your baby, although breastfed since childhood, is unable to drink all of your milk, or when you are at your workplace.
- On the contrary, in the event of a drop in lactation, using the breast pump regularly can promote production and increase the volume expressed.
- As long as you breastfeed, you delay the return of diapers and the reappearance of menstruation.
- To give your milk without breastfeeding , because you don't like it, because it makes you uncomfortable or because your first breastfeeding was complicated: whatever it is and it's important, because it's your choice
- Breastfeeding pump allows you to know the quantity of milk produced and given at each feeding. You are never left without an answer to the famous question: “and how much does your daughter drink?” ...
Small equipment for beginner breastfeeding pumps!
A delicate breast pump with your breasts
Anyone who has already expressed milk knows that the machine is not always the most pleasant to use, even if some models are more comfortable than others for your breasts. What to do ? Perform a manual pump before each bottle feeding? Not necessarily.
To choose your breast pump carefully, you can start by renting it as soon as you leave the maternity ward. Many companies offer weekly rentals, which allows you to quickly change if the equipment is not suitable. Once you find the right model, you can always decide to buy it.
Other important points to raise:
- Electric or manual breast pump ?
- Single or double pumping model ?
Here again it is a question of need and feeling. The choice is yours.
Anti-colic bottle: up to what age should you use it?
If you choose to breastfeed 100% from the end of your delivery, consider that the double electric breast pump will be more efficient and faster. Especially since expressing milk is, at least initially, rather time-consuming.
Note that you can rent a breast pump 100% reimbursed in pharmacies , with a prescription from your doctor or midwife. You then only have to purchase the accessories (breast shields and storage bottles), which can sometimes be covered by your mutual insurance company.
If you plan to use it at home and at your workplace, choose a more portable and less heavy model that you can slip into a practical, space-saving bag with all its accessories.
Which bottle to use when using a breast pump?
Breastfeeding your baby is a gentle and beautiful gesture. To recreate this magic through the breast pump , Élhée imagined the bibRond, an innovative baby bottle made of medical grade silicone !
A creation born from a mother's love for birth and design, this unexpected blend reveals the first round and supple baby bottle, beautiful and pleasant in your hand as in that of your child, with its distinctive shape which so well recalls the perfection of the breast.
We designed it for this reason: to allow all parents to feel, share and keep the delicate and pure sensations of breastfeeding from birth, from the end of the stay in the maternity ward, through a bibRond.
- 150,
- 240
- 330 ml... The choice is yours!
In addition, the pacifier is physiological and therefore offers comfortable suction to the child.
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What containers should I buy to store expressed milk ?
In terms of storage, you will need small freezer jars – or suitable storage bags – and storage bottles to place in the refrigerator. These could be the bottles that come with your breast pump if you have several.
Élhée bibRONDS come with a small cover which allows you to make the bibROND airtight and use it as a container by removing the pacifier. All you have to do is pour the milk into your bibROND, close it airtight and place it in the refrigerator.
In the event of multiple pumps, avoid pouring the newly expressed and still lukewarm milk into a storage bottle already started earlier in the day. Let it cool first before adding it.
Do you know how many bottles to allow per day?
And is the exclusive breast pump possible?
Our answer :
Assuming that you and baby are on the same wavelength, the breast pump can be quite exclusive . You simply need to equip yourself a little so that breast pumping is effective, comfortable and as pleasant as possible.
💡Did you know?
Manual expression of milk is an alternative. If you can't find a suitable breast pump, pumping hurts, pumping makes you uncomfortable, or the thing itself doesn't please you, try expressing your milk yourself. .
The method :
- Start by massaging your nipples and areolas between your thumb and index finger.
- Then place your hand on the breast.
- Gently press towards the chest, squeeze and release.
It's worth the cost to try! If only to remove the weight induced by milk while waiting to find your dear milk expressing machine. 😅
6 women's secrets to expressing your milk more easily
It's not really a myth, expressing milk can be unpleasant and even hurt a little at first. Changing your breast pump, but also changing your breast shields can offer you a little more comfort during your sessions.
Also consider investing in a suitable bra or bustier. By holding the breast shields in place, they leave your hands free.
If you want to save time, a little organization is necessary, especially in the first weeks of lactation:
- To obtain maximum milk, opt for the double pumping breast pump. The draws will be done two by two. 🤞
- Express your milk regularly : Catherine Watson's power-pumping (or energetic pumping) suggests 10 pumps per day for 5 to 10 minutes with at least 45 minutes of break between each, while the Lact&Sens method recommends 3 pumps for an hour per day at the rate of 20 minutes of pulling then alternating 10 minutes of break and 10 minutes of pumping.
- Stimulate your lactation! Not everyone is born with a REF (strong ejection reflex). Breastfeeding herbal teas , like certain foods , will particularly help you: fennel, basil, cumin and verbena, but also apples, quince, cashew nuts or almonds with plenty of mineral water.
- Take your time : initially, you will dedicate several hours every day and night to pumping your milk, so take all your time to be relaxed and well settled (especially if you are at home, it is more complicated at work) and keep in mind the reasons that motivate you.
- Ask for advice : LecheLeague is the association specializing in breastfeeding, but other mothers, your mother, will also be able to help and support you. There are also breastfeeding groups on social media, as well as independent lactation consultations.
- Massage yourself! Whether it is for your well-being, toning their fine skin or stimulating lactation, massaging your breasts is a source of benefits that it would be a shame to do without. Before putting on the breast pump, gently feel the areolas to soften them. This gesture can also help relieve you in the event of breast engorgement.
How to properly store breast milk between two breastfeeding pumping sessions?
Each production of breast milk must be subject to certain precautions in terms of conservation. To put it simply, remember that it will keep for 4 hours at room temperature and 4 months in the freezer . In the fridge, it's two days maximum above 4 degrees.
To facilitate logistics and avoid storage difficulties, consider small labels to stick on the container to record the date and time of each volume collected. Finally, to warm expressed milk, choose the bottle warmer and bottle preparers compatible with all our Élhée models !
Please note: place frozen milk in the fridge at least 6 hours before feeding to give it time to return to its initial state.
Donating breast milk: a tender gesture still little known, possible thanks to the breastfeeding pump
In France, there are around twenty lactariums capable of collecting breast milk from anonymous donations . Still relatively marginal, this donation nevertheless provides essential help to feed and sometimes save very premature babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed. In 2018, nearly 45,000 liters of milk were collected.
If you have already breastfed or are breastfeeding, you can donate your excess expressed milk, or reserve a few milliliters of each pump for other breastfed babies in need. After a few medical examinations, the donation is done at home, peacefully, at your own pace.
4 mom’s tips for a successful breastfeeding pump!
- Find your routine by expressing your milk when you want it, when you feel it, when your mood is right... In short, without pressure! If possible, why not use a portable breast pump that you can take with you to express your milk from your workplace . In France, young mothers are entitled to one hour per day for this.
- Chase away stress and find the best way to relax: a series or a book can do wonders and occupy your mind enough so that the milk flows more easily.
- Stimulate your emotions by practicing skin-to-skin contact with your breastfed baby just before, by breathing in pajamas or a comforter, or why not, by watching a video if he is not with you. The mother/child bond is an integral part of the lactation process.
- If possible, always have your clean equipment on hand and stored in an airtight bag . You can also purchase double breastfeeding accessories and postpone washing until later, without missing the time for the next draw.
Do you know about breastfeeding shells ? Both very stylish and very useful, once installed, they facilitate the repair of nipples in breast milk. A little extra tip to avoid difficulties, succeed in your breastfeeding pump, and have a good time!
What you must remember
- Breast pumping is a technique for expressing breast milk, sometimes from the birth of the child, sometimes at night but mainly during the day, using a special machine called a "breast pump".
- The breast pump is available in manual or electric format.
- The first weeks are those of discovery. Getting started can therefore be tricky, which is perfectly normal!
- Choosing mixed breastfeeding allows you to take time for yourself.
- Childbirth is a very emotional event. In the event of a dangerous birth, the breast pump is often the solution allowing the struggling woman that you are to find a little respite by delegating responsibility for feedings.
Breastfeeding mothers have all experienced the same difficulties, and have all benefited from advice found on sites like ours or from lactation/relactation consultants.
We have just shared with you our best tips for fully succeeding in your breastfeeding pump and hope that you have had a good time reading this guide.
Have the right reflex, check out our other articles to become an even more zen mom 🧘♀️!
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