As a mother, breast pumping can be overwhelming! There are so many breast pump parts and many myths out there, which only make pumping more stressful than it needs to be. This blog post will give you the best breast pump tips, including breast pumping tips for new moms, breast pumping tips to increase milk supply when pumping breast milk, breast milk storage tips, breast milk pumping tips, and details on the best online breastfeeding class on the market!
When I was a first-time mother, I didn’t have any resources for breastfeeding and pumping support before going into maternal and child health. One day my OB-GYN asked me, “Do you plan on breastfeeding?” to which I responded, “yes,” and then the conversation never came up again.
There is evidence that lack of knowledge among lactating individuals has a negative impact on breastfeeding rates, as many parents have difficulty understanding and assessing lactation issues, such as sore nipples, latch, low milk production, etc.
Research also shows prenatal breastfeeding education increased breastfeeding initiation and the length of time mothers breastfed! [4]. “Mothers who are knowledgeable about breastfeeding and hold a positive approach towards breastfeeding have the tendency to initiate breastfeeding and continue for a lengthened period” [4].
This is why I made The Balanced Breastfeeding Course with 280 minutes of education and video demonstration with 160+ easy-to-follow PDF Pages plus photo demonstrations! This course fills the gap in our maternity care system, addressing everything you need to know to have a successful breastfeeding relationship.
My experiences during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding are what led me to become an expert in this field and use my education to answer your questions and make your life easier.
Now let’s get into these prized breastfeeding tips that I wish I had known sooner!
1. Is a Breast Pump a Need for Everyone?
Did you know the generic electric breast pump that comes to mind is not needed for every mother?!
If you and your baby are going to be separated for you to go to work or your baby to go to daycare, then you do need an electric pump. But other mothers need to know that a $20 Haakaa might be all you need instead if you don’t need to be away from your baby most of the time!
The milk you would collect using the Haakaa 2-4 times per day would likely be substantial for you to have some date nights or occasional days of your baby being watched by someone else!
2. Breast Pump Tips: Hands-Free Pumping
If you have determined you need an electric breast pump, consider a hands-free breast pump like the Zomee Fit! And take 20% off the Zomee Fit with my code: KATELYN20 today.
Or, if you have a “regular” electric breast pump with the machine, tubing, breast pump bodies, and collection cups, try out an affordable drawstring bag to remove the restriction from pumping!
How to Use the Hands-Free Drawstring Bag Pumping Tip:
- First, ensure you have a pumping bra. I highly recommend getting a few 2-in-1 nursing and pumping bras so you don’t have to hunt down the specific bra you’re looking for each day!
- Next, start pumping as usual.
- Then, put your breast pump machine into a drawstring bag.
- Now you can move anywhere while you’re pumping hands-free!
3. Breast Pump Tips to Make Nursing Easier All Day AND NIGHT!
A nursing cart!
A nursing cart is typically a 3-tier utility cart with wheels that you put your breastfeeding essentials, diaper changing necessities, and quick baby care necessities on and can easily access throughout the day and night!
During the day, you may have this in the living room with you, and then at night, you can take it to your bedroom!
4. Massage Your Breasts While Pumping
Massaging your breasts while pumping is also known as “hands-on pumping,” which can increase your breastmilk output by 48%!! (see research study [1])
While pumping, gently rub and massage all around your breasts to help stimulate more milk to come out.
5. A Large, Insulated Bottle for Milk Collection
The Ceres Chill Chillers can keep your breastmilk chilled for up to 22 hours!
If you have ice in the chiller, the inner chamber can hold up to 12 ounces of chilled breastmilk. Or, if you put the ice in the inner chamber, your chiller can hold up to 24 ounces of breastmilk!
The Ceres Chill Chiller is perfect for collecting your breastmilk overnight without having to get out of bed to put it in the fridge (if you leak or collect milk on the opposite side while nursing your baby). Additionally, it’s practical for collecting and chilling your milk daily at work before you go home and store it for the next day!
See tip #6 to see how the chiller can double as an easy on-the-go bottle warmer, too!
If you’re interested, check out the Ceres Chill Chillers and take 15% OFF with code: KATELYN15!
6. Warm Your Breastmilk On-The-Go!
Fill your Ceres Chill Chiller with warm water and place a bottle of breastmilk inside for a few minutes to warm a bottle for your baby anytime and any place!
Again, save 15% on your Chiller with code: KATELYN15 at checkout.
7. Pump Wipes
These handy Quick Clean Breast Pump Wipes are great for cleaning your pump after each use throughout the day at home, traveling, or at work! There is no soap or water needed. Plus, they double as quick cleaning wipes for highchairs, countertops, and more!
For another breast pump cleaning alternative, see tip #8.
8. Breast Pumping Tips for New Moms: The 24-Hour Fridge Method
The 24-hour fridge method is when instead of cleaning your breast pump after each use, you put the used pump parts (all the parts, excluding the motor and tubing of the pump) into a gallon size plastic bag and put it into the fridge after each use to prevent bad bacteria growth, and do this for up to 24 hours after each use before thoroughly cleaning your pump parts with warm water and soap at home.
And for an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags, check out these gallon-sized food-grade silicone reusable bags!
*The CDC does not approve this tip. However, using your judgment, you can decide if you would like to use this tip!
Keep in mind premature babies or other babies may need more sensitive and rigorous sanitary care of these products to prevent further harm or sickness to their bodies.
9. Breast Pumping Tips for New Moms: Use Your Flanges as Funnels!
When pouring your breastmilk into your breastmilk storage bag or breastmilk storage jar, take a flange and use it as a funnel to minimize spills.
Check out, How to Manage High Lipase Milk to learn what the best storage container is for storing breastmilk!
10. Breast Pump Tips for New Moms: Use Your Table for Sealing
Next, after tip #9, use the edge of a table to seal your breastmilk storage bag with minimal bubbles.
11. Breast Pump Tips: Flat First
Following tip #10, freeze your breastmilk storage bag flat first to minimize the space it takes up. Also, check out Fairhaven Health’s Breastmilk Storage System to lay your breastmilk storage bags flat, and stack them in this system to further save freezer space! And don’t forget to use code: KATELYN15 to save 15% on your Fairhaven Health order!
Afterward, you can file them upright in this breastmilk storage bag caddy container in your refrigerator to defrost them overnight to use the next day if you would like!
A study from July 2022 found that thawing your frozen breastmilk overnight in the fridge can potentially preserve the secretory immunoglobin A (SIgA) concentration and lysozyme activity to a greater extent than heating breastmilk immediately after removal from the freezer [2]. Both SIgA and lysozyme are essential components of breastmilk that protect babies from infections.
12. Breast Pumping Tips for New Moms: Breastmilk has White Blood Cells
The CDC’s breastmilk storage guide is a nice guide to have. However, the authors admit that there isn’t enough research to make this information, so they are erroring on the side of caution. For example, there is actually no evidence that breastmilk leftover in a bottle that was not previously frozen is no longer good after 1-2 hours [3]. Breastmilk is different than other foods because it contains white blood cells. Therefore, it doesn’t breed bacteria as quickly as other food. Therefore, you can be quite lenient with these times when needed.
With your purchase of The Balanced Breastfeeding Course, you receive many freebies and bonuses, including my breastmilk storage guide, sample pumping and breastfeeding schedules for different work or stay-at-home schedules, a healthy baby poop guide, diaper output guide, and so much more!
13. Breast Pumping Tips for New Moms: Making Milksicles
As I mentioned in: Everything You Need to Know About Baby Teething Remedies At Home, making milksicles with a baby popsicle mold like the Nuby Popsicle Mold can provide a cooling and nutritious remedy to help your teething baby!
How to make your milksicles:
- Pour your breastmilk into a bottle using a breast pump flange (if you have one) as a funnel
- Then, carefully pour your breastmilk into the popsicle mold
- Cover tightly with the lid
- Place in the freezer for a few hours
- Serve to your baby!
14. Breast Pumping Tips for New Moms: Get Your Flanges Fitted
It’s crucial to have optimally fitted flanges for pumping to ensure you’re expressing enough and preventing clogged ducts and mastitis.
Signs Your Flange is Too Small:
✗ Your nipple does not move freely inside the flange
✗ You’re experiencing rubbing on the sides of your nipple
If your flange is too small, this could lead to a low milk supply from poor milk extraction and painful milk expression from the friction, pinching, or squeezing of the nipple against the flange.
Signs Your Flange is Too Big:
✗ Your areola is pulled into the tunnel
✗ You’re experiencing nipple pinching or pulling
If your flange is too big, this can also cause discomfort. Additionally, your areola may not receive enough stimulation, possibly leading to a low milk supply.
Signs the Flange is Just Right:
✓ Your nipple can move freely
✓ Only a small part or none of your areola enters the tunnel when pumping
A flange that’s the correct size will allow your nipple to fit in the flange’s tunnel without any friction on its walls.
How to Measure Your Flange Size:
It’s recommended to first, pump for 5 minutes, then measure the diameter of your nipple (length across your nipple) using a ruler or sewing tape measurer. Then add 4mm to your diameter, and this will be your flange size!
However, finding the right flange sizes often still takes some trial and error. Plus, you can have different flange sizes for each breast! I do!
15. Breast Pump Tips: Take an Online Breastfeeding Class
Did you know that 40% of mothers fear an insufficient milk supply which is the primary cause of mothers switching to formula?
In one study of the women who used formula, 73% cited ‘perceived insufficient milk’ as the primary reason for supplementation or complete discontinuation of breastfeeding.
And 60% of women don’t breastfeed for as long as they want to.
Our society lacks evidence-based and encouraging lactation support for mothers. By taking an online breastfeeding class by an experienced maternal and child health lactation professional, you can learn everything you need to know about breastfeeding, including returning to work, conquering baby sleep, and pumping 101, to make breastfeeding not only something you can successfully do, but something you are confident and empowered doing!
Learn more about my online breastfeeding class, The Balanced Breastfeeding Course, here.
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References:
[1] Morton, J., Hall, J. Y., Wong, R. J., Thairu, L., Benitz, W. E., & Rhine, W. D. (2009). Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of preterm infants. Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, 29(11), 757–764. https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.87
[2] Li X, Siviroj P, Ruangsuriya J, Yousaibua N, Ongprasert K. Effects of the thawing rate and heating temperature on immunoglobulin A and lysozyme activity in human milk. Int Breastfeed J. 2022 Jul 7;17(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s13006-022-00487-4. PMID: 35799170; PMCID: PMC9264520.
[3] Fogleman AD, Meng T, Osborne J, Perrin MT, Jones F, Allen JC. Storage of Unfed and Leftover Mothers’ Own Milk. Breastfeed Med. 2018 Jan/Feb;13(1):42-49. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2016.0168. Epub 2017 Dec 13. PMID: 29235902.
[4] Kehinde J, O’Donnell C, Grealish A. The effectiveness of prenatal breastfeeding education on breastfeeding uptake postpartum: A systematic review. Midwifery. 2022 Dec 14;118:103579. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103579. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36580847.
DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
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