Exclusive breastfeeding is often difficult to combine with an active daily routine involving work, appointments, and more. Pumping gives you the opportunity to ensure your baby is well cared for with your breast milk even when you're apart, while also actively maintaining your milk production. While you're out and about, another caregiver can take over feeding and enjoy this special moment of closeness with your baby. Once you're reunited, you can share beautiful moments together while breastfeeding. In this article, you’ll find tips on how to pump, as well as how to properly store and warm your milk.

Why should you pump?

When and why you start pumping is an individual decision. Most of the time, pumping is used to create a Milk supply to store. This way, your baby is nourished with breast milk even when you are separated from him. Many mothers describe that pumping helps them gain more Freedom because they can better balance breastfeeding and everyday life. However, before you offer a Little bottle of expressed breast milk in addition to breastfeeding, it’s important to have a well-established breastfeeding relationship. Our LILLYDOO midwife Sissi recommends that most mothers offer a bottle with expressed milk for the first time around six to eight weeks after birth , as getting used to the bottle is often more difficult if you start only after a few months. The bottle should be given by the primary caregiver responsible for feeding when you are not breastfeeding. Your baby should learn: you provide the breast, and your partner provides the bottle. Try it together before you go out for the first time to see whether your baby accepts the bottle. If problems arise and your little explorer refuses the bottle, ask your Midwife or breastfeeding consultant for advice. Some babies simply need a little time before they accept the bottle.

Some women start pumping immediately after birth because their Baby is unable to drink independently from the breast . This is often the case with a Preemie or due to other health reasons, when strength and coordination are lacking. For example, newborns with a Lip and palate cleft often have problems drinking at the breast. By pumping, your little explorer still receives valuable breast milk, and your milk production remains active. Once your baby has regained strength, you can switch to breastfeeding if you wish.

Additionally, pumping can help with Persistent problems : If your milk production is too low, pumping can help increase it. Before you consider pumping as an option, you should always check whether your baby is well latched onto the breast and sucking effectively. Likewise, pumping can temporarily relieve pressure in cases of excessive milk production and support emptying in the case of Milk retention . However, keep in mind that frequent pumping stimulates milk production and may potentially worsen the problem.

Do you have a milk surplus? Then you have the opportunity to donate expressed breast milk . This primarily helps premature and sick newborns whose mothers do not produce enough milk themselves. You can register online with the Women’s Milk Bank Initiative or ask your midwife or breastfeeding counselor about suitable contact points.

How does the pumping work?

There are two ways to express breast milk: by Hand or with a Pump . The right method for you depends entirely on how much milk you need and how often you want to pump. Your midwife or breastfeeding consultant can help answer your questions and find the right approach together with you.

Hand expression works well with the so-called C-grip. Place your thumb above your nipple and your index and middle fingers below (each about three centimeters away from the nipple). Then gently lift your breast. Press your thumb and fingers together softly so that your areola bunches up. To empty all milk ducts, move around your breast in a clockwise direction, pressing every one to two centimeters. Be sure to have your midwife or breastfeeding consultant show you how hand expression works and how to catch your breast milk in a container. Hand expression is not particularly suitable if you want to extract a large amount of milk over a longer period. However, it is very useful to learn the technique to relieve milk stasis or other breastfeeding problems. Additionally, some women can trigger their let-down reflex more easily by hand and then use the breast pump.

That brings us to the second option: breast pumps. In most drugstores and pharmacies, you will find Hand pumps . These are suitable for occasional pumping. They are handy, portable, and often quite inexpensive. If manual pumping is too tedious for you, there are electric models for single-sided pumping However, if you need more than just a small milk supply, a is recommended. electric milk pump, with which you can pump both breasts at the same time . Depending on the model, you can complete a full pumping session in 10 to 15 minutes. Electric breast pumps are also usually portable and can be used on the go.

With both electric models and modern hand pumps, you can adjust the Suction or pump frequency and the Vacuum . Test which setting works best for you and feels comfortable. Every woman experiences the sensation of a breast pump differently, so it’s a good idea to check the settings regularly. Many women, for example, adjust the vacuum after the Postpartum period, since the nipples are less sensitive then. Likewise, make sure the Breastplate fits well against your chest so that the milk ducts are not compressed.

Whether by hand or with a pump – it takes time and practice for everything to work smoothly and for the milk to flow optimally.

How often should you pump?

If your little explorer only receives expressed milk or is not yet able to suck independently at your breast, the same rules apply as with Breastfeeding : At first, you should pump eight to twelve times daily , meaning every two to three hours and once during the night. Once milk production has stabilized after the first few weeks, for some women it is enough to use the breast pump only five to six times a day. If your milk production decreases, it means you need to pump more frequently again.

If you would like to Combine breastfeeding and pumping , our midwife Sissi advises you to maintain your normal rest rhythm during the first months of life.

To build a sufficient milk supply, you can pump during or after breastfeeding . Simply place the breast pump on the breast that your little explorer is not currently nursing from. If you prefer to enjoy the moment in peace, you can also pump about an hour after the breastfeeding session. Try different methods and see what feels best for you and when your milk flows most easily.

As soon as your baby starts receiving Solid foods , your milk production will adjust accordingly. However, formula feeding is often still the main source of nutrition, so breastfeeding remains important, and you should continue to pump as usual when you're out for several hours. Do you only sleep at night now? If your baby sleeps through the night, it’s enough to have a milk supply ready in case you are away overnight. Tips for pumping No one becomes an expert overnight. Pumping takes practice, so it’s usually no reason to worry if little or no milk comes out at first. Often, it’s because the Milk let-down reflex is not triggered . That is the stimulus your baby triggers when it suckles on your nipple. With the tips from our midwife Sissi, expressing milk will hopefully go more smoothly soon:

• Choose the appropriate attachment : To ensure successful pumping, it is important that the pump flange fits your breast and sits correctly. It's best to try different sizes. It may also be that you need a different flange for each breast.

• Seek proximity to your baby : When you're out and about, it can help to look at a photo of your baby or smell their clothing. This releases the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates milk flow. Additionally, it can help to combine breastfeeding and pumping. That means you pump one breast while your baby nurses on the other.

• Chest massage: Gentle massages and warm breast compresses stimulate milk flow and make pumping easier.

• Try different times of the day: Every woman has her own unique rhythm. For some, milk production is highest immediately after waking up, while for others it peaks only after the second breastfeeding session. Experiment to see how best to incorporate pumping into your daily routine. The important thing is to pump regularly and stick to the times you have found. This way, your body will get used to it.

• Ensure relaxation : Under stress, milk often flows with difficulty. Find a quiet place to pump and try to relax, for example, with your favorite playlist. By the way: Your employer is required to provide you with a room for pumping.

Store breast milk

Have you been pumping diligently? Then the next step is to store your breast milk properly. At Room temperature (16-20°C), your expressed milk will keep for about six hours . So, for example, if you are only away briefly for a trip to the cinema, you can easily pump beforehand, and your little explorer will have a meal for later. If you need to transport your milk and do not plan to feed it right away, store it in an insulated bag with cooling packs.

Store your breast milk in the refrigerator to build a milk supply. Place the storage containers/bottles or breast milk bags toward the back of your refrigerator, not in the door, because the temperatures are lowest there. At approximately 4°C , you can keep the milk for up to six days . Pay special attention to keeping your refrigerator clean so that the breast milk does not come into contact with germs. Breast milk can also be frozen. Under clean conditions and at approximately -18°C , it will keep for about three to four months ; with strong, consistent cooling, up to six months.

Warm up breast milk

If your little explorer is hungry, warm the bottle under running warm water, in a bottle warmer with hot air, or in a water bath until the milk reaches approximately Body temperature (maximum 37°C). Sissi's tip : Don’t heat too much milk at once. Instead, offer small milk portions because warmed milk must be fed immediately and cannot be reused. Especially fully breastfed babies aged two to three months sometimes only take a few sips, and then it’s a shame to have to throw the milk away.

We hope we were able to provide you with some helpful information about pumping and wish you a wonderful time with your little explorer!