Last week, Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas posted a Facebook request for moms to share their wisdom and advice about pumping, especially for new moms tackling the process for the first time. We don't have enough space to list all of the wonderful responses, but here are some encouraging tips from the pros:
Patience is important, breastfeeding and pumping can hurt but it gets better!
Raven shows off a bag of liquid goldJust do it! I was scared of my pump at first. Also, when you first start, ANYTHING you get is awesome. If you are nursing your baby full-time, there may not be much extra. 1/2 an ounce is a normal amount to pump when you're just starting. Don't be discouraged. It may take a week to pump enough to replace one feeding, but once you start replacing nursing sessions with pumped bottles, you'll be pumping more.Get a good, high quality pump. And if pumping has been going great for weeks/months, then suddenly not so great...it might be the pump. Don't assume it's you! Get your pump checked out. Patience and persistence are the watch words of all things related to breast milk.1. Make your own hands-free bra, it's cheaper and you know it fits properly. 2. Save space in your freezer by storing bags flat. 3. Instead of having a bunch of small storage bottles in your fridge, use a quart-size Mason jar to store milk until you're ready to fill bottles and bags. 4. Don't be afraid to travel - put your pump and accessories in a carry-on and go! Plus, many airports now have very nice nursing/pumping rooms. We're fortunate to have Dallas Love Field in the area, it's got one of the best rooms I've ever seen! 5. BUILD A TEAM - it takes a team of supporters to successfully breastfeed/pump, including family, medical professionals, and the lovely ladies at the milk bank.Have a small album of pictures of your baby to look at while you pump, especially if you've gone back to work and aren't seeing them. It's calming which helps you not be impatient, but also encourages the let down. It was really helpful to me.I would say to stick with it because it will become easier the more you do it. And the more you pump the more your supply will increase and pretty soon you'll have a freezer stash! It's the best feeling in the world!Be consistent, for the first 6-8 weeks pump every two hours to build up your supply (20 minute sessions) Download an app to track your progress, I use Pump Log...drink lots of water, Gatorade, juice, keep taking your prenatals and make it a point to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner!Don't stress! Just know a little is better than nothing! Don't get discouraged if you're not pumping 10 oz of liquid gold.Be patient, don't lose hope... It's totally worth the effort... And please do not let the surplus go to waste. Donate & save lives!
Last week, Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas posted a Facebook request for moms to share their wisdom and advice about pumping, especially for new moms tackling the process for the first time. We don't have enough space to list all of the wonderful responses, but here are some encouraging tips from the pros:
1. Make your own hands-free bra, it's cheaper and you know it fits properly. 2. Save space in your freezer by storing bags flat. 3. Instead of having a bunch of small storage bottles in your fridge, use a quart-size Mason jar to store milk until you're ready to fill bottles and bags. 4. Don't be afraid to travel - put your pump and accessories in a carry-on and go! Plus, many airports now have very nice nursing/pumping rooms. We're fortunate to have Dallas Love Field in the area, it's got one of the best rooms I've ever seen! 5. BUILD A TEAM - it takes a team of supporters to successfully breastfeed/pump, including family, medical professionals, and the lovely ladies at the milk bank.
Have a small album of pictures of your baby to look at while you pump, especially if you've gone back to work and aren't seeing them. It's calming which helps you not be impatient, but also encourages the let down. It was really helpful to me. I would say to stick with it because it will become easier the more you do it. And the more you pump the more your supply will increase and pretty soon you'll have a freezer stash! It's the best feeling in the world!
Be consistent, for the first 6-8 weeks pump every two hours to build up your supply (20 minute sessions) Download an app to track your progress, I use Pump Log...drink lots of water, Gatorade, juice, keep taking your prenatals and make it a point to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Don't stress! Just know a little is better than nothing! Don't get discouraged if you're not pumping 10 oz of liquid gold. Be patient, don't lose hope... It's totally worth the effort... And please do not let the surplus go to waste. Donate & save lives!
