Some might thinkbreast pumping is a simple thing to do – you sit down, attach your breast to the pump, and the milk starts flowing. For some women, it is that easy, but others may need a little coaxing to get the milk flowing.
Amidst all the other stresses of new motherhood, breast pumping doesn’t need to be a source of worry. With a few simple tips up your sleeve, you can look at your pumping sessions as a time of relaxation rather than stress, and get the most out of your milk supply.
Warm up first
This doesn’t necessarily relate to your temperature, but more about getting yourself mentally and physically prepared. While some people do like to take a hot shower or place a heat pack over their breasts to help the milk let down, others simply need to relax.
Choose somewhere comfortable to sit where you won’t be disturbed, take along a big glass of water and a snack, relax your shoulders and back, and focus on your breathing. Once you feel warmed up and ready to go, you can begin pumping.
Keep yourself occupied
For some women, focusing on the job at hand and imagining all of the nourishment this milk will give their baby is a method that helps milk flow. For others however, it simply makes them tense under the pressure. If thinking of your baby helps, try looking through pictures and videos of your child to help make a connection if you can’t be with them at the time of pumping.
If you do want to keep yourself occupied in other ways, there are some effective methods to get this done. Read a trashy magazine, scroll through your Facebook feed, or play some addictive games on your phone. Whatever is going to help you relax and forget about the task at hand is a good idea.
Invest in a quality pump
While it’s true that our bodies play the main role in extracting breastmilk,having a quality pump makes the job all the much easier. While manual pumps are still used by a few, there’s no denying the ease and convenience of an automatic helper.
Whether you want to purchase a double or single pump, have a preferred brand in mind, or are borrowing a (sanitised) pump from a friend, it needs to be a quality product. This is one area where you don’t want to skimp and something which can cost you hours of work in the long run unless you choose wisely.
Here atPeachymama, we want to make the breastfeeding journey easier for all parents, including the tips in this blog, and our fashion-forward range of clothing designed especially for new or breastfeeding mothers.
Further Reading:
https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/week-8/picking-a-pump.aspx