Pumping and Storing Breast Milk
You may need to express or pump breast milk to relieve engorgement, to
increase your milk supply or to feed your baby breast milk with a bottle.
Why and When to Pump
•
To soften your breasts if your baby is having trouble latching on.
Pump for a few minutes and try your baby at your breast again.
•
To have a milk supply when your baby is unable to breastfeed or to
store breast milk.
Pump every 2 to 4 hours through the day and one time at night.
•
To increase your milk supply.
Pump every 2 to 3 hours if you are not breastfeeding, or
Pump between feedings as often as you can.
Pump on the second breast if your baby only nurses on one side.
•
To prepare to return to work or school.
Pump one time each day, between feedings to store extra milk.
Morning is a good time to pump.
Pump extra milk and store it at least 2 weeks before your return
date.
Pump at least every 4 hours when away.
Ways to Express Breast Milk
•
By hand
Massage breast toward nipple to express milk.
•
With a pump
There are manual and electric breast pumps.
Pump for about 10 minutes on each breast any time you pump.