10 tips for a better breast pumping experience
Pumping doesn't have to be painful, stressful experience. Even after finding the right flange size and best pump settings, it still hurt.
Here’s how I managed to overcome that challenge while exclusively pumping breast milk. Hi, April here. I’m a first-time mother to my beautiful little boy. I felt strongly about wanting to feed him my milk. But I was shocked when he wasn’t able to latch correctly. I won’t go into the panic and concern that went through me while in the hospital in those early days of his life. (I will write a post about that later). For now, I believe it’s most helpful to share the tips and tricks I found useful in easing the process of breast pumping, making it a bit more manageable and significantly less uncomfortable.
Let’s get right into it without any further delay.
Use nipple butter on the flanges, your areolas, and nipples. With elastic nipples, my areolas stretch further into the flange no matter what size I use, on low vacuum settings. The nipple butter helps to keep things sliding more easily. I personally like Earth Mama. It’s organic. It’s safe for baby to consume, and it’s easy for me to get.
Use breast massagers. These little warming massagers were true game changers. They were one of the last things I found in my journey, but I wish I would have had them from day one. I underestimated how well they would work. Every session I use my mom cozy massagers one for each breast. I sneak them in my bra, on the outside of each breast and use them on a low vibration and low warm setting.
Invest in a well-made pumping bra. This was a priority when I first started pumping. I thought it was so I could do things while pumping. But I quickly found out that it's much better for my sanity and milk supply to sit while pumping. When you are relaxed, your letdowns will be more efficient. Having a pumping bra will allow your hands and arms to rest. After trying A LOT of them, my favorite was the Sublime Wireless Sleep Bra by Kindred Braverly. It was the most comfortable for my larger size, and the fabric wasn’t scratchy like other cheaper brands.
A water bottle. Personally, I like having one that can hold at least 32oz and has a straw. I tend to drink more water with a straw which is always a good thing with breast feeding or pumping.
Charging Station. For all your pumping needs. I keep something to charge my pump, my breast massagers, a cell phone charger, and sometimes my Kindle charger. I like these charging blocks.
Storage jars or bags. I thought about this for a long time. I wanted to be as environmentally friendly as I could be. I bought the silicone reusable freezer trays. But then I had a tough time storing the milk after it was frozen. I would have to use a Ziploc bag or a bulky Tupperware container. I opted for the single-use sterile freezer bags by Lagnosih. For milk, I intend on using it within a day or two. I keep it in ready bottles or these glass jars in the fridge.
Snacks. I thought I knew what hunger was after experiencing pregnancy. Breastfeeding and pumping bring a whole new meaning to the word. I tend to lean on quick snacks during my pump sessions as I don’t always want a full meal or have the time. Here’s some of my favorites.
Cliff bars, my favorite flavor White Chocolate Macadamia nut
Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars any flavor, they are SO good!
Popcorn - Skinny Pop is my favorite
Apple and peanut butter
Reusable cloths. When I first started pumping, we used A LOT of paper towels. Trying to keep everything as sterile as possible. I quickly switched over to using reusable microfiber cloths for drying my pump parts and as something to wipe my fingers off of when using the nipple butter.
TV show, books, Kindle. When you have the time, take the time to relax during a pump session. Watch your favorite cheezy TV show. Read a book. I will even use the time to scroll Instagram as I don’t have much time for that these days. Do something that you enjoy while sitting.
Ice Packs for the boobies. I know these are pretty underrated, but I love how easily they slip into my bra. If I am having an especially sensitive day, I can tuck them in after a session, and I know they aren’t going anywhere. I use these Lansinoh ones, which are perfect because you can use them hot or cold.
Create a schedule that works for you. Early on, I didn’t put much faith in the whole pumping schedule. I had friends who drove themselves crazy with their schedules. But I realized that my sleep-deprived brain was having a hard time keeping up with the random times I was pumping. And my body had no idea when it should produce milk since the times were never lining up daily. Plus, I started to learn my body. I learned roughly how much I was making and how much I could expect in a given session. Then I started to play with how much time I could go between a pump without feeling uncomfortable and noticing a drop in supply. For me, it’s roughly every 3 hours during the day and about 5 hours overnight. (That’s once he started sleeping through the night.) For example, I could pump at 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, and between 4 and 5 pm. Followed by one last pump before bed between 8 and 9 pm. I would wake up around 1 am and then again around 5 am. By all means, this will not work for everyone. But I didn’t feel like anyone was sharing what they did for a schedule, so here’s mine. The one thing that stuck with me when I saw a lactation specialist was that you have some wiggle room to play and feel what’s right for your body. Only you know your body, so listen to it. The last thing I will say about this point is: Those times are guidelines, not absolutes. Most days, I aim for a 30-minute window in or around that time, and my body seems okay with that. So don’t drive yourself crazy with hard limits.
Bonus Points: Having a supportive spouse. Having someone willing to help during those times when the baby is awake and you must pump is crucial. I fully believe that the more sessions you can relax and sit back while pumping, the easier the pump session will be. I know I have better letdowns and produce more milk, the more I can relax during a session. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to receive help. This is all a very long, body-intensive process, and you deserve help.
That’s it, my top essentials to have on hand if you plan on breast pumping regularly throughout your baby’s first year.
