Caitlin Goodwin
Is a certified nurse midwife with 15+ years of experience in labor and delivery.
Becoming a parent can feel like an absolute whirlwind. One moment, you are planning your birth; the next, you are responsible for a tiny human with countless needs. Most parents strive to provide a nurturing environment for their children.
One of those opportunities is feeding your baby in a way that honors your and your baby's needs. Each family has unique needs, and finding the right approach to feeding looks different for everyone.
People often make false assumptions about those who choose to pump their breasts exclusively. For those using a breast pump, there are special considerations for the feeding journey ahead.
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Embrasing Breast Pumping
For families balancing work, travel, or other obligations, pumping offers a way to sustain the natural, nourishing connection breastfeeding provides. Infant feeding fosters the bond between parent and child. Breast milk offers the best of both worlds: it maintains the benefits of breastfeeding while enabling others to help with feeding.
Breast pumping complements natural parenting by continuing to feed your baby breast milk but offering flexibility in your routine. Embracing this approach enables parents to provide the health benefits that breast milk offers. However, there may be confusion when feeding the infant breast milk with a bottle because society often uses bottle feeding synonymously with formula feeding.
Some families prefer to exclusively breast pump and give their baby the milk by bottle. This approach empowers parents and supports their parenting choices by allowing them to combine the benefits of breast milk with the convenience of bottle feeding.
Key Tips For Breast Pumping
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Clean each breast pump part to avoid infecting your breasts or baby.
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Start each pumping session with three deep breaths. Visualise your baby in your mind’s eye or place a picture or blanket nearby to stimulate breast milk.
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Massage your breasts for a minute or two before pumping.
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Ensure the proper fit of the breast shield around the breast and nipple to prevent air leaks.
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If possible, pump both breasts simultaneously. Experiment with pump settings with varying degrees of suction and patterns, like a milk letdown function.
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Make sure to eat all snacks and meals and stay hydrated.
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Pump on a routine schedule to maintain a steady milk supply.
Manual VS Electric Pumps
There are two different types of breast pumps: manual and electric.
Manual Pumps
Manual uses a hand pump that removes milk from one breast at a time. It is best for those who only need to use a pump occasionally or to relieve discomfort during engorgement.
Electric Pumps
An electric pump can pump two breasts at once and is ideal when away from the baby more frequently or for more extended periods. Many women use a pumping bra or buy particular parts for their hands-free milk collection.
Troubleshoot Breast Pumping
Nipple pain: After pumping, your nipples should not be misshapen, bleeding, or painful. If they are, try a larger size of breast shield so that the nipples do not rub against the sides of the flange. Decrease the suction settings if this is causing nipple pain.
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Poor suction: If the breast shield lacks a good seal around the breast and nipple, indicated by milk leaking around the shield, get a smaller size. Finally, check pump pieces for buildup or missing parts.
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Supply decrease: Drink more water and nourish your body with nutrient-rich foods. Center your nipple in the flange. Increase pumping frequency to every two to three hours.
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Clogged ducts: A clogged duct is a painful, hardened area in the breast. Apply a warm compress. After a few moments, gently massage the milk duct. Empty the breast with the clogged duct thoroughly. If it remains, dangle feed your baby to allow gravity to help. Dangle feeding is done by placing your infant on their back and dangling your nipple over their mouth.
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Engorgement: (a common breastfeeding issue where breasts become painfully overfull with milk) Use a warm compress or shower to soften the breast tissue and make feeding easier. Regularly and thoroughly empty the breasts every two to three hours to relieve and prevent engorgement.
Creating a Comfy Space
Relaxation promotes milk flow and comfort, so your pumping area should soothe you. Employers often offer a space to pump, like a private room or closed office.
If you’re breast pumping after returning to work in the UK, your employer must assess risks and provide a private, hygienic space (not a toilet) for expressing milk. While there’s no legal right to paid breaks, employers are encouraged to be flexible under health and safety laws. Treating a breast pumping employee unfairly may be considered sex discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
Meanwhile, in the US, if your company has 50 or more employees, know your protections under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act . For up to one year following birth, your employer must offer a private, secure, and freely available space that is not a bathroom as a breast pumping space.
The space should provide quiet, white noise, or calming music to promote a tranquil atmosphere. Soft lighting and a comfortable and supportive chair are also helpful. You will want to have water and snacks nearby.
Developing a Pumping Schedule
Regular pumping enhances milk production by signaling your body to produce milk consistently. A typical pumping schedule during the workday includes pumping every two to three hours.
A sample schedule is as follows:
- 7:00 A.M. Either breastfeed your baby or pump your breasts before going to work.
- 10:00 A.M. Take the first morning pumping break.
- 1:00 P.M. Pump breasts over lunch.
- 5:00 P.M. Breastfeed the baby or pump directly after work. Some opt to pump hands-free on the commute home.
Be flexible in your pumping schedule, but keep your routine as consistent as possible. Changes in workday, travel, or family needs will shake up your day. However, frequent pumping is essential to maintaining supply.
Safe Milk Storage Practices
Breast pumping milk takes a lot of time and effort. Thus, it is crucial to ensure all milk is safe to drink. The human milk storage guidelines include specific lengths of time depending on the type of breast milk, storage location, and temperature. Assuring milk quality enables families to benefit from pumping.
Freshly pumped breast milk is good at room temperature for up to four hours, in the refrigerator for up to four days, and in a freezer for between six to twelve months. Thawed, previously frozen breast milk is safe at room temperature for one to two hours, in the fridge for one day, and should never be refrozen.
Finally, use the remaining breast milk from a feeding session within two hours after completing the feed. Otherwise, you should toss the milk. Heartbreaking, we know!
Organising Breast Milk Bags
Freeze smaller amounts of milk close to the amount your baby eats to minimise waste. It is helpful to write how many ML/ounces are available in each bag. In the future, you can estimate how many bags to thaw to fill up your baby’s tummy and avoid throwing away expired milk.
If you are using pumping bags for breast pumping, flatten them carefully before placing them in the freezer so they freeze as thin and flat as possible. Once frozen, you can stack them on top of each other or stick them in long plastic organisation containers. Keep the oldest milk in the front to easily rotate out the stock.
After pumping:
1. Label milk bags with the date and time of pumping.
2. Combine the milk from one or more pumping sessions, so long as it is cooled before it is combined.
3. Use the date and time of the first pumping session of the combined milk.
Feeding Pumped Breast Milk
If you plan to both breastfeed and pump, nurse the baby when possible to maintain milk supply and minimise nipple confusion. Choose bottles with a wide, breast-like, and slow-flow nipple shape to create a more natural feeding experience so babies can switch between the breast and bottle. Feed the baby with paced feeding, slowing the flow so the baby can drink naturally and prevent overfeeding.
Wrapping Up
Breast pumping is more than just a practical solution—it’s a way to nourish your baby while adapting to your lifestyle. Whether you're balancing work, sharing feeding responsibilities, or simply looking for flexibility, pumping allows you to meet your baby’s needs with confidence.
By following the right techniques, maintaining a consistent schedule, and storing milk safely, you can ensure a smooth and stress-free feeding experience. Remember, every family’s journey looks different—find what works best for you and trust yourself in the process.