Pumping breast milk: Your complete guide

pumping

If you’re breastfeeding, pumping breast milk is often a necessity. Pumping can help you increase your milk supply and avoid breastfeeding problems, and it makes it possible to continue giving your baby your breast milk even when you’re apart. Once you get used to it (and if you have a good breast pump), pumping often becomes second nature. But if you’re having trouble pumping, talk with a lactation consultant who can help you problem-solve.

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Why would I need to pump breast milk?

It’s helpful to have pumped breast milk on hand. You may want to pump when you return to work or if you’re going to be away from your baby for another reason. Maybe you want to provide bottles of breast milk for a babysitter or daycare provider to give your baby, or perhaps you want to share feedings with your partner or another family member. Pumping can also help you maintain your milk supply.

Other reasons to use a breast pump include:

  • To stimulate your milk production and increase your milk supply
  • To collect milk to feed a premature baby or one who can’t latch on to your breast
  • To relieve the pain and pressure of engorged breasts (though too much pumping when you’re engorged can make matters worse)
  • To keep your milk supply up if your healthcare provider advises you to stop nursing temporarily because you’re taking medication that might be harmful to your baby (this is rarely necessary)
  • To collect extra milk to donate to other babies
  • To get more sleep (you can pump, go to bed early, and have someone else do the last feeding)

Some moms choose exclusive pumping (EPing) because they want to give their babies breast milk but need or prefer to bottle-feed.

How to use a breast milk pump

Get step-by-step instructions from a lactation consultant on how to use an electric and manual breast pump.

It usually doesn’t take long to get familiar with pumping. Here are the steps:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water. Make sure your pump parts and bottles are clean.
  • Gather your supplies: breast pump, tubing, containers, and flanges (the plastic or silicone funnels that fit over your nipple and areola).
  • Place the breast flange over your breast, centering your nipple in the middle of the flange. Press gently. (If you’re using a double pump, do this on both sides.) It’s very important that the flange fits correctly so that you get a good seal but it doesn’t pinch or irritate your nipples. The flange should fit closely around your nipple but leave a miniscule amount of space for it to move without rubbing too hard against the wall of the flange during pumping.
  • If you’re using an electric pump, simply turn on the machine and let it do the work of suctioning your milk. Some pumps have different settings for stimulation (massage mode/letdown) and suction. Most have speed variability. Start with the lowest suction and turn up the setting as needed. Good breast pumps mimic the sucking action of a baby, and while you’ll feel a slight pull, it shouldn’t cause you pain.
  • If you’re using a manual pump, use your hand to gently and rhythmically pump the handle (or squeeze the mechanism). The rhythm should mimic your baby’s sucking.
  • Typically, you’ll pump directly into a plastic or glass bottle or a freezable milk bag. When you’re done, put your milk in a fridge or cooler bag with ice packs to keep it cold.

When should I start pumping?

If your baby is exclusively breastfeeding and gaining weight appropriately, experts recommend waiting to pump until you establish your breastfeeding rhythm together (usually in 3 to 4 weeks).

Unless you plan on pumping exclusively, it’s also a good idea to wait until breastfeeding is well established before giving your baby a bottle. Drinking from a bottle takes less work than nursing at the breast, so let your little one get accustomed to nursing before introducing the bottle. Likewise for a pacifier; hold off until your supply is established and breastfeeding is going well.

That said, it’s a good idea to practice pumping for a few weeks before you need to rely on expressed breast milk for your baby (before going back to work, for example).

If your baby can’t nurse after birth (because they’re preterm or having problems latching, for example), you may want to hand express colostrum for the first couple of days after birth. Once your milk starts to come in (around day three or four), you can switch to a hospital-grade pump and pump every couple of hours to get your milk supply going.

How often should I pump?

How often you need to pump depends your baby’s age and needs. A couple of general guidelines:

When you’re away from your baby, pump when they would normally breastfeed. For a newborn, for example, this might be every 2 to 3 hours, and for an older baby who has regained their birth weight, this might be every 3 to 5 hours depending on the time of day.

If you’re pumping to increase your milk supply, talk with a lactation consultant, who can help you come up with an appropriate pumping schedule. You may pump between (rather than in place of) nursing sessions, for example, or you may pump right after every breastfeeding session. Or maybe you’ll want to add some “power pumping” sessions (see below).

How long should I pump?

You’ll pump until your milk flow tapers off and your breasts feel drained. That usually takes eight to 15 minutes with a good double electric pump and up to 45 minutes with a manual pump. You’ll know you’re done when no new milk appears after about 2 minutes of pumping.

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Power pumping – which involves adding additional, intensive pumping sessions – is something moms do to boost their milk supply. It copies a baby’s cluster feeding, when they nurse more often than usual.

To power pump, you’ll need a good, double electric pump. Pump for 20 minutes, rest 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, and then pump for 10 minutes. If you don’t have that much time, break it into two 30-minute sessions of alternating pumping for 10 minutes and resting for 5 minutes. Power pumping once a day for a few days in a row will likely boost your milk production. 

Tips for successful pumping

Pumping takes patience – and practice. Here are some tips:

  • For the best letdown and milk production, it helps to be calm and relaxed. Find a comfortable spot for pumping, and take a few deep breaths before you begin. Put on relaxing music or watch something you enjoy.
  • Many moms find it helpful to think of their baby. You might look at a picture of your baby, and/or have an item of theirs (a onesie or a blanket, for example) that smells like them. You might even watch a video of your baby on your phone to get yourself in the mood to pump.
  • Distract yourself. Watching your milk output is a bit like waiting for water to boil while you watch the pot. Instead, set a timer and do something else (read, watch a show, make a phone call).When the timer goes off, check the pump.
  • Consider buying a hands-free pumping bra so you don’t have to hold the pump flanges on your breasts. (Instead you can read, work, or scroll on your phone while pumping.) Some moms make their own pumping bras by attaching rubber bands to the clasps of a regular nursing bra or cutting holes in an old jogging bra.
  • Find the right pump for you. There are many choices for manual breast pumps and electric breast pumps, including wearable pumps that fit in your bra and simple silicone “passive pumps” that collect your milk using suction.

What to do if you’re having trouble pumping

Here are reasons you may be having trouble producing milk, and some tips on what to do:

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  • You may be pumping too soon. You may not get much milk out of your breasts if you’ve nursed your baby or pumped recently.
  • You may need to adjust the settings on your pump. It can be hard to get enough milk if the suction pressure is too low or the cycling speed is too fast. Take some time to learn all of the functions and power settings on your pump, and tailor it to your needs.
  • You may need a different breast pump. Some women have trouble getting enough milk if they’re using a manual pump or an electric pump that doesn’t work very well. See the best breast pumps according to BabyCenter moms and editors.
  • You may need different flanges. The flanges that come with your pump may be too large or too small for your nipples. (They’re often too large.) A lactation consultant can help measure your nipples to find the right fit.
  • You may not be producing very much milk. There are many reasons for low milk supply, including medical issues, breastfeeding problems, stress, and dehydration. Certain medications can decrease your milk supply – ask your doctor about alternative medications if this is the case. If you think your milk supply is too low, talk with your doctor or a lactation consultant about the possibility and how to best address it.
  • You may be having trouble with your letdown. Try to relax and get yourself comfortable while pumping. Gently massaging your breasts and using warm compresses on them before pumping can help encourage milk flow.

How to clean your breast pump

It’s crucial to keep your pump parts clean to avoid contamination and the risk of infection for your baby. Don’t buy a used personal breast pump or use someone else’s pump. (Hospital-grade rental pumps, however, are intended for multiple users. They’re “closed systems” that can be completely disinfected.)

Pump parts should be cleaned after every use. Here’s how to clean your pump:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water.
  • Disassemble the pump parts that come into contact with breast milk.
  • Wash each part separately with warm water and unscented liquid soap. If possible, use a clean wash basin designated for washing your pump parts. If this isn’t possible, make sure you never put the pump parts on the bottom of a sink, which may be contaminated with germs.
  • Run each part under hot water for 10 to 15 seconds to rinse. Air dry on a clean, designated dish towel, paper towel, or bottle rack.
  • Breast pump tubing doesn’t touch milk and so doesn’t need to be routinely cleaned. If the tubing has water in it, disconnect it from the flange but leave it attached to the pump. Run the pump for a few minutes, until the tubing is dry. If the tubing has milk or mold in it, throw it away and replace with new tubing.
  • After the parts are dry, reassemble, taking care not to touch the inside of any parts that’ll come in contact with your breast milk. Store parts in a clean, protected place.

You can also wash your pump parts in the dishwasher, if they’re dishwasher safe. Here’s how:

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  • Place the parts in the top rack of your dishwasher. Put small parts in a closed-top basket or mesh laundry bag.
  • Use a hot-water setting and heated drying or sanitizing setting to help kill germs.
  • Wash your hands before unloading the parts from the dishwasher.
  • If the parts aren’t dry, place them on a clean dishtowel or paper towel and let them dry completely before storing.

Disposable breast pump wipes are handy for wiping down the outside of your pump, but you need to clean breast pump parts that come in contact with breast milk with soap and water.

Also, it’s important to sanitize pump parts once a week, or more frequently if your baby is younger than 2 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system (from illness, for example). In those cases, you’ll need to sanitize everything every time you wash it.

To sanitize, first clean as described above. Then either:

  • Boil the parts for 5 minutes in a clean pot on the stovetop. Remove parts with clean tongs, and place them on a clean dish towel or paper towel to air dry. Or,
  • Use an electric steam system or microwave steam sterilizer bags to sterilize all of the pump parts. To use steam sterilizer bags, put the parts in the bag, add a little water, close the bag, and place it in the microwave for a few minutes. (Follow the manufacturer’s specific directions.) Air dry the bag between uses.

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