Exclusive Pumping Success: A Practical Guide for Moms

SUMMARY:

Pumping Breastfeeding in a Few Words
Pumping Breast Milk: An Act of Love and Conviction
Small Equipment for Beginning Pumping Moms!
6 Secrets from Women to Express Your Milk More Easily
- How to Properly Store Breast Milk Between Pumping Sessions?
- Breast Milk Donation: A Tender but Little-Known Act Made Possible by Pumping
4 Mom Tips to Succeed with Pumping!
Takeaways
Be proactive, check out our other articles to become an even more zen mom 🧘♀️!

It’s a funny word, pumping breastfeeding.

Yet, more and more young moms are choosing this way to feed their breastfed baby, girl or boy, sometimes right from birth or after a few weeks (time to recover).

Pumping breastfeeding lets you balance an active woman’s life and the desire to keep nursing your child, nourishing them with your own milk, without direct breastfeeding. The collected milk is then given to the baby via bottle feedings.

As an alternative or complement to direct breastfeeding, and even as a variation of mixed feeding, pumping breastfeeding opens up possibilities for all women who can’t or don’t want to put baby to the breast after delivery, so they can still use their own breast milk. This often lifts a significant feeling of guilt!

Pumping Breastfeeding in a Few Words

As you’ve probably understood—the name is self-explanatory—the idea is to pump your milk daily and give it to your baby at each meal using a bottle. You can also, if necessary, pump at night.

Why practice pumping breastfeeding? Because:

breastfeeding couldn’t be established but you don’t want to use formula,
you find this method practical and flexible,
your child’s palate or tongue tie doesn’t allow them to latch well,
it better suits your lifestyle (work, exercise, physical limitations, etc.)
And for many other reasons.

Pumping Your Milk: An Act of Love and Conviction

Why choose to pump your milk? That answer is yours alone. But here is a (non-exhaustive) list of reasons that may lead you to consider, try, or choose pumping breastfeeding.

Going back to work is approaching, and you still want to give your baby your milk for a few more months, even when you’re away... A good solution: expressing your breast milk!

A latching problem, baby refuses to nurse, a physical issue (inverted nipples, pain, cracks, etc.) or health issue (low milk supply, fatigue…) keeps you from feeding comfortably or keeps your baby from nursing.

You want to involve your spouse or partner in this unique moment of feeding your child. Forget direct breastfeeding; the bottle can be given by someone else.

Expressing your own milk can relieve you in case of engorgement when your baby, though breastfed since birth, can’t drink all your milk, or when you’re at work.

Conversely, if your supply drops, regular pumping can stimulate production and increase the output.

As long as you’re breastfeeding, you delay the return of your period and menstruation.

To give your milk without direct breastfeeding, because you don’t enjoy it, it makes you uncomfortable, or because your first breastfeeding experience was complicated: whatever the case—and this is important—because it’s your choice

Pumping lets you know exactly how much milk you’re producing and giving at each feeding. That way you always have an answer to, “So how much does your daughter drink?” ...

Small Equipment for Beginning Pumping Moms!

A Breast Pump Gentle with Your Breasts

Anyone who has pumped before knows—using the machine isn’t always pleasant, even if some models are more comfortable than others for your breasts. What to do? Switch to hand expressing before every bottle feeding? Not necessarily.

To choose the right breast pump, you might start by renting one right after leaving the maternity ward. Many companies offer weekly rentals, so you can quickly swap models if one doesn’t suit you. Once you’ve found the right model, you can always decide to buy it.

Other important points to consider:

Electric or manual breast pump?
Single or double pumping model?

Again, it comes down to your needs and personal feel. The choice is yours.

If you opt for 100% pumping right from the end of your delivery, consider that an electric double pump will be more efficient and faster. Especially since pumping, at least at first, is quite time-consuming.

Note that you can rent a fully reimbursed breast pump at the pharmacy with a prescription from your doctor or midwife. You only have to buy the accessories (flanges and storage bottles), which sometimes may be covered by your insurance.

If you plan to use it at home and at work, go for a more portable, lighter model you can slip into a convenient, compact bag with all its accessories.

Which Bottle Should You Use for Pumped Milk?

Breastfeeding your baby is a gentle and beautiful act. To recreate that magic through pumping, Élhée created the bibRond, an innovative bottle made of medical-grade silicone!

Born from a mother’s love for birth and design, this unexpected blend delivers the first round and supple bottle—beautiful and pleasant in your hand and your baby’s, with its distinctive shape reminiscent of the perfection of the breast.

This is why we designed it: to allow all parents to feel, share, and preserve the delicate, pure sensations of breastfeeding from birth and right after leaving the maternity ward, through a bibRond.

150,
240
330 ml... The choice is yours!

In addition, the nipple is physiological and therefore offers comfortable suction for your child.

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Which Containers to Buy for Storing Pumped Milk?

For storage, you’ll need small containers for freezing—or appropriate storage bags—and storage bottles for the fridge. These can be bottles that come with your pump, if you have several.

Élhée's bibRONDS come with a small cap that lets you make the bibROND airtight and use it as a storage container by removing the nipple. Simply pour the milk into your bibROND, seal it tightly, and place it in the refrigerator.

For multiple pumping sessions, avoid mixing newly expressed, still warm milk into a storage bottle already started earlier in the day. Let it cool first before adding.

Do you know how many bottles to plan per day?

Is Exclusive Pumping Possible?

Our answer:

If you and your baby are on the same page, pumping can absolutely be exclusive. You simply need to equip yourself a little so that pumping is effective, comfortable, and as pleasant as possible.

💡Did you know?

Manual milk expression is an alternative. If you can’t find a suitable breast pump, if pumping hurts, if sessions make you uncomfortable, or you simply don’t like the device, try expressing your milk by hand.

The method:

Start by massaging your nipples and areolas between your thumb and index finger,
Then place your hand on the breast.
Gently press toward the chest, squeeze and release.

It’s worth a try! Even if only to ease the pressure from the milk while waiting to get your favorite pumping machine back. 😅

6 Secrets from Women to Express Your Milk More Easily

It’s not really a myth: pumping can be unpleasant and even a bit painful at first. Switching breast pumps—or even flanges—can add comfort to your sessions.

Also think about investing in a suitable nursing bra or pumping bustier. By holding the flanges in place, they leave your hands free.

If you want to save time, a little organization is in order, especially during the first weeks of lactation:

To get the most milk, choose a double breast pump. Pumping is done two at a time. 🤞

Pump regularly: Catherine Watson's power-pumping proposes 10 pumping sessions a day for 5 to 10 minutes, with at least 45 minutes’ break between each; the Lact&Sens method recommends 3 pumping sessions of one hour a day, with 20 minutes of pumping then alternating 10 minutes off and 10 minutes on.

Boost your milk supply! Not everyone is born with a strong let-down reflex (ejection reflex). Breastfeeding teas as well as certain foods can be especially helpful: fennel, basil, cumin, and verbena, as well as apples, quinces, cashews, or almonds plus lots of mineral water.

Take your time: in the beginning, you’ll spend several hours each day and night pumping, so get comfortable, relax (easier at home, harder at work) and keep in mind the reasons that motivate you.

Get advice: LecheLeague is the expert association for breastfeeding, but other moms—your own, for example—can also help and support you. There are also groups just for pumping moms on social media, as well as independent lactation consultations.

Massage yourself! For your comfort, to tone the delicate skin, or to stimulate supply, massaging your breasts has many benefits. Before placing the pump, gently knead your areolas to soften them. This also helps if you’re dealing with engorgement.

How to Properly Store Breast Milk Between Pumping Sessions?

Each batch of expressed milk needs a few basic storage guidelines. Simply put, remember that it keeps for 4 hours at room temperature and 4 months in the freezer. In the fridge, it’s two days maximum above 39°F.

To make it easier and prevent storage errors, consider small labels to stick on your container for the date and time of each batch. When reheating milk, use a bottle warmer and compatible bottle prep machines!

Note: move frozen milk to the fridge at least 6 hours before feeding to give it time to thaw.

Breast Milk Donation: A Tender but Little-Known Act Made Possible by Pumping

In France, about twenty milk banks are able to receive breast milk from anonymous donors. Still relatively marginal, this act nevertheless provides essential help in feeding—and sometimes saving—very premature babies whose own mothers can’t nurse. In 2018, nearly 45,000 liters of milk were collected.

If you have nursed before or are currently breastfeeding, you can donate surplus milk, or set aside a few milliliters from each session for other babies in need. After some medical exams, you can donate at home, calmly, and at your own pace.

4 Mom Tips to Succeed with Pumping!

Find your routine by pumping when you want, when you feel like it, when your mood is right... basically, without pressure! If possible, why not use a portable breast pump that you can take to express milk at work? In France, new moms have the right to one hour per day for this.

Reduce stress and find the best way to relax: a series or a book can work wonders, distracting your mind enough for your milk to flow more easily.

Stimulate your emotions with skin-to-skin time before pumping, breathing in your baby’s pajamas or lovey, or watching a video if they’re not there. The mother/child bond is integral to lactation.

If possible, always have your clean equipment ready in a sealed bag. Consider doubling your nursing accessories, so you can delay washing and still be ready for your next pumping session.

Do you know about breastfeeding shells? Both stylish and useful, once in place, they help repair nipples in your own breast milk. A little extra trick to avoid difficulties, succeed with pumping, and enjoy great moments!

Takeaways

Pumping is a technique for expressing breast milk—sometimes as early as a child’s birth, sometimes at night but mainly during the day—using a special machine called a “breast pump.”

Breast pumps are available in manual and electric versions.

The first few weeks are about discovery. Starting up can be tricky, which is perfectly normal!

Choosing a mixed-feeding approach lets you take time for yourself.

Birth is an emotional milestone. After a difficult delivery, pumping often allows strong women like you to find some relief by delegating feeding responsibilities.

All breastfeeding moms have experienced the same challenges, and have benefited from advice found on sites like ours or from lactation/relactation consultants.

We just shared our best tips to help you succeed with pumping and hope you enjoyed reading this guide.