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Exclusive pumping is a way to combine breastfeeding at the breast with bottle feeding, by giving your baby (or others!) your own breast milk. To practice exclusive pumping, you need to get a machine commonly known as a breast pump. 😉
In this article, we will provide you with 4 tips to help you succeed with exclusive pumping with peace of mind!
Why choose exclusive pumping?
- For women who are not comfortable with breastfeeding at the breast, exclusive pumping is an excellent way to feed their baby breast milk using a container, without needing to use formula or direct nursing.
- Pumping milk also allows mothers to free themselves to take care of other daily tasks, enjoy their hobbies, or return to work. Pumped milk can be stored refrigerated for 2 days, or frozen for 4 months. This makes it possible to stockpile milk for the child in case the mother is absent.
- Finally, exclusive pumping also allows you to donate breast milk to a milk bank. The need is currently very high; donation campaigns are regularly organized by the government and maternity wards.
To find where to donate your milk, check the map created by the Association des Lactariums de France.
1. Find an electric breast pump to make pumping sessions less tiring
The first step in successful exclusive pumping is to find a machine that is powerful enough to reduce the time it takes to express milk.
Hand expression or manual pumping, tricky to implement
- It's worth noting that you have the option of expressing your milk manually. This method, sometimes difficult to set up, does not allow you to collect large amounts of milk in a short time.
- It requires some practice and not all women succeed in expressing milk by hand, without any help from a device, simply by pressing the breast with their fingers and moving the milk from inside to outside.
Renting a breast pump can be covered with a prescription
- Rental costs may be covered by your insurance if you have a prescription from your primary care doctor or a pediatrician.
- You can renew the prescriptions as often as necessary! This is great news if you plan to breastfeed your baby and use a pump long term. 😉
- The machine can be rented at a pharmacy.
Which electric breast pump should you choose?
There are several breast pump brands available on the market. Some breast pumps are single expression, while others are double expression. This means you can pump milk from one or both breasts at the same time!
The most efficient machines are equipped with a stimulation mode before the expression mode.
- The stimulation mode mimics a baby's sucking action. Your breast then receives the signal to produce milk just as if you were breastfeeding your child. This approach is therefore more natural.
- The expression mode can be adjusted, allowing you to express your milk faster or slower. The higher the extraction power, the faster and stronger the milk will flow. Your nipples will be more stimulated, which may be painful for some women. It's best to adjust the electric pump setting based on your sensitivity.
The brand Kitett offers both options. Since its purchase price is rather high, try contacting a pharmacy to rent it as an individual first. 🙋♀️
2. Invest in a manual, easy-to-carry breast pump
The electric breast pump is not the only item you can use to help with exclusive pumping. The manual breast pump, like the one offered by Philips Avent, allows you to pump your milk manually without needing a power outlet.
- Manual breast pumps are usually smaller in size, making them easier to transport. You can slip them into your purse and take them out whenever you feel a milk letdown (or when baby is hungry).
- It's important to have a water source nearby to always clean your pump after use. Be sure to disassemble each part of your pump before cleaning to ensure that your next pumping session doesn't involve any bacteria harmful to your little one inside the storage container.
❔ Did you know there are breast pumps that are compatible with certain bottles ? An adapter ring connects the two devices. This way, milk is collected directly in the bottle, with no transfer needed! From a hygiene standpoint, it’s a real advantage… since the number of times the milk is handled is reduced.
3. Assert your rights with your employer
To succeed with exclusive pumping, you need more than just the right equipment! You also need to be able to use this equipment anytime and anywhere. Most French people spend 75% of their time at work ! This often means you will need to pump outside your home.
- Inform your employer of your intention to pump at work before you return. By law, employers must provide breastfeeding employees with an additional hour per day for breaks.
- A room must also be provided so you can pump in privacy. The room must be secure and perfectly clean!
- This extra hour can be split up. For example, you may pump two times a day for thirty minutes, which allows you to maintain efficient milk supply even when away from your baby.
Tip : Of course, you can further divide your time into 3 twenty-minute breaks, or 4 fifteen-minute breaks (especially if you have a double breast pump to save time).
However, remember that you will need to clean your pump after each use, and time goes by quickly…⏳ Always stick to the legally defined amount of time to avoid any trouble, or negotiate more time with your employer if your relationship allows. 😊
The more regularly you pump, the more efficient, regular, and abundant your milk supply will be!
4. Be kind to yourself during pumping sessions
Expressing your milk should never feel like a challenge! 😉 It’s important to be fully relaxed so the milk flows easily and milk production is maintained for a long time. A large part of breastfeeding is psychological.
If you are worried about pain, this might actually slow your milk flow. If some days your milk seems less plentiful, don't worry! You might pump 6.8 oz (200 ml) on Monday morning and 5 oz (150 ml) the next day...
On that note, it's helpful to point out that milk production is often higher in the morning upon waking and tends to decrease as the day goes by. It’s not uncommon to see amounts dwindle by half at the end of the afternoon, but this is nothing to worry about.
Key takeaways
Succeeding with exclusive pumping requires the right conditions! For that, choosing the right equipment is crucial. At Elhée, we don’t sell breast pumps. But we are committed to supporting women in their mixed feeding journey, if that’s what they want!
→ If you’ve chosen to pump, but haven’t yet decided on which bottle you’ll use for your baby, we recommend checking out our store. All our bottles are made from medical-grade silicone. 🍼
Note: Medical-grade silicone is a healthy choice for infants. It also mimics the texture of the breast to optimize the experience for breastfed babies who are bottle-fed!
