Reasons to Breastfeed

By breastfeeding your new baby, you can ensure that her or she gets the very best start in life. There are many factors that make choosing to breastfeed your child beneficial for both you and your child. The following list details just a few of the many reasons why breastfeeding is best for your baby.

Nature’s Perfect Food

– Breastmilk provides infants with the absolute best nutrition. The unique composition of carbohydrates, antibodies, proteins, fats and minerals is exactly what your baby needs to grow and develop during his or her first months of life.

Breastmilk, unlike infant formula, is able to change and adapt has your growing baby’s nutritional needs change. Additionally, babies are able to digest breastmilk more easily than formula. Cow\’s milk, which is used as a base for many infant formulas, is an intestinal irritant.

Breastmilk provides your baby with immunities and reduces his or her risk of several childhood illnesses including allergies, asthma, diabetes, Crohn\’s disease and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Brings Mom and Baby Closer

– Breastfeeding is nature\’s way for mother and child to bond. When a mother breastfeeds, her body releases the hormone prolactin, which creates a calming affect that allows her to relax and enjoy this peaceful time with her child.

Helps Mom Bounce Back From Pregnancy

– Milk production requires lots of energy and burns an extra 500 calories each day, which helps the breastfeeding mother to lose her pregnancy weight faster than a non-breastfeeding mother.

When breastfeeding, a mother has an increased level of the hormone oxytocin, which minimizes uterine bleeding after birth, and shrinks the uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly.

Exclusively breastfeeding delays the return of the mother\’s menstrual period and acts as a natural birth spacer for the first six months. Breastfeeding also reduces a mother\’s risk of developing several cancers including breast, ovarian and endometrial.

Defrays Additional Baby Costs

– Since breastmilk is free, you can easily eliminate many of the costs associated with infant formula feeding such as bottles, nipples, sterilizers, formula and pacifiers.

It Comes Highly Recommended

– Breastfeeding is endorsed and promoted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the American Dietetic Association as the best way to provide infant nutrition.

If you are unable to exclusively breastfeed your child, you can still provide him or her with nutritious breastmilk by expressing your milk. By feeding your child expressed breastmilk, you and your child will still receive many of the same benefits that you would get from breastfeeding.

To successfully express milk for your baby\’s feedings, you will need a quality breastpump. The articles under Finding the Right Breast Pump can help you to decide which type of pump you will need.

Corporate Lactation Programs

Corporate lactation programs provide support and services for working mothers who have chosen to breastfeed or express milk for their babies. Although these programs are designed to help the mother, they also provide many benefits to the employer who offers the program.
When working for a company with a lactation program, mothers generally return to work sooner after maternity leave. Additionally, mothers who feed their children breastmilk have fewer work absences related to infant sickness and make fewer medical claims each year because breastfed babies are healthier.
Employers who offer lactation programs also see an increase in employee productivity, morale and loyalty because the women feel supported in their decision to breastfeed and valued as an employee.

Developing a Lactation Program

Designate a Private Pumping Room

– The room should have a door that locks from the inside and have access to an electrical outlet. A table for setting the breast pump on and a comfortable chair for the mother to sit in should also be provided. Restrooms are not considered appropriate accommodations for expressing breastmilk. Consider using an unused office or conference room.

Quality, Electric Breast Pumps

– There are two options available when it comes to providing breast pumps for your employees. The first option is purchase a hospital grade pump that all mothers can use with their own pump kit. The second option is to purchase or subsidize the cost of personal electric breast pumps for each mother as needed. Either option will provide mothers with a pump that will express milk efficiently throughout the day.

Professional Lactation Consultant Services

– The services of a certified lactation consultant can help mothers adjust during the early stages of breastfeeding and make the transition from home to work less stressful. The International Lactation Consultant Association has a directory that makes it easy to find practicing consultants in your area.

Educational Breastfeeding Materials –

Lactation Room packages are available through La Leche League International . These packages come in sizes to properly accommodate businesses of all sizes and include breastfeeding books, pamphlets and videos.

Optional Ways to Enhance the Lactation Room

• Baby inspired décor
• Area for mothers to display baby photos
• Refrigerator for milk storage
• Relaxing music
• Sink with hot running water for cleaning up
• Space for storing pumps or pump kits

Is Special Storage Needed for Expressed Milk?

According to both OSHA and the US Center for Disease Control, there are no special handling or storage requirements for breastmilk. As long as milk is stored in a tightly closed container, it can be stored in a common refrigerator or freezer that is used by others in the workplace.
Although expressed breastmilk does not pose any risks to others, some employees may be resistant to have it stored in a common refrigerator with their lunch. To ease any concerns milk can be place is a secondary, opaque container.
As an employer, you can help to make a big difference in the way that your employees are able to balance work and family when a lactation program is provided. The article Reasons to Breastfeed can help you learn more about why continuing to breastfeed after returning from maternity leave is important to your employees.

Incorporating Pumping Into Your Workday

Your workday schedule was booked solid before your took maternity leave, so how will you fit pumping into your day and still manage to get your job done? With a little planning on your part and cooperation from your employer, you’ll be able to work pumping sessions into your daily routine without having work pile up on your desk.

Discuss your pumping plan

with your employer before you go on maternity leave. Have answers prepared the following questions before meeting with your boss or supervisor.

• How long will you be pumping at work?
• How much time will you need each day to pump?
• Do you have an efficient pump?
• Where do you plan to pump?
• Will you need a place to store expressed milk?

If your boss seems to be resistant about your pumping at work reassure him or her that pumping will not affect the quality of your work and that you will be able to work your schedule around meetings and presentations. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with your state laws that pertain to nursing mothers at work just in case you need to use them to support your plan.

Purchase a good quality pump

and begin pumping at least 2 weeks prior to returning to work. A double electric pump can really save valuable time during the day since it will allow you to pump both breasts at the same time. View our Breast Pump Comparisons to find out which pump will work best for you.
Since a mother’s milk supply is well-established 4 weeks after her baby’s birth, it is best to delay your return to work until your baby is at least 4 weeks old if you plan to pump.

Set a pumping schedule

and stick to it. It is generally recommended that you should express milk every 3 or 4 hours during the time that you are apart from your baby.
Sample Pumping Schedule for Full-time Working Mom
7:00 AM Nurse Baby before going to work.
8:00 AM Start Work
10:30 AM First Pumping Session
2:00 PM Second Pumping Session
5:00 PM Off Work
5:30 PM Nurse Baby after picking up from daycare.
Although it is important to have a pumping plan in place before returning to work, your plan should be flexible enough to allow you to easily make changes when unexpected factors like client meetings and business trips are presented.

Dress appropriately for pumping

Two piece outfits with lightweight tops that can be pulled up from the bottom or buttoned down work well for pumping. In addition, any nursing tops or dresses that allow you to breastfeed discreetly can be worn for easy pumping access.
Be sure to wear absorbent, cotton nursing pads in your bra to soak up any leaks and bring extras with you in case you need to change them out during the day. Wearing printed tops rather than solids can help to camouflage stains from milk leaks.
With a pumping plan, the right equipment and the support of your employer you can successfully pump breastmilk for your baby after your return to work. You may even be able to help your employer develop a Corporate Lactation Program to make pumping easier for moms in the future.

Pumping at Work

For many breastfeeding mothers returning to work poses the challenge of deciding whether to switch your baby to formula or to begin expressing your milk while at work. Pumping breastmilk for your baby’s feedings is a great way to remain connected to your baby while you are apart during the day.
Successfully pumping at work will require the use of a quality breast pump, dedication and proper planning as well as the cooperation and support of your employer. You can begin to plan and prepare for your return to work with the information provided in the following articles.
Incorporating Pumping Into Your Workday
Corporate Lactation Programs

Open Systems vs. Closed Systems

Is there really a big difference between a closed system pump and an open system pump? This is a question that many mothers ask when trying to select the best breast pump for their needs. Since we are often asked this question, we’ve outlined the main differences between an open system breast pump and a closed system breast pump.

Open Systems

Pump collection system is open to pump tubing and motor, which means that during normal use milk particles can enter into parts of the pump that cannot be cleaned. Most often small milk particles enter the pump tubing and go unnoticed until the mold begins to grow in the tubing.

When mold develops in the pump tubing, your expressed milk is at risk for contamination since the pump’s vacuum has drawn air through the moldy tubing and into the pump motor. This leads to the possibility of mold growing in the pump motor and consequently the recontamination of the tubing.

The protocol for keeping open system pump tubing clean includes thoroughly washing and drying the pump tubing. To effectively dry the tubes prior to the next use they can be attached to the pump motor while it is running for a few minutes or a small amount of isopropyl alcohol can be poured into the tubes to speed up drying time. Please keep in mind that when using alcohol to dry tubing that the vapors can be drawn into your collected milk.

If mold has developed in the tubes, they should be sterilized by boiling or replaced. Pump tubing can become opaque after repeated boiling, which can make it difficult to see milk or mold in the tubes.

When an open system is used your collected milk is exposed to the outside air that is pulled through the pump’s tubing. As your milk is exposed to air it is being exposed to any contaminates that may be present in the air such as smoke, dust, pet dander, airborne bacteria and viruses.

Closed Systems

A closed collection system has a barrier in between the pump tubing and the breast shield, which prevents outside air from reaching your expressed milk. This helps to safeguard your milk’s purity so that it is as pure as possible from breast to collection and finally to your baby.

The possibility of milk leaking into the pump tubing is eliminated when a closed system is used which cuts down on cleaning time since the tubing never needs to be washed.

The closed system concept was first used for hospital grade pumps that were to be used by multiple mothers. Since the pumps would be used by more than one user a barrier in between the collection and the pump motor was needed to ensure that the pump would not be contaminated by bacteria or viruses from the mother’s system. Although many personal use breast pumps are now designed as closed systems they are not intended for multiple users unless stipulated by the manufacturer.

To find the pump that will best meet your milk expression needs, check out the articles under Finding the Right Pump and visit our Breast Pump Comparisons section to look at your top pump choices side-by-side.

Should I Rent or Buy a Breast Pump?

When trying to decide whether to rent or buy a breast pump, you’ll need to consider the advantages and disadvantages for both choices as they pertain to your situation and pumping needs. For the most part, your decision will be determined by a few key factors.

Factors to Consider

How long do you plan to pump?
Why you are pumping?
Where you plan to pump?
What is your budget?

Renting a Pump

There are two big advantages to renting a pump. One advantage is that you are receiving a pump with a long motor life and a higher level of suction. Also, if you encounter any mechanical problems with the pump the rental company will handle it.
A rental pump will work well for a mom who is pumping for premature baby, has a low milk supply or needs to pump for full-term twins because the increased pump power provides more stimulation and helps to increase milk production.
Renting is also a more affordable option for moms who are planning to pump short-term or are unsure of how pumping will go. The average rental costs about $50 per month.
The downside to a rental pump is that they are generally heavier, bulkier pumps that can be difficult to tote around to and from work.

Buying a Pump

Purchasing a breast pump is a more cost effective option for moms who plan to pump for 6 months or longer and have healthy babies who were carried full term. Owning a breast pump is also a great investment if you plan to have more children.
Breast pumps that are available for consumer purchase are generally more lightweight and portable when compared to rentals. Many of these pumps also come with stylish bags that can be used to carry your pump and other supplies when traveling.
The upfront cost of purchasing a quality breast pump can be a bit discouraging since most models range between $200 and $300.
If you decide that buying a pump will be the best option for you, our Breast Pump Comparisons can help you to find the right pump model for your needs. To find a pump rental in your area, contact a hospital or lactation consultant in your area.

What Type of Pump Do I Need?

Which type of breast pump you will need is directly related to the reason why you are pumping. Your pumping needs can range from occasional pumping for engorgement relief to frequent pumping needed to establish a milk supply. Regardless of your reason for pumping, there are several pump types and models available to help meet your needs.

Relieve Engorgement Pain or Sore Nipples

– If you do not plan to express milk for any of your child’s feedings, but would like to be prepared in case you experience painful engorgement or sore nipples, a manual pump is an affordable option that you can keep on hand.
A manual breast pump can also be used to draw out flat or inverted nipples before breastfeeding.

Share Feeding with Dad or Enjoy a Night Out

– If you plan to breastfeed majority of the time, but would like to express milk for an occasional feeding to give dad a chance to feed the baby or to leave with a sitter for a night out then a manual pump should be able to meet your basic pumping needs.
Should you decide to express milk more than once or twice a week you may consider using a handheld electric pump, which can make it easier and faster to express milk.

Return to Work

– If you will be returning to work and expressing milk for all or most of your infant’s daily feedings then you will need a quality electric breast pump. A good quality, double electric breast pump can help you to quickly and efficiently express enough milk for all of your infant’s feedings since it allows you to pump both breasts simultaneously.
For moms who will return to work part-time, a handheld electric pump can be used to effectively pump milk for missed feedings.

Need to Build or Increase Supply

– If you need to increase your milk supply, you can use a quality, personal electric pump to frequently express milk and empty your breasts. Double pumping is essential to increasing a low supply because it stimulates the breasts better and signals a need for increased milk production.
For more extreme cases where a mother is having a difficulty maintaining a supply or needs to induce lactation for an adopted baby, a hospital grade pump may be necessary. Hospital grade pumps are available for rent through many hospitals and lactation consultants. Some personal, electric pumps that are available for purchase now feature hospital grade motors as well.

Pumping for a Premature or Sick Infant

– When pumping for a premature or sick infant who is unable to nurse, maintaining a plentiful milk supply is crucial. By using a hospital grade pump, you are able to express milk from both breasts simultaneously. A hospital grade pump is recommended because it is able to provide ample stimulation that is needed to establish and maintain a good milk supply.
After you have figured out which type of pump will work best for your situation, our Breast Pump Comparisons can help you to choose the best model for your needs. Not sure if buying a pump is right for you? The article Should I Buy or Rent? can help you decide.

Finding the Right Breast Pump For You

Finding the right breast pump for you and your pumping situation is the key two pumping successfully from the beginning. You’ll have plenty of options to choose from since there is such a large variety of types and models available. To find the best pump for your situation, you will need to determine how often, where and how long you will be pumping.

Use the information in the articles below to help you define your pumping needs and guide you to the best type of pump for you.

• What Type of Pump Do I Need?
• Should I Rent or Buy?
• Open vs. Closed Systems
• Comparing Breast Pump and Infant Formula Cost

Preparing Stored Breastmilk for Feedings

Always be sure to wash your hands before preparing a feeding, and have a clean, sterile bottle and nipple ready for use. Be sure to prepare the oldest, fresh milk available to ensure that older expressed milk is not wasted.
Thaw frozen milk ahead of time. If the baby prefers a warm bottle, warm it immediately before feeding. To warm the bottle safely, hold it under warm, not hot running water. If milk layers have separated, gently swirl the bottle in a circular motion to mix the layers together before feeding it to the infant.

Thawing frozen milk

Breastmilk does not take very long to thaw or warm up. Milk can easily be thawed or heated up by holding the bottle under warm running water. Frozen milk may also be thawed overnight in the refrigerator. It can also be warmed or thawed by placing the container of milk in a bowl of warm water. Bottle warmers also provide a gradual warming option for breastmilk.
Do not attempt to thaw milk at room temperature, on the stove or in the microwave. It is far too easy to over heat milk on the stove. Microwaves do not heated uniformly therefore you cannot control the temperature and your baby may be burned by the milk. Overheating can destroy some of the milk’s nutrients.
Thawed milk may be left at room temperature for 4 hours or refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Once milk has been thawed, it should never be refrozen.

Reusing Milk From a Partially Eaten Bottle

If your child eats only half of the prepared bottle during a feeding, the milk should be discarded after half an hour. The reason the milk must be discarded is that during a feeding the baby’s saliva enters the bottle, which allows saliva enzymes to enter the milk and creates bacteria. If your baby does not finish a bottle often you should consider storing your milk is smaller amounts to avoid wasting milk regularly.
Milk that has been heated, but not eaten can safely be reheated once. Since the immunologic value of breastmilk decreases each time it is heated you should avoid reheating milk repeatedly to ensure that your child receives the best nutrition possible.
For more information on the proper storage of breastmilk read our article Breastmilk Storage Guidelines. The La Leche League International website also offers helpful information on the storage and feeding of breastmilk.

Choosing A Breastmilk Storage System

There are endless options available for storing breastmilk. Everything from glass and plastic bottles to freezer bags and trays has been designed specifically for storing expressed milk. With so many storage systems to choose from, selecting one storage method can be a challenge.

Which storage system you will use will be determined by:

• How much breastmilk you plan to store (at any given time)?
• How much storage space you have available?
• How often you plan to use your expressed breastmilk for feedings?
• How long you anticipate storing your expressed milk?

Healthcare professionals and La Leche League recommend storing expressed breastmilk in one of the following three container types: glass, clear, hard plastic (polycarbonate) or cloudy, hard plastic (polypropylene).

Freezer Storage Bags and Disposable Bottle Liners

Plastic storage bags are a great space saving storage option if you have limited freezer space for your expressed milk. However, you should be sure to only use freezer storage bags and not plastic bottle liners when storing breastmilk.

Breastmilk freezer storage bags are designed for storing and freezing breastmilk. These bags easily fit onto your breast pump and allow you to express milk directly into the bag. Freezer storage bags are thick, pre-sterilized and seal easily. They also have an area designated for labeling the milk with date.

Disposable bottle liners are designed for infant feeding not breastmilk storage. Bottle liners are not recommended for storage because the thin plastic cannot protect the milk from freezer burn, the bags do not seal easily, there is no area for labeling and the seams of the bag may burst during freezing and leak during thawing.

Convenient Storage

When selecting a milk storage system, convenience often takes precedence over the decision. For this reason mothers often opt for plastic storage bags because they take up less space and are single use items that do not require cleaning. However, while the bags are convenient for storing they are less convenient for feeding because pouring milk out of bags can be awkward.

Breastmilk storage trays are another convenient storage method. These trays are made of flexible plastic that allows you to store milk in convenient one ounce cubes. The small cubes thaw very quickly and make it easy to prepare small bottles to avoid waste.

Other mothers find it far more convenient to pump, store and feed from the same container. By using bottles for storage the repeated transfer of the milk from one container to another is eliminated. Hard, clear plastic bottles are great for storing and feeding refrigerated and frozen milk.

Regardless of which storage system you choose, you should always be sure to clean your storage containers properly prior to use. For tips on keeping your pump and storage containers clean refer to the article Cleaning Your Pump.

For more information on breastmilk storage visit AskDrSears.com
and the La Leche League International
website.

Breastmilk Storage Guidelines

The following guidelines can help to ensure that your expressed breastmilk remains fresh for your child’s feedings.

• Room Temperature (66-72 ˚F, 19-22 ˚C) fresh for up to 10 hours
• Refrigerator (32-39 ˚F, 0-4 ˚C) store fresh milk for up to 8 days
• Freezer Compartment in Refrigerator store for 2 weeks
• Freezer with Separate Door from Refrigerator remains fresh for 3 to 4 months
• Deep Freezer (0 ˚F, -19 ˚C) store milk safely for up to 6 months

Refrigeration is the recommended method for storing breastmilk because it preserves the natural immunity factors of the milk better than freezing.

Freezing Refrigerated Milk

It is recommended that fresh milk be chilled prior to freezing; however, milk that has been refrigerated for a day or two should not be frozen. Milk that has been refrigerated that long should not be frozen because although refrigeration has slowed down the enzyme activity it has not stopped completely and it has a greater potential for bacteria growth.

To be on the safe side any milk that needs to be frozen should be placed in the freezer within 6 hours of refrigerating to ensure that it is frozen at its freshest state.

Adding Fresh Milk to Frozen Milk

Many mothers often wonder whether it is safe to add fresh milk to frozen milk. Fresh milk can be layered onto frozen milk as long as the fresh milk is chilled and is less than the amount of milk that is already frozen. This will prevent the milk from thawing and refreezing.

Separation of Breastmilk

Breastmilk separates into a fatty layer and a milky layer after it has been refrigerated, this is normal and is not a sign of spoilage. Gently swirling the milk before feeding will help mix the layers together.

Proper Labeling

Be sure to always label your expressed milk with the date before storing. This will help you to ensure that you always use the oldest available fresh milk first. You should also include your baby’s name on the label if the milk will be stored with milk for more than one baby.

Helpful Storage Tips

• When storing your milk, always be sure to place it in the back of the refrigerator or freezer to ensure that it stays cool even when the refrigerator or freezer door is opened and closed throughout the day.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly before handling any expressed milk.
• Store breastmilk in the amount that your baby eats during each feeding or in small 1 to 2oz. amounts to limit the amount of milk that is wasted.

If your expressed milk will be fed to your baby by someone other than you, it can be helpful to provide them with a copy of these breastmilk storage guidelines. For more information on feeding stored milk to your baby read our article Using Stored Breastmilk.

These breastmilk storage guidelines are based on the recommendations of the La Leche League International and the American Academy of Pediatrics

Breastmilk Storage

When you begin preparing to pump breastmilk for your baby’s feedings, you will need to decide how you will store your expressed milk until it is needed. As a new pumping mom, you will need to consider several aspects of milk storage before you begin your planned pumping routine.

Once you begin expressing your milk, you should be familiar with how long breastmilk remains fresh whether it is stored in a refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature. You will also need to know to how to safely warm or thaw milk for feedings.

The following articles discuss everything you need to consider to properly store and feed your expressed breastmilk.

Breastmilk Storage Guidelines
Choosing A Breastmilk Storage System
Preparing Stored Breastmilk

Breastfeeding and Pumping After Cesarean Delivery

It is a common misconception that mothers who give birth via c-section cannot breastfeed their children. The truth is that many mothers are able to develop successful breastfeeding relationships with their children after having a cesarean delivery.

Although it may require extra planning and determination on your part, breastfeeding your child after your c-section without formula supplementation is possible and the benefits for both of you are well worth it.

Benefits of Breastfeeding After a Cesarean

• Baby’s suckling helps to shrink your uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size and minimizes uterine bleeding
• Your body burns extra calories to produce milk and this can help your lose pregnancy weight
• The emotional bonding of breastfeeding can help you heal the emotional pain that you may feel after being separated from your baby shortly after delivery

The hospital that you delivery in will have an impact on the initiation of your breastfeeding relationship. To ensure that you’ll be able to begin breastfeeding immediately after your baby’s birth there are a few things that you will need to know about the hospital including which type of anesthesia will be used during your surgery, the hospital’s breastfeeding policy as well as the hospital’s separation and rooming-in policy.

Anesthesia – When a cesarean is performed, two types of anesthesia can be used a general anesthetic or a local anesthetic (an epidural). Local anesthesia is preferred by mothers who will breastfeed since they are able to remain alert during delivery and begin breastfeeding immediately. General anesthesia is commonly referred to as surgical anesthesia, and it tends to interfere with breastfeeding since it tends to make both mother and baby feel groggy after delivery.

Most hospitals now use epidurals when performing routine c-sections, but you should be sure to check with your doctor and the hospital prior to your delivery date.

Breastfeeding Policy – Before you are admitted into the hospital, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the hospital’s breastfeeding policy. Is the hospital supportive of breastfeeding? Are all babies routinely given pacifiers or other artificial nipples? Do you need to make special arrangements to ensure the hospital staff understands that your baby is being breastfed and should not be given a pacifier or bottle?

Separation and Rooming-in – After cesarean deliveries, babies are often separated from their mothers during an observation period. However, if you carried your baby to term and your delivery was free of complications, then you should consider rooming-in with your baby immediately following delivery. Rooming-in will give you the chance to establish breastfeeding since you will be able to adjust to your baby’s hunger cues right away rather than wait for the

If there is a chance that you will be separated from your baby for an extended period in the hospital, you should be prepared to use a breast pump to express your milk during that time. Doing so will ensure that you are able to establish and maintain your supply. It will also give you the opportunity to provide your child with breastmilk during the separation rather than formula.

Preparing for the Return Home

Preparing for your arrival home is also a key factor in continuing to breastfeed successfully. Until you begin to heal and are able to move around more easily, you’ll need someone around to help you pick up your baby or bring the baby to you for feedings. Dads as well as other relatives or friends can be especially helpful by assisting you with these small tasks during the first few days home.

Your comfort is also important in these early days. If you are in constant pain, it will be harder for you to concentrate on breastfeeding. You should speak with your doctor to find out which pain relievers will be safe for you to take while breastfeeding.

Another way to ensure your comfort is to nurse in positions that keep your baby’s weight off your incision area until it has healed properly. The clutch-hold and side-lying positions are generally the most accommodating for moms after cesarean deliveries. A breastfeeding pillow or maternity belt can also provide helpful protection in the early days following delivery.

While nursing or pumping often will be necessary to prevent engorgement and establish your milk supply, you should be sure to also get plenty of rest. During the first few days home your focus should be on nursing and resting. This is the perfect time to let others help with household chores. Limiting visitors during this time is also a good idea because it will limit your stress and give you more time to relax with your new baby.

If you need more information about successfully establishing a breastfeeding relationship after a cesarean delivery, the La Leche League International, Breastfeed.com and AskDrSears.com website are great resources that can provide you with guidance and answers you need.

Techniques for Encouraging Let-down When Pumping

Let-down is a reflex that occurs when the hormone oxytocin is released in the body. This release is often happens when the nipples are stimulated either by a baby’s suckling or a breast pump, but may also occur when a mom thinks of nursing or hears a baby crying. Oxytocin causes contractions of the milk glands, which expresses milk into the milk ducts. Some mothers experience a slight tingling, pressure, pain or discomfort during letdown. While others report not feeling anything at all.

Achieving a good let-down while pumping is important because it ensures that your breasts are being emptied. However, it is possible for the let-down reflex to be hindered. Let-down may not be achieved for several reasons including stress, fatigue, tension, pain and even being cold.

For many moms recreating the experience of cuddling with their babies while nursing can help to trigger let-down while pumping. The following techniques can help you to encourage let-down while using a breast pump to express your milk.

Thinking about your baby – Keep photos, recorded sounds and items with your baby’s scent near you. Having these items around while pumping can trigger let-down and help you focus on the reason why you are pumping.

Taking a warm bath or shower – This can help to get your milk flowing, but often it isn’t very practical. Instead, consider applying warm compresses on your breasts prior to pumping to achieve the same effect.

Gentle, manual stimulation – Massaging or squeezing your breasts gently can help to get your milk flowing. Additional nipple stimulation (other than from the pump) can help you achieve let-down.

Realign the breast flanges – After you have been pumping for a few minutes, slighting rearranging the flanges and continuing to pump will help stimulate other glands and increase your milk output.

Try to relax as much as possible – Taking deep breaths can help you to relax. Listening to soothing music. Sitting in a comfortable chair. Enjoy a beverage while you pump.

Many pumping moms find that these techniques are easier to use when they pump one breast at a time or are able to pump hands free. Hands free pumping bras that hold the pump breast flanges in place provide an easy way to free up your hands while pumping. These types of bras can be purchased or made by cutting slits in an older bra.

For more techniques and tips on pumping read Using Your Breast Pump. If you experience let-down problems while pumping, consider meeting face to face with a lactation consultant. She will be able to evaluate your technique and offer suggestions specific to your situation. To find a lactation consultant in your area visit the ILCA website.

15 Reasons to Use A Breast Pump

Wondering if you’ll need a breast pump when your baby arrives? A pump can be a very useful tool for a new mother to have even if she intends to exclusively breastfeed her child. We’ve compiled a list of the 15 most common reasons why mothers use breast pumps.

1. Avoid supplementing feedings with infant formula. By expressing her own breastmilk, a mother can continue to feed her child only breastmilk even when they must be apart during baby’s meal times.

2. Need to return to work. For many new mothers, returning to work shortly after giving birth is a reality, but by pumping and storing milk while at work a mother can continue to provide her baby with breastmilk as long as she would like.

3. Allow dad or other family members to feed baby. When mom expresses breastmilk for later feedings, dad and older siblings can give feedings to help mom and bond with the new baby.

4. Give mom a chance to relax. Breastfeeding on demand can easily wear any mother out occasionally. Having a bottle of expressed milk available allows mom to take some much needed time for herself while someone else takes care of baby.

5. Premature or sick infant is unable to nurse properly. In order to provide breastmilk for a premature baby that is too weak to breastfeed a mother can use a hospital grade pump to express milk for feedings. A pump will also provide breast stimulation to increase and maintain a sufficient supply of milk.

6. Induce lactation for an adopted baby. A breast pump can be used to stimulate a mother’s breast to induce milk production to breastfeed an adopted baby. Breastfeeding a great way for a mother and her adopted child to bond.

7. Create an emergency supply. A mom can pump and store an emergency supply of breastmilk in her freezer to use for feedings in case she becomes sick or needs to take medication

8. Relieve pain from engorgement. When a mother’s breasts are overly full and engorged with breastmilk, she can use a breast pump to express enough milk to provide relief from pain.

9. Draw out flat or inverted nipples. Mothers with flat or inverted nipples can have trouble when trying to get baby to latch on properly. By pumping a few minutes before breastfeeding, a mother can draw out her nipple so that baby can nurse more easily.

10. Provide milk for children of a multiple birth. Breastfeeding one child can be very demanding on a mother and feeding twins or other multiples only increases the demand and challenge for a mother. By pumping milk, a mother of multiples can provide her children with breastmilk without having to nurse around the clock.

11. Maintain your milk supply. By using a breast pump to stimulate milk production a mother can keep her supply up so that she can breastfeed her baby when they are together.

12. Baby has difficulty latching-on. If a mother’s breasts are very full, pumping some milk out can make it easier for her baby to latch-on and nurse properly. For other infants who are unable to latch-on because of a birth defect like a clip lip or palate, expressing milk is the only way for them to receive breastmilk for feedings.

13. Donate extra milk to a milk bank. While some mothers may have difficulties producing a sufficient amount of milk for their babies, other mothers seem to produce an abundance of milk and choose to donate this surplus to infants that may not have access to breastmilk.

14. Mom prefers to feed baby from bottle. Some mothers feel that breastfeeding just isn’t for them and choose to exclusively pump breastmilk for all of their baby’s feedings.

15. Supplement first foods with breastmilk while weaning baby from the breast. Although a mother may want to wean her baby from the breast, she can continue to supplement her infant’s diet with breastmilk if she expresses and stores her milk.

If you plan to pump breastmilk then you will need to decide which best pump will work best for you. You can begin your breast pump research by reading the articles under Finding the Right Breast Pump and by looking at our Breast Pump Comparisons.

How Your Diet Affects Your Breastmilk

When you are breastfeeding or providing your baby with expressed breastmilk, your body makes producing a sufficient supply of milk its number one priority. Eating a well-balanced diet will ensure that both you and your baby are receiving adequate nutrition. Maintaining the same healthy diet that you followed during your pregnancy will most likely be suitable while you are breastfeeding as well.

Studies have shown that a breastfeeding mother’s diet affects the quantity of the milk that her body produces more so than it directly affects the quality of her milk. The quality of breastmilk amongst breastfeeding mothers who eat a healthy, well-balanced diet is quite consistent.

Following a few guidelines can help you ensure that your diet is healthy enough to produce an adequate supply of breastmilk for your child.

Fluids

Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to drink milk in order to produce milk. You will be able to give your baby nutrient rich milk whether you drink cow’s milk or not, but staying properly hydrated while you are lactating is important. Breastfeeding and pumping moms should be sure to drink enough fluids to quench your thirst throughout the day since much of your fluid intake will go toward the production of milk.

Junk food

Although you may crave sweets and other junk foods, you should keep in mind that they provide mostly empty calories and very little nutrition. Swearing off sweets and other junk foods completely is not necessary, but choosing healthy snack options will provide you with more energy and benefit your overall health more.

Food Allergies

If you or other members of your family have a history of certain food allergies you may need to adjust your diet accordingly since many foods will be passed through your breastmilk. The most common food allergens that are passed through breastmilk include peanuts, cow’s milk, soy and strawberries.

Caffeine

Consuming more than a moderate amount of caffeine each day may agitate your baby and make it difficult for him or her to sleep. Two cups of coffee or two soft drinks a day is considered a moderate intake of caffeine.

Alcohol

While only small amounts of alcohol are passed into breastmilk, it is best to avoid alcohol while breastfeeding. However, you may enjoy an occasional drink as long as you won’t be breastfeeding right after. Discuss any use of alcohol while breastfeeding with your doctor prior to consumption.

Cigarettes

If you haven’t already quit smoking, now is the time to do so since nicotine and other harmful chemicals found in cigarettesare passed directly into breastmilk. Although not smoking at all is the best option for both you and your baby, cutting down on the number of cigarettes that you smoke each day is also beneficial.

Weight Loss

Regaining your pre-pregnancy figure is a great goal to have, but going on a weight loss program that placing restrictions on your daily food intake can decrease your milk supply. One of the perks to breastfeeding (or pumping) is that your body will need an additional 200 to 500 calories each day to produce breastmilk. This extra calorie burning can help you lose your pregnancy weight with minimal effort on your part. Be sure to speak with your doctor before starting a weight loss program.

While you are lactating, you should not ignore signs of hunger or thirst because doing so could negatively affect your milk supply. Remember that eating a healthy well-balanced diet at this time is beneficial to both you and your child.

Cleaning Your Breast Pump

Breastpumps-Store.com provide a convenient way to continue feeding your baby breast milk when you return to work or are apart from each other. It is important however that you keep your breast pump clean to protect the health and safety of both you and your baby.

Cleaning

Immediately after use, all pump parts that are exposed to breastmilk should be washed with hot water and a mild detergent. Avoid using abrasive products, chemicals, antibacterial soaps or bottlebrushes that could scratch or crack pump parts. You should not continue to use breast pump parts that become scratched or cracked.

All pump parts should be rinsed thoroughly with hot water after washing to ensure that all soap residue is removed. Allow cleaned parts to air dry on a clean towel. If washing must be delayed, all parts should be rinsed thoroughly with hot water after use.

If milk should enter the breastpump tubing, detach tubes from the motor, wash with mild soap and hot water, rinse thoroughly and hang to air dry.

As an additional precaution, you should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling your breast pump to prevent cross contamination of germs.

Sterilizing

Many pump manufacturers recommend boiling or sterilizing all washable pump parts once a day. Although in some cases, sterilization is required after each use. Speak with your child’s healthcare professional to determine your sterilization needs.

The current guidelines for disinfecting infant feeding items require that a minimum temperature of 176˚F must be reached to kill bacteria and viruses. The maximum temperature for sterilization is 212˚F. The Avent iQ 24 Electric Steam Sterilizer reaches 212 ˚F to ensure that you can safely sterilize all your pump parts and bottles at home. There are several options for sterilizing your pump’s parts, which include:

• Boiling for 5 to 10 minutes
• Top Rack of Dishwasher
• Electric Sterilizer
• Microwave Sterilizing

Although it is important to properly clean and sterilize your pump, it is never safe to share a personal use breast pump. To learn more about the risks associated with sharing a breast pump read Buying and Borrowing Used Breast Pumps.

These guidelines for cleaning and sterilizing your breastpump parts are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace instructions provided by the pump manufacturer or your child’s primary healthcare professional. If you have questions or concerns about how to best clean your breast pump consult your lactation consultant or healthcare provider.

Using Your Breast Pump

These guidelines and tips can help prepare you for successful pumping; however, you should be sure to read all of the instructions that come with your pump prior to using it for the first time.

Basics of Pumping

To begin your first pumping session, place the breast shield on your breast and hold firmly in place. Be sure that the shield is centered over your nipple. If the shield is not centered over your nipple, you may experience discomfort when you begin to pump.

If using a manual pump compress the handle with quick, short squeezes to simulate your baby’s nursing. Once you achieve let-down and your milk is flowing, you can switch to squeezes that are held longer to express milk effectively. When your flow slows down, switch to your other breast.

If using an electric pump start pumping at the lowest speed and suction settings until you feel comfortable. Then adjust speed and suction to stimulate let-down and milk flow as needed. If you’re using a double electric pump for the first time, start with one breast until you adjust to pumping.

Always disassemble your pump after each use, wash with hot soapy water, rinse and air dry. To learn more about how to keep your pump clean read Cleaning Your Breast Pump.

Creating a Comfortable Pumping Environment

Creating a comfortable pumping environment can help to ensure that you pump more milk during each session by helping you to relax. Stress and other distractions can hinder your let-down reflex and make pumping more difficult. Some ways to make your environment more relaxing include:

• Keep a photo of your baby near by
• Hold a blanket or item of clothing that has your baby’s scent
• Listen to relaxing music
• Eat your lunch or a healthy snack while pumping
• Avoid interruptions by informing others of your pumping schedule

Additional Tips for Successful Pumping

1. Get an early start. If you plan to return to work, you should begin pumping at least 2 weeks before your first day back. During this time, you will be able to learn how to pump effectively and begin to build a supply of expressed milk. This early pumping will also allow you to determine how much time you will need to pump each day.
2. Outline a pumping schedule and stick to it. It can be helpful to pump on the same schedule that your baby was breastfeeding. Most mothers find that pumping more frequently for short periods is more effective than pumping for longer periods. On average, a pumping session should last between 15 and 20 minutes.
3. Lean forward while pumping. This is a great way for you to use gravity to your advantage while pumping. It will help your milk to flow more easily through the shields and into the bottles.
4. Reduce chafing by lubricating the breast shields with lanolin cream or vegetable oil. This will also help to draw in more of your breast into the shield.
5. Warm compresses and gentle massage prior to pumping can help to increase the amount of milk you are able to express.

Once you’re familiar with your pump and are ready to start expressing your breastmilk, be sure to have a your milk storage containers and labels prepared. Read the articles on Milk Storage to find out how to properly store your expressed breastmilk.

Pumping Basics

Using a breast pump is a great way to continue feeding your baby breastmilk after you return to work. Deciding to pump and store breastmilk for your baby’s feedings begins a new experience that is quite different from breastfeeding.

Familiarize yourself with the basics of pumping before you begin to pump, and you’ll be able to handle any pumping challenges that may come your way. Here you can find all the basic information that you need to become a pumping mom.

• Using Your Pump
• Cleaning Your Pump
• How Your Diet Affects Your Breastmilk
• 15 Reasons to Use a Breast Pump
• Techniques for Encouraging Let-down
• Breastfeeding and Pumping After Cesarean Delivery

Shipping & Returns

We do our best to ship all orders within 24 hours of receipt, excluding weekends and holidays. But, it could take up to 3 business days in some circumstances. If it will be longer, you will be notified by e-mail and given a chance to amend or cancel your order before it is shipped.

How long will it take to get my order?

Orders will be shipped from Bosom Buddies within 3 business days of receipt of your order (unless you are notified otherwise). For ground shipping time, see below or look at UPS estimates at http://www.ups.com/maps. We are based in Lone Tree, CO; the originating zip code is 80124. UPS operates on normal business days, excluding weekends and holidays.

How much will shipping cost?

To estimate shipping costs, put the items you would like into your shopping cart then click on the "Estimate Shipping" button. You will see costs for various shipping methods. We charge shipping based on estimated actual costs.

For Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pumps and Medela Pump In Style Breastpumps, ground shipping is generally about $8 to $12.50, depending on the specific product and where it is being shipped.

For orders over $300, an additional fee of $.35 per $100 (with a minimum of $1.20) may be added to your order total before shipping to cover insurance. Any fees for address changes will be charged to your card if assessed by UPS, so please be sure to enter shipping information accurately.

Shipping displayed on our website is prepaid shipping only. Shipments outside of the United States may have additional duties, taxes or fees, which will be the recipient's responsibility upon receipt. For an estimate of these charges, you must contact UPS locally.

Breastpumps-Store.com cannot be responsible for your shipment after it is picked up by UPS.

Backorders

Because of possible delays in updating inventory levels on the web, it is possible the product you purchased is not in stock. You will be contacted if your order will be delayed more than 3 business days. We do receive shipments from most of our manufacturers regularly.

If you purchase something that is backordered, we will notify you. Out of stock items will be indicated as such in your shopping cart. If you make a purchase including something that is out of stock, please see "Shipping partial orders" below.

Shipping partial orders

If we receive an order for something that is out of stock for more than 3 business days, we will notify you with an estimate of when we expect that item to be available. You may specifically specify in the notes on your order that you would like products shipped separately and you understand you will pay additional shipping costs.

We ship exclusively with UPS. We will ship orders anywhere in the world that UPS services. Rates displayed are estimates only; your order total may be increased up to 10% to account for actual cost of shipping. UPS does not deliver to PO boxes. If a PO Box is provided for a shipping address, your order will be delayed until we have a valid street address for delivery. Any fees for address changes will be charged to your card when assessed by UPS. UPS picks up packages Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Breastpumps-Store.com cannot guarantee the arrival of a package to your destination or the time it reaches you. After the package is picked up by UPS, UPS is responsible for the shipment. A notification of shipment and your UPS tracking number will be sent to the e-mail address you provided with your order.

Taxes

Sales tax is charged for shipments to Colorado addresses. The rate is based on the zip code and ranges from 2.9-8.8%. An estimate should be provided at check out. Your order total may be adjusted to accomodate sales tax.

Taxes and duties may also be charged for shipments outside the United States. These will be collected by UPS on delivery of the package and will be the recipient's responsibility.

Returns

We accept returns on a limited basis as a service to our customers.

All returns

- must be accompanied by a receipt,

- must meet the conditions outlined below, and

- must have an Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) obtained by e-mailing BreastPumps-Store with your name, order number, item you would like to return, and reason for return.

Packages received without an RMA will be refused and no credit will be given.

Shipping costs are not refundable.

If non-qualified products are returned to Breastpumps-Store.com, they will not be refunded or returned. No returns on clearance merchandise, "While they last" items, items marked special order, hospital grade breast pumps, scales, and other products specific below.

Bras and Clothing: Unless otherwise stated in the product description or indicated below, if clean, unwashed and unworn, bras and clothing can be returned within 30 days of your invoice for a full refund. Clearance, "While they last", and special order items are not returnable for any reason.

Defective bras or clothing must be reported within 30 days. In many cases, we will give you information to directly contact the manufacturer to deal with the defective item.

Panties, Swimsuits, and support belts (maternity or postpartum) are not returnable for any reason for hygienic reasons.

Breastfeeding products (breast pumps, parts, special feeders, pads, bottles...): Unless otherwise stated in the product description, if unopened and in brand new condition, we will accept returns within 30 days of purchase. If non-qualified products are returned to Breastpumps-Store.com, they will not be refunded or returned. Since breastfeeding products are personal items, we want to ensure all of our customers that the products are brand new. Unless we specifically state otherwise, all of our breast pumps are brand new, have the original manufacturer’s seal and are under full manufacturer’s warranty. All of our breastfeeding supplies are brand new.

Clearance, "While the last" and items marked special order in the description are not be returnable.

Return method: We suggest returning your package to us insured, signature required. We are not responsible for damaged or misdelivered items. A refund will be issued to the same card on which the purchase was made within 3 business days of us receiving the item in acceptable condition with the proper RMA. An e-mail will be sent to the original order address confirming the credit.

If you have any questions about our shipping or return policies, we encourage you to e-mail us before you place your order.