Now You Too Can Pump

By Celine Claire

This ebook explains the details, benefits, and effects of breastfeeding using a pump.

The more milk you pump, the more milk you produce. Mothers using pumps to collect breast milk should practice good hygiene. Breast-feeding is a commitment. If you're pumping, follow simple tips for maintaining your milk supply, from pumping often to drinking plenty of fluids.

There are various kinds of pumps, which mothers can opt to use based on their budgets, the need for breast milk supply.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tektime
• Release date: Sep 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9788835437437

Book preview

Book Title: Now You Too Can Pump

Book Author: Celine Claire

Introduction

Food for thought. When women use their boobs to sell everything ranging from cars to cheeseburgers, nobody gives a damn. But, when women use their boobs to feed a baby in public, almost everyone loses their minds over that. This may be one of the paramount motivations for many women resorting to using breast pumps.

Fear? You don’t know fear until you’ve stuck your precious nipple in your teething baby’s mouth. Your baby’s bite marks on your nipples can make you develop resentment towards breastfeeding them. This is why some mothers prefer to use breast pumps to play it safe.

When mothers are asked about their awful breastfeeding fears, they mention things like Not enough milk, leaking, swelling, discomfort, latch, and more often, biting." Given that lactating professionals encourage mothers to breastfeed for at least one year while introducing complementary foods at around 6 months, it is simply understandable why mothers fear their babies to circle on their breasts.

Biting of mums’ breasts usually occurs at the end of a breastfeeding session when a baby is no longer swallowing and suckling. So, here is the thing. If babies are well-latched, their mouths are filled with breast tissue, and biting is most likely to occur.

Some babies, especially those who are teething, tend to bite or gum your breast without realizing that it is painful for mom. If the biting happens to you, you just need to press your baby's face into the breast for a few seconds. Doing this will cause your baby to release your breast so that they can breathe. Then, firmly tell them, No biting. Wait for several minutes before offering them your breast again. After a short time, your baby may learn that biting has unwanted consequences and that they shouldn’t do it.

However, if your baby has failed to adjust accordingly, then you need to resort to using breast pumps to save yourself from the pain caused by bites.

Attention! Another shortcoming of breastfeeding is the pain that mothers experience. Various studies indicate that 8 out of 10 mothers report that breastfeeding is a painful experience. A mother needs to know that pain and latch are synchronous. When your baby is poorly latched, your nipples get squished between the roof of your baby's mouth above their tongue and below it.

Moms can typically tell when their baby has a poor latch. They do so by examining their breast nipples before and after breastfeeding their babies. For your baby to have a good, deep latch, your nipple should be placed at the back of their mouth so that the nipple is not stretched out. Doing this will leave your nipple in the same shape before and after breastfeeding your baby.

If your baby is imperfectly latched, your nipple appears flattened or creased after your breastfeeding session. Even though having a good latch is the secret to eliminating pain during breastfeeding, some mothers achieve that good latch but still experience pain as they breastfeed for the first time.

Good enough, the nipple tugging, pulling, or any painful breastfeeding sensation you may experience at the start of breastfeeding lasts for only a few seconds and can quickly stop after a few weeks. If the pain persists throughout your breastfeeding sessions, don't hesitate to consult a trained expert in breastfeeding for some advice.

Are you curious about how to have a good latch? Well, having a good latch is fundamental to a successful breastfeeding experience. If you have specific fears about achieving a good latch, it is highly understandable. But, the solution is simple. Start by watching your baby for early signs of hunger, such as sucking on fingers or fists, wiggling, or squirming. Then breastfeed your baby after such signs.

There is no objective in waiting for your baby to cry. Crying is a late sign of hunger. Your baby is most likely to latch on poorly and less likely to breastfeed properly if you wait for them to cry. Always position your baby correctly at your breast to help them achieve a good latch on the breast.

Choose a breastfeeding posture, which is comfortable for you and your baby. Think about how you face the dining table while eating a meal and place your baby in the same way, with their chin, chest, and knees facing your breast. Tickle your baby's nose or lips using your nipple and wait for their mouth to open wide as though they were yawning. Then, quickly but gently position them on the breast, leading with their lower lip and chin.

Let your nipple point slightly upwards, toward the roof of their mouth. Ensure that your baby's tongue is over their lower gum, between their lower lip, and your breast. Their lips should curl out like the lips of a fish and lie against your breast. Whenever your baby is positioned well, you may see none or less of the darker area of your breast around your nipple (areola).

The darker section of your breast around your nipple you can see will depend on the magnitude of your areola and the size of your baby’s mouth. It is common to see more areola on the top, above your baby's lip, than on the bottom. Your baby's nose and cheeks may gently touch your breast, and their chin should firmly press onto your breast.

You will understand that your baby has a good latch if you hear them suck, swallow, and breathe in a regular pattern and when you feel that breastfeeding is comfortable for you.

It’s no secret that most moms experience leaking, especially during the early weeks when their babies are eating for almost 24 hours during the day and at night. Breasts that leak, drip, or even spray milk in the weeks or months after delivery are a common and normal postpartum sign that Breast leaking happens because of the let-down reflex, which is a powerful and regular part of a breastfeeding experience.

Although it can be inconvenient, embarrassing, and messy, leaking breasts indicate that you are correctly lactating. It's just your body getting used to making milk and the feeding schedule that you and your baby are developing as you breastfeed.

Leaking breasts have physical and emotional triggers, which is why you might find yourself suddenly soggy even when your baby is not around you. Hearing your baby cry or even a mere glance at your baby’s picture may trigger a squirt. You may also experience breast leaking if you’re running a little late for breastfeeding. You may experience breast leaking from one breast or both. Having an orgasm can also trigger a let-down, which is why you need to breastfeed before engaging in sexual activities.

Some moms feel a tingling sensation just before their breast milk starts to drip or spray, although other moms never getting a warning before the actual leaking.

One can’t tell when or where they may leak. So, you need to prepare ahead and wear the appropriate clothing. A white silk blouse may not do you better. Leaking, dripping, or spraying breast milk is a temporary problem, which should ease up as your body adjusts to breastfeeding. In the meantime, have some standby nursing pads so that you wear them inside your bra. Avoid using nursing pads with waterproof liners, as they trap moisture against your skin.

Seeing is believing. The other challenge that mothers experience is breast engorgement or enlargement. Breast engorgement happens when your breasts are painfully overfull of milk. It usually happens when a mother's body makes more milk than their baby can consume. With breast engorgement, your breasts may become firm and swollen, making it difficult for your baby to breastfeed. The good news available for you here is that you can treat engorged breasts at home.

What may cause you engorgement?

When your milk first comes in, in the course of the first few days after you give birth.

When you’ve developed a regular breastfeeding routine but can longer breastfeed or pump like you used to do.

Once you suddenly stop breastfeeding.

In cases when your baby starts breastfeeding less than usual. This can be because your baby is starting or increasing solid food intake or when the baby is sick and has a poor appetite.

As a new mother, your breasts start making milk in around two to five days after your baby is born. Before the two to five days, your breasts make colostrum, which contains essential nutrients that your baby's body needs immediately after birth. Colostrum is a sticky, thick, yellowish liquid produced by a woman's breasts towards the end of her pregnancy and within the first few days after her baby is delivered.

It’s absolutely normal for your breasts to feel heavy, warm, and swollen when your milk comes in at the start. This early breast fullness you experience comes from