subject: How to safely and effectively use a breastpump [print this page] Breastfeeding confers a myriad of benefits to you and to your babies. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Austrlaian Medical Association and the Australian Breastfeeding Association all recommend that all infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life and that breastfeeding continue up to two years of age and beyond.
There are many reasons why mothers may need to express breastmilk for their babies such as:
You may need to return to work or study;
You may like to express so you can have a day, evening or weekend away;
You may like your partner to be able to feed the babies;
One of your babies may have problems feeding directly from the breast, due to prematurity, illness or other problems related to sucking and latching such as flat or inverted nipples, breast infection;
You or one of the babies may have to be hospitalised and you will be separated for some time;
You may need a breastpump to help you increase your breastmilk supply.
Here are some suggestions that we hope you will find helpful when expressing and using your pump:
Relaxing, thinking about or looking at photos of your babies and gently massaging your breasts by stroking down towards the nipple with the flat of your hand all help to assist your breasts to active the let-down reflex and start your milk flowing;
Initially use the lowest suction setting on your pump. If you find your nipple is hurting or expressing is painful, take a moment to confirm that your nipple is well centred in the breast cup and the suction setting is on low;
Once you are comfortable and your milk is flowing, you can increase the setting;
Some women find it works well for them to switch breasts frequently during expressing, or use a double pump kit to express from both breasts at the same time;
If you find your breastmilk supply is dropping, expressing more frequently may help you restore it to meet the babies' needs.
Hygiene
Thorough cleaning is very important. If your babies are premature or ill, seek the advice of your health care provider concerning the level of hygiene needed for your equipment. You should also seek their advice regarding suitable containers for you to express into they may prefer to provide you with suitable containers.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before expressing. Dry them on a clean towel or a disposeable towel.
Separate all plastic parts of the kit, rinse in cold water and remove all traces of grease, milk, dirt etc with a small amount of dishwashing liquid and hot water. Use a brush kept specifically for this purpose. Rinse twice in hot water.
Place all the items on a clean dry cloth or paper towel to drip dry and cover with another clean dry cloth or paper towel.
Store your cleaned dry kit in a new plastic bag or clean covered container till the next use.
You may boil or use a microwave steriliser for those parts that are suitable.
Storage of breastmilk
Handling stored breastmilk
Safe storage of your breastmilk
Expressed breastmilk will keep out of a fridge for 6-8 hours (at 25 degrees or lower). If there is a refrigerator available, it is best to store your milk there.
Milk stored in the refrigerator will keep up to 3 - 5 days if necessary. Keep it at the back of the fridge where it is coldest.
Breastmilk stored in the freezer section inside a one-door fridge will keep for 2 weeks, or for 3 months in the freezer section of a fridge with a separate door, and for 6 - 12 months in a separate deep freeze.
You can add more breastmilk to a container in the freezer if you chill it in the fridge first. It will only keep for as long as the oldest milk in the container.
Once your baby has begun feeding, that milk is only safely used for that feeding. Any leftovers should be discarded.
Freezing breastmilk
Label the containers with the date you expressed the milk and use the oldest milk first.
Place your closed container in the coldest section of the refrigerator first then once its cold, place it in the coldest section of your freezer.
Chilled milk can be added to frozen milk or chilled milk as long as the storage container is placed back immediately into the refrigerator or freezer compartment.
Do not refreeze breastmilk.
Note that frozen milk will expand in the container as it freezes, so fill your container only to full otherwise the container may explode.
Thawing breastmilk and warming breastmilk for use
Expressed breastmilk will naturally separate into several different layers, this is completely normal, just shake your container. Milk may freeze in these noticeable layers, but it will mix again readily once its thawed.
Frozen breastmilk can be thawed out in your fridge over 24 hours or warmed quickly (but not in boiling water, which will curdle your milk).
Do not leave your breastmilk to thaw on the bench, standing at room temperature. Do not attempt to refreeze breastmilk.
To thaw milk for use, you can run the container under cold water, gradually warming the water until the milk returns to liquid.
Microwaves should not be used to thaw or to heat your breastmilk as it heats unevenly, often having very hot pockets and this may burn your baby's mouth. Research also suggests that microwaving breastmilk could change the immunological and nutritional qualities of your milk.
It is not necessary to boil expressed breastmilk.
Transporting breastmilk
You may have to transport your breastmilk, between home and daycare, office and home, hospital and home or home and care provider.
This can be done quite safely using an insulated bag with a freezer pack inside.
Frozen milk being transported must not be allowed to thaw during transportation. If it does begin to thaw, this milk should be used within 24 hours.
