Some moms give birth and are excited to begin pumping and feeding expressed breast milk to their little ones. Others, however, find themselves unexpectedly pumping and giving their milk by tube, cup, bottle or via a supplemental nursing system. This can be a confusing and, possibly, disappointing time for someone who expected to be breastfeeding. For those of you who were thrust into pumping, here are some tips to help you be successful in giving this liquid gold to your little one.
Pumping Expressed Breast Milk
Many moms are confused by the seemingly unending row of breast pumps in the store:
Which one is right for you? Should you rent? Buy?
This post will break all of these questions (and more!) down for you so that you can find just the right machine for you and your baby. (Got twins? Or triplets? Quads or more?? Find out which pump is best for multiples.) You can also learn to express by hand for those times when carting a pump around are inconvenient?
You may also be feeling lost when it comes to technique and the logistics of pumping:
Should you pump longer? Shorter? More frequently?
This post will take you through how to be successful with pumping.
While pumping can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming, many women go on to pump long-term – some for well over a year! However long you choose to express your breast milk for your little one, remember what incredible benefits you’re giving to your baby and what a gift that is for them!
Feeding Expressed Breast Milk
Now that you’ve got some expressed breast milk, now what? Would you like to go from bottle back to the breast? Go halvsies with bottles and the breast? Stay with bottle-feeding? Is the bottle aisle also overwhelming to you? Do you have questions about which products to use for feeding expressed breast milk?
Friend, you’re not alone! Any mama who has ever pumped has had these types of questions!
Let’s get you comfortable with feeding expressed breast milk to your sweet little one:
- Pumping and Storing Breast Milk
- 20 Tips for Working and Breastfeeding/Pumping
- Breastfeeding Accessories – like the best bottle warmer
- 5 Types of Breast Milk Containers
- How Bottles Lead to Overfeeding Breast Milk
- Breast Milk Handling
- Heating Breast Milk
- Can I Improve Breast Milk?
- Reusing Expressed Breast Milk
- Caregivers Guide to the Breastfed Baby
- How Much Expressed Milk will my Baby Need?
- How Long does Frozen Breast Milk Last?
- How Long will Thawed Breast Milk Last?
Sometimes mothers find their supply takes a hit with partial or exclusive breastfeeding. This may happen because the baby is far more effective at removing milk than the pump is. If you notice this happening, you can increase your breast milk supply naturally. Some women, though, find they never need to increase but rather have an oversupply. If this happens to you, you may want to consider donating to a baby in need!
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