By MiShaun Taylor
The amazing thing about Mother Nature is how she has thought of everything. She designed a woman’s body and hormones based on a supply/demand situation. That is, if there is a greater demand for milk, your body will produce more. As your baby ages and becomes interested in solid food and less interested in nursing, you will automatically produce less milk. Occasionally, if there’s a slight glitch in the system, you may feel that your supply is not keeping up with the baby’s demands. When this happens, you can still fall back on your body’s natural responses to increase supply. One way to do this is by pumping milk with a breast pump.
Most breast pumps will come with instructions for use. Follow these instructions to get the best results. Here are further suggestions to make pumping more productive:
Be sure the breast pump is positioned correctly and comfortably. You won’t keep at it long enough to do any good if you are in pain or uncomfortable. Also, it’s important that the pump is firmly attached to the breast in order to get maximum suction.
Relax. Everything will be easier if you are relaxed and stress free. Allow someone else to take care of the baby so you’re not worried that she’s wet or cold. Sit where you are most comfortable, and let the answering machine take care of the phone. Listen to music you enjoy. With your doctor’s OK, have a small serving of wine, as alcohol promotes the let-down response, and encourages relaxation. Give yourself time to learn to use the pump, and understand that learning to nurse and pump takes practice, like everything else.
Stay warm. If you’re cold your let-down response will be inhibited. If you are not planning to keep the milk you extract, take the breast pump into a warm shower with you. The heat will definitely have a positive effect on milk production. If a shower isn’t feasible, use a heating pad or warm compresses on your breasts to increase flow.
If possible, have the baby in the room with you. Close your eyes and picture a calm, successful nursing session. Drape one of the baby’s blankets or sleepers over your shoulders so you can smell her. As any lactating woman who has heard a strange baby cry in the grocery store and has suddenly been drenched will attest, it’s a fact that your let-down response kicks in with stimuli related to baby.
Do double duty. Some electric pumps can be adapted to pump both breasts at once, or you can use two inexpensive hand pumps. Not only is this method quicker, but the hormone Prolactin will really be stimulated.
Treat yourself well. Eat nutritious food. Drink lots of water, a necessity for breastfeeding. Rest. Your body is working hard to produce milk to feed your baby. If you starve your body of anything it needs, it won’t be able to produce for you.
As you follow these tips and become more adept at pumping milk, you’ll be able to adjust your production to suit your baby’s needs. Relax and enjoy this wonderful time in your life.