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There are a lot of reasons you might exclusively pump, and each reason will have it’s own set of circumstances. For me, it was the NICU. Then my baby came home on a g-tube unable to have anything by mouth, so I continued to exclusively pump for several months.
Some days I enjoyed pumping. Some days I hated it. Some days it was a nice break. Some days it was a nuisance. I never expected to exclusively pump. In fact, I breastfed my first for 20 months without ever using a pump. This time has been very different.
Here are a few things I’ve learned from exclusively pumping:
Get a Good Pump
This is especially important in the beginning when you are establishing your supply. Pumping often and with a good pump can make all the difference. Personally, I have experience with a hospital-grade pump, and if you have a baby in the NICU, your insurance may cover the rental fees for a hospital-grade pump. You may not know how long you plan to pump, but a good pump is worth the investment.
Distract Yourself
Maybe it’s just me but having a machine suck my nipples into a tube 60+ times a minute for 20-30 minutes 5-8 times a day was not my idea of a good time. In fact, it was quite irritating if I focused on it too much. One of the main reasons I was able to pump as long as I did was Netflix. Pumping became my relaxation time. There were a lot of times when I would get so caught up in what I was watching and then glance down at two bottles full of milk!
(You may also want some good earbuds
Buy Extra Pump Parts
Those thick plastic bottles you pump milk into are awesome. They are durable and versatile. I didn’t even think to buy extras until I’d been pumping for more than two months. So worth it! Not only did it save me from washing the same two bottles 5-8 times a day, but it also made sticking milk in the fridge that much easier. I wish I’d thought to purchase some sooner.
Wash Parts ASAP
I struggled with this, but I was so glad when I was able to wash the parts immediately. Nothing worse than going to pump and having milk-covered parts waiting to be cleaned. Then not only did I have to put off pumping, but I also had to wash AND dry the parts. When I had a quick second to wash when I finished a pumping session, I could leave the parts out to dry themselves. Ultimately that saved me time. And hassle. And frustration.
Start a Storage System
When I started pumping, I didn’t think I would need to do it for very long. I was pumping around 45 ounces a day, and my 4 pound baby needed very little of that. Within a few weeks my freezer was stuffed. We bought a deep freezer, but it took me probably two weeks to get all of the milk sorted and organized because it was such a mess!
I stored milk in Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags and then filed them in gallon Ziploc bags by date. After I finally got everything moved to the deep freezer, it was so easy to keep my system going. I wish I’d done it sooner.
I knew nothing about pumping going into it. Honestly, I hadn’t realized how much there is to know! What tips have you learned or heard? I’d love to hear what other moms have done!
