How often should I express my milk if I’m away from my baby?
Start by expressing your milk about every three hours while you’re away, or about three times in an eight-hour day. You may find that two times is enough; most parents need to express more than once. Expressing both breasts at the same time generally takes about 10 to 15 minutes. As your baby gets older and begins eating solids, you may not need to pump as frequently. If your baby is cared for nearby, you may be able to nurse instead of expressing milk. Your baby may sleep more while you’re apart, and nurse more when you’re together, including throughout the night (this is called “reverse cycling”). If this happens, eventually you may be able to pump or hand express milk less often when you are away.
At work, you can just rinse your pump parts and bottles, but be sure to clean them thoroughly at the end of each day. Hot, soapy water or the dishwasher is fine. No need to sterilize for a breastfed baby. (Remember that great immune system!)
Expressing While Supplementing
If you’re supplementing with donor milk or formula while also breastfeeding, for whatever reason, it is important to maintain your milk supply if you want to continue to breastfeed.
If you’re supplementing for medical reasons, your medical team should provide guidance as to how to supplement, for how long, and how/when to offer your breastmilk. You’ll likely need to work with an IBCLC during this process to ensure your nursing relationship is preserved.
If you are choosing to offer supplements for non-medical reasons, it is important to know that your milk supply will decrease unless you take steps to maintain it.
In general, for every bottle (or cup) of breastmilk substitute given, you should pump both breasts at least once, preferably at roughly the same time the supplement is being given. While pumping, you’ll want to be sure to drain both breasts. Leaving milk in the breast or skipping milk expression altogether will cause your supply to drop.
Pumps Are Not as Efficient as Babies
It is important to understand that pumps, even the best ones, will never be as efficient at removing milk as a healthy full-term baby is. It is unwise to assume that your pumping output is equal to your supply. Pumps are simply unable to get all of the milk out.
Maintaining Your Pump
All pumps require regular maintenance for optimal functioning and to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Please refer to your pump’s manual for instructions on how to maintain your particular device.
