How To Use A Medela Breast Pump

How To Apply A Medela Chest Pump - Pro Tips

March 03, 2020

So you received your breast pump through insurance and you're all prepare to beginning pumping milk for your babe! Or are you?

Medela has been helping breastfeeding mothers feed their babies since 1961. Information technology's a top choice for moms and lactation consultants alike because of the pumps' dependability, two-phase engineering and ease of use.

The brand features a range of pumps to meet nearly whatsoever pumping need - from the hands-complimentary, very portable Medela Freestyle Flex and the rechargeable, loftier-tech Medela Sonata to the tried and true Medela Pump In Manner Advanced.

Medela Pump In Style Maxflow

How to use a Medela breast pump

Medela breast pumps brand information technology easy to pump breast milk for your baby. But many moms - new moms specially - aren't confident that they know how to pump properly, so below are some breast pumping tips from our 1 Natural Mode team.

These instructions are for the pop Medela Pump In Style, since we become the most questions about this pump; notwithstanding, other pump models will follow similar instructions.

Find a individual, comfy identify to use your breast pump
Fit the breast shields then your nipples are centered (if they're not placed correctly, you may feel uncomfortable tugging). Besides exist sure that your breast shields (also called flanges) are the correct size. With a chest shield that is too small, your nipple will rub along the sides. Likewise large and it will pull the nipple, along with excess areola, far into the flange tunnel. Medela has a neat chest shield fit guide here.
Plow the pump on. It will start with a faster pace to encourage allow-down. If you want to pump easily-free, invest in some breastfeeding or pumping accessories like a hands-gratis nursing bra or tank top.
Once yous find milk spurting, first the expression stage with Medela's easy one-touch let-down push button. This will pump at a slower, more than moderate step (only similar a nursing babe) to encourage milk menstruum. If you don't touch the permit-downwards button, the pump will switch to the expression phase after ii minutes.
Use the dial to adjust the speed and suction for your maximum comfort and virtually efficient milk production (hint: faster isn't ever better).
When you're finished pumping, remove the tubing from the breast shields, put the caps on the bottles, and store the milk. Let the pump run for a few extra minutes to remove any condensation in the tubing.
Clean the pump parts (whatever parts that the chest milk touches) with warm, soapy h2o.

How to pump one side with Medela Pump In Way

If you are but using 1 side of your double electric chest pump, make sure to put the tubing port encompass over the side you're not using so proceed as normal. The breast that isn't being pumped may leak, so it's a good thought to use something to take hold of the milk that drips. Some moms like to save that milk, and others just use a clean towel or blanket to catch any spillage.

Pumping with the Medela Sonata and Medela Freestyle Flex

The above instructions for pumping are like for the Medela Sonata and Medela Freestyle Flex, although they come up with buttons to control vacuum and speed rather than a dial.

The biggest difference is that both the Sonata and the Freestyle Flex come up with Smart Solution, which connects your pump to your smart phone through the MyMedela app. With the app, y'all tin can see real-time tracking of your pumping sessions, your baby'south growth, and show-based lactation data. The personalized content can help y'all reach your breast milk feeding and pumping goals.

Assembly and use of Pump In Manner Advanced

These instructions are for the Medela Pump In Manner Advanced, but other Medela breast pump models will follow similar steps.

Wash your hands.
Collect all your breast pump parts - breast shields, connectors, valves, valve membranes, tubing, bottles, and the pump itself (motor).
Wash and sterilize the bottles, breast shields (sometimes called flanges), connectors, valves, and membranes.
Snap the membranes onto the valves until they lie completely flat.
Deeply attach the chest shields to the breast shield connectors.
Button the assembled valves with membranes onto the bottom of the chest shield connectors.
Screw bottles onto the chest shield connectors.
Insert tubing into the hole on the back of the breast shield connectors.
Plug the ability adapter or battery pack cord into the power jack on the front of the breast pump.
Double pumping: Insert the free ends of the tubing onto both ports on the front end of the breast pump.
Single pumping: Insert the free end of the tubing onto 1 port and place the port cap over the unused ane.
Plug the power adaptor into an electrical outlet.

How long should y'all pump with your Medela Chest Pump?

How long you should pump varies depending on your (and your infant's) needs, how much milk y'all are producing, the pump you are using, and whether you are exclusively pumping, or pumping and breastfeeding.

If you lot are pumping exclusively, y'all'll want to pump along the aforementioned schedule as a nursing baby - and with a newborn, that will be near 8 times in a 24-hour period, or every 2-3 hours.

Generally speaking, most experts and lactation consultants recommend pumping for at least fifteen minutes, just non much longer than xx minutes. And if you pump for v minutes later on your milk stops flowing, you will encourage more milk production.

How much milk should you be pumping?

How much milk you lot pump using your Medela breast pump will depend on factors such as the infant's historic period, the fourth dimension since the last feeding or pumping, the pump type, and fifty-fifty how stressed you are.

Medela pumps assist moms attain their pumping goals with their ease of use and their 2-Phase Expression Engineering science. They're known for natural experience and excellent suction that encourage efficient milk production.

Moms who exclusively pump will typically produce nigh 25-35 ounces of milk in a 24-hr period during the newborn stage. This is considered full milk production. Of form, each baby and mother is different, and it's important to find what works for you (and consult a professional person if y'all believe you are not producing plenty). In the beginning, it can take fourth dimension to work up to full milk production - so don't become discouraged!

The all-time time to pump when you are establishing your milk supply is between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.thou. when your milk-making hormone levels are increased. Once you are consistently producing 25-35 ounces of breastmilk in a 24-60 minutes period, yous can start to reduce the number of pumping sessions (and hopefully go more than slumber).

If yous are primarily breastfeeding, you lot may observe y'all have higher milk production earlier in the twenty-four hours, with book gradually decreasing into the evening.

Since every baby and mom has a unique relationship and unlike needs, the most important cistron when breastfeeding or pumping is to follow your baby'due south lead. What works for 1 mom may not work for another, then remember to continue your ain comfort and needs top of mind.