Basics of Breast Pumps
Basics of Pump Settings: It’s really helpful to first understand how your pump mimics your baby’s feeding so that you can understand why and how the settings work.
Examples of pumps with two-phase functions include almost all pumps currently on the market like Spectra, Medela, Pumpables, Baby Buddha, Luna, Lansinoh, etc.
☆ Remember: Breast pumps mimic babies.
When your baby first latches, they will utilize short fast sucks for 1-2 mins to stimulate nerves in your breast which signal your body to release oxytocin.
In response to the oxytocin, your breasts “let down” a flow of milk to help deliver more milk to your baby.
In response your baby starts to use rhythmic, longer sucks & swallows as they begin to drink.
While milk may be consistently flowing throughout, about every 7-10 minutes, your body can have another peak of oxytocin to help let down a little extra push of milk.
☆ Two-Phase Electric Breast Pumps: Virtually every single pump - manual and electric!
To mimic this, breast pumps have two modes (phases): massage/stimulation and expression/collection. You will want to start in massage but you’ll spend the majority of your session in expression.
Stimulation: a fast cycle with a lighter suction
Expression: a range of at least 3 options for speed + vacuum. Some have these two settings separate, but most have it simply as 🔼 🔽 where it ranges from faster + lighter suction to slower + stronger suction.
☆ Tips for Efficient Pumping: get more milk + prevent clogs!
Many people can have a let-down of milk every 6-8 minutes, so go back to massage/stimulation mode about every 6-8 minutes (2-3x per 20 minute session).
In expression, begin in a faster cycle and lighter vacuum early on in the session and progress to slower, stronger settings.
