Having a quality breast pump is essential if you plan to breast pump exclusively or even occasionally when returning to work.  If you do not have a quality breast pump intended for full time use, then your efforts at breast pumping will be useless.  After some time of using a lower quality breast pump (battery operated, single, even low voltage) you will find that your breast milk will begin to decrease.

That is why it is necessary to invest (yes, invest – because they are in the range of $200-300) in a good breast pump that will keep your breast milk flowing to continue to provide for your baby over the next weeks or months.

There are a few very good pumps (personal use) that are favorites with moms that breast pump on a regular basis:

-          Medela’s Pump in Style Advanced

-          Advent’s Isis IQ Duo

-          Ameda’s Purely Yours Ultra

In addition to these, there are hospital-grade pumps that can be rented and are perfect to help when moms needs that extra hard-working breast pump.  Since these pumps run so high ($800-1200), they can be rented to help alleviate some of the costs:

-          Medela’s Symphony

-          Medela’s Lactina

-          Ameda’s Elite

What breast pump did you use when breast pumping?  Let us know how you liked it.

Exclusive breast pumping is becoming more and more popular as moms become busier and busier.  But as each year passes, providing breast milk to our babies while still keeping the hectic schedule that we call our lives, it becoming must easier and more efficient.

The 10 tips should help you make your breast pumping more successful, whether you are pumping occasionally or exclusively.

1. Use a quality breast pump that is meant for exclusive breast pumping
2. Massage or squeeze your breasts from your armpits forward the entire time you are breast pumping
3. Breast pump for 2-3 minutes after the last of your breast milk has stopped
4. Make sure to relax or have something to do to preoccupy you while you are pumping (this helps the time go by much more quickly)
5. Do not give up the night time breast pumping session, even when baby is sleeping through the night
6. Don’t force the breast pump to pump too quickly or keep the pressure too high
7. Create a routine/schedule and try not to deviate from it
8. Remember that this will not be for the rest of your life (perhaps less than a year or even just a few months)
9. Have a routine for how to handle your breast milk after you are finished pumping, so as not to lose any from spoilage
10. Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day

What have been some of your favorite tricks to help you breast pump longer for your baby?  Let us know.