Breastmilk gives your baby tailor-made nutrients designed just for them! Many Irish mums-to-be have the intention of breastfeeding, however, at present only 13% of babies are breastfed past 6 months of age. There are a number of factors which may be contributing to this;
Perception that not enough milk is being made:
Some mothers believe that they are not producing enough milk for their babies, however this is almost never the case. By draining the breasts more frequently, your body will naturally produce more milk. For those breastfeeding or expressing breastmilk, the golden rule is to feed or pump 8 or more in 24! This means draining the breasts 8 times every 24 hours.
By adding an extra expression session at night your body will begin to increase the milk supply due to the additional drainage of the breasts. Night time is the optimal time due to the increased levels of oxytocin.
Discomfort during feeding:
Breastfeeding is a taught skill, babies need to learn how to latch to the breast correctly, luckily for Irish mums, we have great midwives and lactation consultants at hand in each Irish maternity hospital. However some babies have poor latch for reasons such as tongue tie etc. Many mums will abandon their breastfeeding journey at this point assuming that the baby will never feed a the breast.
This is not the case and there are many different options for mums to encourage their
Many women experience discomfort when pumping, which in turn may result in the cessation of breastfeeding. Unfortunately discomfort while pumping is easily avoided and your baby can continue to receive that liquid gold!
What are the main reasons for discomfort?
Incorrect Breast Shield Size: Studies have found that at least half of those expressing breastmilk are using the incorrect size breast shield which may result in nipple trauma.
Incorrect Suction: Some women state that they experience pain when expressing, this is due to the incorrect suction setting being used which in turn can damage the tip of the nipple and cause pain.
Plugged ducts: Women may experience plugged milk ducts which may feel hard or firm. These plugged ducts may hinder the ability to extract milk from the breast and could cause pain or discomfort.
Stress: With a new baby, it’s hard for women not to stress about expressing enough milk to satisfy a growing baby. However stress and discomfort have been proven to hinder the release of oxytocin, a crucial hormone for breastfeeding mums which is essentially responsible for the release of breast milk.
How has the Medela FLEX technology revolutionised pumping?
Medela know that every woman is different and that there is no ‘one size fits all’, based on scientific research and tested by mums worldwide, the Medela FLEX has been built for comfort, efficiency and adaptability. Through its dedication to scientific research and decades of working with researchers of breastmilk, Medela have become a world leader with their infamous Medela Symphony, Medela Freestyle, Medela Swing range and the Medela Harmony.
The key new features of the FLEX technology include:
105° Angle: The 105° angle has been designed to contour the breast and ensure there was contact across the whole surface of the breast shield. This design ensured that there was no compression points along the breast tissue which allowed for improved comfort and better support flow through the milk ducts.
Ensuring the nipple is centred: Your nipple should be in the centre of the tunnel during pumping to ensure free movement and prevent rubbing and damage to the nipple. As a result of changing the flange angle slightly, the new FLEX technology has ensured that the nipple can be in the tunnel while initiating pumping. Two thirds of mums do not have their nipple centred when initiating a pumping session; generally the nipple is further back from the tunnel so it is difficult to ensure the nipple is centred.
360° Pumping – Oval Shaped for Comfort: Through an innovative collaboration between experts including breastfeeding mums, the shield was designed as an oval shape. The oval shaped breast shield has allowed mums to have the freedom to manoeuvre the shield to whichever position they wish. Unlike other breast shields on the market, the new FLEX breast shield cannot be placed in the wrong position and can be placed wherever mums wish.
Comfort Redesigned: Medela have listened to the breastfeeding mums, after all they are the experts in the field! With mums and engineers working closely, Medela have designed the new PersonalFit FLEX breast shield with a soft, smooth, flexible rim. Not only does the soft design afford women the utmost comfort, it also has a much more important factor – it seals gently to the breast and ensures there is no compression leading to engorged milk ducts.
Positioned around Mums: With the new fit and angle, mums now have the ability to move more freely when expressing. As with most pumps, it’s important to sit upright and hold the breast shield in place to ensure no ducts are blocked. Due to the new fit and seal, the new PersonalFit FLEX breast shield allows mums to recline and make themselves comfortable during a pumping session.
Connecting You and Your Breastfeeding Journey: The new MyMedela application is available on the Medela Freestyle FLEX pump, which allows you to track and monitor all your breastfeeds! The MyMedela app also allows you to keep tabs on your baby’s height, weight, sleep, and nappy changes. With information at your fingertips from the experts in the field, the MyMedela app allows you to gain breastfeeding confidence 24/7.
Overflow Protection (Closed System): Not all pumps are made the same and this applies to the term ‘closed system’, this is not a medical or clinical term and is used by many manufacturers which has led to compromising on the performance of the pump. Medelas’ goal is to optimise performance, maximise comfort, safety and efficiency for mums and so, the new FLEX technology has introduced an overflow protection barrier which may be located in the breast shield connector or in the pump itself.
And, most importantly……
MORE MILK!The new FLEX technology has endured rigorous tests and trials from breastfeeding mums. During these tests, Medela showed that when using the new breast shield, mums extracted significantly more milk volume. By using new PersonalFit FLEX breast shield, the breast’s drainage was significantly improved. The conclusions of these studies found on average an increase milk volume of 11% and 4% more drainage.
The 2-phase expression technology that is standard in all Medela pumps mimics feeding at the breast. Research has shown the babies will initially use short, fast sucks to stimulate the milk ejection reflex and once the milk flows, babies then adapt a slower, individual rhythm to feed. As the first company worldwide to convert this knowledge into the technology of their pumps, the suction of the pump is designed to ensure optimal extraction of milk in a manner which is comfortable and effective. The stimulation phase involves a rhythm of >100 cycles/minute which is then followed by the slower pumping rhythm of between 42 and 87 cycles/minute, ensuring that mums do not have to change settings during feeds which often leads to discomfort and may result in trauma to the nipple due to the use of incorrect suction settings.
*Breast pumps should be used when a baby is unable to feed at the breast, other medical reasons or are away from the mother.
Breast milk contains nutrients and antibodies that are essential for babies’ development, particularly for those born prematurely. When these babies cannot be breastfed by their mothers, pasteurised donor human milk from a milk bank is the next-best solution.
Why donate breast milk?
Human milk provides significant benefits for the growth and development of premature babies. Mothers can help support their babies by providing their breast milk. However, the emotional strain and worry that can come with having a new born can sometimes reduce their ability to produce milk. Pasteurised donor human milk from a milk bank helps the baby to develop and also reassures parents that their baby is receiving the best substitute possible.
Since the early 1980s, milk banks have disappeared from numerous hospitals across the world because running a milk bank requires extensive knowledge and considerable administrative effort.
However, this trend is now beginning to change and leading maternity and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across the world are now embarking on a slow reintroduction of milk banks.
How does breast milk banking work?
Milk banks provide sterilised bottles and labels. Some also supply breast pumps. The milk from each mum who donates is processed separately at the bank. Once the milk has been checked and pasteurised to destroy any bacteria, it can nourish babies who need it.
Can any breastfeeding mum donate her milk?
Milk banks only recruit healthy mums with babies under six months old who are not yet weaned.
If you want to donate milk, the bank will ask you to undergo screening for infections that may pass into your milk.
Staff at the milk bank will also want to know if you have a health condition and if you regularly take medicines, including herbal medicines. They may also want to know if you drink more than 2 units of alcohol a day and how much caffeine you usually consume. Having a health condition, taking medicines or drinking small amounts of alcohol or coffee will not necessarily rule you out for donating breast milk. But milk bank staff will always want to establish that your donated milk is safe for the baby who receives it.
Enquire about the possibility of donating milk in your city!
Many mums experience issues with low milk supply. Because breasts work on the principle of supply and demand, using a breast pump can increase your breast milk supply very effectively. If you have too much milk, there are also effective measures to reduce milk production.
How to increase your milk supply with a breast pump
While frequent pumping stimulates milk production, ‘power pumping’ is intended to boost your progress by replacing one regular pumping session with a strategically designed alternative in which you are repeatedly emptying your breasts. By doing so, you can mimic the frequent feeding of a baby experiencing a growth spurt, which in turn sends a signal to your body to make more milk.
To power pump, pick one hour each day or night – for example, seven o’clock every morning – and use the following pumping pattern:
Pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 minutes.
Pump for another 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes.
Pump again for 10 minutes.
During the rest of the day, use routine pumping. Some women find that implementing power pumping for three consecutive days or nights is sufficient, while others may power pump for up to seven consecutive days to get results.
How to use a breast pump to reduce milk supply
Here is the strategy for reducing your milk supply: before each feed, pump or hand express just enough milk to slow down the milk flow. Do not pump too much – just enough to get through the first let-down. Use the lowest possible setting if you are using a pump. The more you stimulate your breasts and the more milk you take out, the more your body will produce to meet the perceived demand.
If you have been pumping to store milk for your baby, stop pumping until your milk supply better matches your baby’s current needs. If you still need more milk in reserve but want to reduce your breast milk supply, start by pumping both breasts until they are drained. Then nurse your baby on one breast only for two to four consecutive feeds. Put your baby on the breast as many times as they desire – just use the same breast. You can pump your other breast – but only a little – to relieve pressure. This technique should start to work within 24-48 hours.
Speak to your health professional or a lactation consultant to find the best way to regulate your milk supply. Consider the effectiveness of the style of breast pump used. Electric breast pumps are generally more effective than hand-held pumps, especially when the electric pump is designed to mimic the changes in the length, strength and frequency of suction generated by your baby.
Breast milk is very precious. Follow the guidelines and tips below to store and thaw your breast milk so that you can preserve all the important nutrients and minimise bacterial contamination.
Guidelines for storing and thawing breast milk
How long does breast milk last in the fridge? What about frozen breast milk or milk at room temperature? Medela recommends using the following guidelines for storing freshly expressed breast milk.
Tips for freezing or thawing breast milk
If you pump small amounts of breast milk several times a day, make sure you mix the milk portions only when they have all been well cooled in your refrigerator. Never add freshly pumped milk to milk that has already cooled.
Do not store breast milk in the door of the refrigerator. Instead choose the coldest part of the refrigerator: at the back of the shelf above the vegetable compartment.
You can use milk bottles or Pump & Save bags for freezing breast milk. Do not fill the bottles or bags more than 3/4 full as the milk will expand during freezing.
Label the bottles or bags with the date of expression.
Do not thaw or heat frozen breast milk in a microwave or in boiling water. This is to avoid vitamin and mineral loss and to avoid scalding your baby.
In order to preserve the components of the breast milk, it is best to thaw the milk in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can hold the bottle or bag under warm water (max. 37°C).
Gently swirl the bottle or Pump & Save bag to mix any fat that has separated. Avoid shaking or stirring the milk.
Travelling can be a normal part of a breastfeeding mum’s life. Pumping breast milk for your baby while you are away is one way to keep the connection – and to continue breastfeeding for longer.
Pumping breast milk while travelling
Many mums find that a breast pump is essential when they are travelling. With the right pump, you can collect milk ahead of time and have it ready in a bottle when you need it. If you travel frequently, you may consider getting an additional, more portable pump just to use when you are on the road.
If you are travelling by plane, it is a good idea to check ahead if you are allowed to bring breast milk on board, whether or not your baby is travelling with you. You will need to mention your breast milk when you pass through security.
Supplies needed for breast pumping while travelling
Double electric breast pump (you get more milk in less time with a double pump)
Hand-held breast pump as a backup
Battery pack and extra batteries
Adaptor / converter if travelling abroad
Pump kit (breast milk bottles, connector, valve, breast shield, tubing)
Storage containers: breast milk bottles or bags
Cool bag or insulated bag to store your breast milk
Sterilising bags and hand sanitiser
Storing breast milk while you are travelling
Store milk in storage bags made for freezing breast milk.
Make sure you label the milk with the pumping date.
Refrigerate the milk at the coolest setting.
If you are out of town for several days, consider sending your milk home packed in dry ice.
Though this process may need a bit of getting used to, with practice it gets easier and you will feel proud that, even though you were physically separated from your baby, you were able to keep the connection by continuing to provide your own milk.
For maximum comfort and pumping efficiency, Medela offers five breast shield sizes. This guide is a starting point to help determine your optimal size.
Reasons to try a new size
Does your nipple rub the tunnel sides to the point of causing discomfort?
Do you see excessive areola being pulled into the tunnel?
Do you see any redness?
Is your nipple or areola turning white?
Do you feel unexpressed milk after breast milk pumping?
If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, consider trying a new size by following the measuring instructions below.
If you are still unsure that you selected the right breast shield size, contact a lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist.
Understanding Medela’s PersonalFit sizing
Step 1
Using a ruler or measuring tape measure the diameter of your nipple at base (across middle) in millimeters (mm). Do not include areola.
Step 2
Based on your breast measurement, determine your PersonalFit nipple shield size. Example: If your nipple size measures 17 mm in diameter, the recommended PersonalFit breast shield size is
21 mm.
Test your breast shield size
Start with the 24 mm that came with your pump, or the size determined by measuring.
Center the nipple and gently hold the breast shield against your breast.
Adjust for Maximum Comfort VacuumTM to achieve optimum suction level.
Refer to the images below while pumping in the expression phase (after the stimulation phase).
When mums follow nature’s lead and breastfeed their babies, their own bodies benefit – and so do their budgets!
Benefits for mums
There are a number of health benefits for mums who breastfeed:
Breastfeeding reduces post-delivery bleeding and the risk of anaemia.
Breastfeeding mothers have a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Breastfeeding mothers have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer. They are also four times less likely to develop osteoporosis.
Breastfeeding lowers the risk of developing postpartum anxiety and depression.
Breastfeeding delays the return of the menstrual cycle. But be aware that breastfeeding cannot be used as a method of birth control.
Feeding your baby breast milk can help you burn over 500 calories per day and will help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight more quickly. You would need to run 8km or walk 11km every day to burn the equivalent amount of calories.
Benefits for family and society
In addition, breastfeeding and breast milk feeding have several benefits beyond infant and maternal health:
Breast milk is readily available and lets mothers avoid the high cost of formula.
Breastfeeding lowers healthcare costs for you and for society as a whole.
Breastfeeding is energy efficient. There is no need to boil water or wash or sterilise bottles, which means it causes less waste and is good for the environment.
There are many ways mums, babies and society as a whole benefit from breastfeeding.
This is the moment you have been looking forward to for the last nine months: meeting and getting to know your baby! What can they see, hear and feel? How will you feel about your baby and how does bonding develop?
How your newborn baby looks
Babies can look a bit odd at first: they may look squashed, wrinkly and even bruised from birth. They might have ‘stork marks’ – red markings that disappear within a few days. Their hands and feet may be blueish in colour. This is all perfectly normal. Within the next few days, their skin will smooth out, their head will become rounder and the vernix, which is the creamy white substance that protected the baby’s skin in the womb, will disappear.
What newborn babies can see, feel and hear
Babies can see in black, white and grey from the moment they are born, but they can only focus on things less than 25 cm away. They can see your face when you hold them in your arms and they may even hold your gaze for a few moments.
Babies can also hear and be startled by loud noises. Babies seem to like soft voices best. Your baby will recognise your voice. Speaking to your baby will help develop a two-way relationship, which is important for their future social skills. It does not matter what you say but your baby will respond best to a gentle sing-song voice.
Your baby can already grasp. Try touching the palm of their hand or stroking their feet.
Babies can also smell – they will recognise the smell of your body, and that makes them feel secure. After your baby is born, have skin-to-skin contact and feed your baby before you take a shower.
Play and communicate with your baby as much as you can. Babies love being cuddled because they have been used to being in a confined space in the womb, so cuddling makes them feel safe.
Skin-to-skin contact with your newborn
Touch is incredibly important for babies – that is why your baby is placed on your tummy right after delivery. This skin-to-skin contact helps you and your baby to bond and can comfort them when they are upset. Remember that your baby loves to be touched and that this is an important factor for their emotional development.
Bonding with your newborn baby
Child experts describe bonding as the very intense feelings of attachment you develop for your baby. You may feel an almost overwhelming sense of love and affection – and a strong desire to care for and protect them. Bonding is a very individual experience and you should not worry if it does not happen immediately. Remember that your baby is a completely new person and, however cute they are, it will take time to get to know them. True parent-child bonding only develops and strengthens through caring for your baby.
For both parents, the main thing is to get used to looking after the baby – being close to them, talking to them, holding and cuddling them. This increases your confidence as a parent and also gives your baby the best emotional start in life. Contact your healthcare professional or midwife if you have any questions or concerns.
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