Haakaa Pro Tips Series, Part II: When and for How Long Should I Pump?
Continuing on from our recent post chatting about all things relating to the Haakaa pump - we wanted to touch on another topic today that we are frequently asked about!
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙥𝙪𝙢𝙥?”
Whilst there’s no one correct answer here (as with everything in motherhood, it’s entirely circumstantial and up to your preference) we wanted to provide some guidelines.
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘁-𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻
Generally Mamas who are using their Haakaa Pump just to collect their let-down on the opposite side while nursing may use their Pump for the first 1-3 minutes of a feed, until their let-down eases. This could be during every feed, or just during the feeds in which you find you leak most (often first thing in the morning)
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁
The most effective way for milk to be removed from your breasts is by breastfeeding your baby. You may find pumping takes slightly longer then feeding, but you may need to express for a variety of reasons, such as:
〰️ To replace a feed if bub hasn’t breastfed or is struggling to latch (that you would then feed to bub in a bottle)
〰️ When trying to increase your milk supply / give bub extra milk and are pumping in between or after feeds
〰️ If you’re away from baby etc.
Pumping time may vary depending on your supply and other factors. Many mothers will find they pump for 10-20 minutes per side, or until their milk stops flowing. This can be a great time to have two pumps - to double pump and save time!
If you’re in NZ you can phone Plunket on 0800 933 922 who can assist you with an appointment with a lactation consultant.
If you’re in Australia an Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) counsellor can also help, simply phone 1800 686 268
If you’re elsewhere in the world, be sure to check out your own country’s guidelines.
This blog was written and reviewed by Aliza Carr (Midwife & Perinatal Mental Health Specialist) from @bumpnbub and Courtney Garland (RN & IBCLC) from @mamalinc. Follow them for more educational content on birth, bubs, breastfeeding and more!
Originally posted 21 September 2021 on Instagram
