When deciding what kind of pump to use or if one is even necessary, it is helpful to consider what your needs will be for expressed milk. Some women find that they never need to use a pump after seeing how easy it is to take a breastfed baby along. Others who will be away from the baby for specific times will need some way to express milk. Many women find it easy to hand express milk when needed. LLLI offers an information sheet Manual Expression Of Breast Milk which is available in the LLLI Online Store or from your local LLL Leader.

If you find you do need a pump, there are many different kinds of pumps available. Selecting the best pump can be likened to choosing a handbag–there are many options, and what works for one woman is not necessarily the best option for another. Some considerations when thinking about pumps are cost, portability, noise level, ease of use and efficiency. There are manual (hand operated) pumps ($14-$50) which often are helpful for those who want to pump on an occasional basis to leave milk for baby. Most are easy to operate, are small, and easy to transport. Some require two hands and others operate with only one hand. The “bicycle horn” style manual pump is NOT recommended. There are also small electric pumps ($30-$150) available from different manufacturers. These use batteries or AC adapters to supply the power and are still quite small and portable. Some are quiet and some are not.

See more at: La Leche League

Breast-feeding is a commitment — and your efforts are worthwhile. If you’re pumping, follow simple tips for maintaining your milk supply, from pumping often to drinking plenty of fluids.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Breast-feeding is based on supply and demand. The more you breast-feed your baby — or pump while you’re away from your baby — the more milk your breasts will produce. Consider seven tips for pumping success.

1. Relax

Stress can hinder your body’s natural ability to release breast milk. Find a quiet place to pump. It might help to massage your breasts or use warm compresses. You might want to think about your baby, look at a picture of your baby or listen to relaxing music.

2. Pump often

The more you pump, the more milk you’ll produce — especially if you’re using a high-quality pump. If you’re working full time, try to pump for 15 minutes every few hours during the workday. If you can, pump both breasts simultaneously. A double breast pump helps stimulate milk production while reducing pumping time by half.

3. When you’re with your baby, breast-feed on demand

The more you breast-feed your baby when you’re together, the greater your supply will be when you pump. Depending on your schedule, try more-frequent evening, early morning or weekend feedings. If you have a predictable schedule, you might ask your baby’s caregivers to avoid feeding your baby during the last hour of care — so that you can breast-feed your baby as soon as you arrive.