Just like breast feeding, pumping is a skill that you learn.  When first trying a breast pump, most mothers are only able to express a few drops of milk.  With the proper practice and knowledge, the mother will be more efficient at pumping.

Preparing the breast pump
1.  Read all the instructions in the kit very carefully.
2.  Every part of the breast pump will need to be sterilized before you begin using it.
3.  After use, all the parts of the pump will need to be washed in warm, soapy water, then rinsed with hot water and drained on a clean towel.  The  plastic tubing doesn’t need to be cleaned unless you get milk into it.  If you do wash it, it should be hung to allow time to dry and drain thoroughly.
4.  If your doctor feels the need, the entire kit can be sterilized every day.
5.  When you first start with an electric pump, the suction level should be on the lowest  possible setting.

Getting started
-  Warm compresses, gentle massages of the breast and gentle nipple stimulation will help to stimulate a quick let down.
-  You should always relax while doing breast massages during pumping.  Some mothers prefer to close their eyes then think about nursing the baby, imagining the baby in their arms. The more relaxed a mother is, the better let down she’ll have and the more milk will be dispensed.
-  Your first attempts at pumping should be considered practice sessions with learning to use the breast pump as the goal, not how much milk is actually dispensed.
-  When you use a hand pump, quick, short pumps at the start is stimulating and will imitate more closely the way a baby breast feeds.  Once the let down occurs and milk starts to flow freely,long, steadier strokes are more effective and less tiring.
-   When you learn to pump, you should practice for 5 minutes on a side at least once or twice a day.  Always pick the least stressful part of your day for pumping.

Relaxing and realizing that the pump is your friend is the single most important thing that a mother can do.  There are several things that a mother can do to help herself relax, such as putting a picture of the baby on the pump, playing cards or a game with friends, watching television, read books, or talk on the phone.  Simply watching the collection bottle is not helpful and will probably put more stress on you than you actually
need.

When you hold your baby for the first time in the delivery room, you should put his lips to your breast.  Although your mature milk hasn’t developed yet, your breasts are still producing a substance known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby from infections.

If your baby has trouble finding or staying on  your nipple, you shouldn’t panic.  Breast feeding is an art that will require a lot of patience and a lot of practice.  No one expects you to be an expert when you first start, so you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show youwhat you need to do.

Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn’t be painful.  When your baby latches on, pay attention to how your breasts feel.  If the latching on hurts, break the suction then try again.

You should nurse quite frequently, as the more you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will come in and the more milk you’ll produce.  Breast feeding for 10 – 15 minutes per breast 8 – 10 times every 24 hours is an ideal target.  Crying is a sign of hunger, which means you should actually feed your baby before he starts crying.

During the first few days, you may have to wake your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end up falling asleep during feeding.  To ensure that your baby is eating often enough, you should wake him up if it has been four hours since the last time he has been fed.

Getting comfortable
Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, therefore you’ll want a cozy spot.  You don’t want to be sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it can make the process very hard.

Within the first two to three days after you have given birth, you may discover that your breasts feel swollen, tender, throbbing, lumpy, and overly full.  Sometimes, the swelling will extend all the way to your armpit, and you may run a  low fever as well.

The causes
Within 72 hours of giving birth, an abundance of milk will come in or become available to your baby.  As this happens, more blood will flow to your breasts and some of the surrounding tissue will swell.  The result is full, swollen, engorged breasts.

Not every postpartum mom experienced true engorgement. Some women’s breasts become only slightly full, while others find their breasts have become amazingly hard.  Some women will hardly notice the pain, as they are involved in other things during the first few days.

Treating it
Keep in mind, engorgement is a positive sign that you are producing milk to feed to your
baby.  Until you produce the right amount:
1.  Wear a supportive nursing bra, even at night – making sure it isn’t too tight.
2.  Breast feed often, every 2 – 3 hours if you can.  Try to get the first side of your
breasts as soft as possible.  If your baby seems satisfied with just one breast, you can offer the other at the next feeding.
3.  Avoid letting your baby latch on and suck when the areola is very firm.  To reduce the possibility of nipple damage, you can use a pump until your areola softens up.
4.  Avoid pumping milk except when you need to soften the areola or when your baby  is unable to latch on.  Excessive pumping can lead to the over production of milk and prolonged engorgement.
5.  To help soothe the pain and relieve swelling, apply cold packs to your breasts for
a short amount of time after you nurse.  Crushed ice in a plastic bag will also work.
6.  Look ahead.  You’ll get past this engorgement in no time and soon be able to
enjoy your breast feeding relationship with your new baby.

Engorgement will pass very quickly.  You can expect it to diminish within 24 – 48 hours, as nursing your baby will only help the problem.  If you aren’t breast feeding, it will normally get worse before it gets better.  Once the engorgement has passed, your breasts will be softer and still full of milk.

During this time, you can and should continue to nurse.  Unrelieved engorgement can cause a drop in your production of milk, so it’s important to breast feed right from the start.  Keep an eye for signs of hunger and feed him when he needs to be fed.

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The milk production in the breasts, much like so many other things, work on the shear principal of supply and demand.  The more breast milk your baby consumes, the more your body will need to make.

Breast pumps are generally used to insure continued production of breast milk when you cannot feed your baby – whether you are back to work, traveling, taking medication, or just out of town.

Basic types of pumps
Breast pumps can either be battery operated, hand operated, semi automatic electric, or even self cycling electric.

Hand pumps
Manual hand pumps are designed to use the strength of your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast at a time.  You can also get pumps that will use the leg
and foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one time.  Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome may want to consider using a pump designed for the arm or leg muscles or even an automatic model.

Battery operated pumps
Pumps with battery operation are the best for women who have an established supply of milk and want to pump once or even twice a day.  These pumps use  batteries to create suction, minimizing any type of muscle fatigue.  Most battery type pumps are designed
for pumping one breast at a time and are recommended for occasional usage.

Electric pumps
Even though electric pumps are more efficient than hand or even battery operated pumps, they also tend to be more expensive.  You can however, rent them if
you need to.  Electric pumps can normally plug directly into an outlet and are designed for pumping both breasts at a time and even frequent use.  Hospital grade pumps are the most efficient for initiating and maintaining milk supply, and are available for rent or purchase.