Not every mother needs a breast pump, but it becomes genuinely useful when returning to work, wanting someone else to handle a feed, boosting milk supply, or when a baby is temporarily separated from you for medical reasons.
Choosing the Right Type
Manual pumps are affordable and suit occasional use, while electric ones are faster and better for frequent pumping or returning to work. Try a few flange sizes to find the fit that's most comfortable and efficient for you.
Storing Milk Safely
Pumped milk stays good for up to four hours at room temperature, up to four days in the fridge, and up to six months in the freezer. Date every bag or bottle, and use the oldest first.
- Wash every pump part that touches milk immediately after each use.
- Never refreeze milk once it has thawed.
- Warm frozen milk under warm running water, not in the microwave, which can damage some of its nutrients.
- Don't mix milk pumped at different times until both batches have cooled to the same temperature.
