How To Set Up Medela Freestyle Hands Free

How To Employ A Medela Breast Pump - Pro Tips

March 03, 2022

So you lot received your breast pump through insurance and you're all prepare to start pumping milk for your baby! Or are you lot?

Medela has been helping breastfeeding mothers feed their babies since 1961. It's a height selection for moms and lactation consultants alike because of the pumps' dependability, ii-stage engineering and ease of use.

The brand features a range of pumps to see nearly whatsoever pumping need - from the easily-free, very portable Medela Freestyle Flex and the rechargeable, high-tech Medela Sonata to the tried and true Medela Pump In Style Advanced.

How to use a Medela breast pump

Medela breast pumps make information technology easy to pump breast milk for your infant. Only many moms - new moms particularly - aren't confident that they know how to pump properly, then below are some breast pumping tips from our i Natural Way team.

These instructions are for the popular Medela Pump In Way, since we become the about questions nigh this pump; however, other pump models volition follow like instructions.

Detect a private, comfortable place to employ your breast pump
Fit the breast shields so your nipples are centered (if they're non placed correctly, y'all may experience uncomfortable tugging). As well be sure that your breast shields (also called flanges) are the correct size. With a breast shield that is too small-scale, your nipple will rub along the sides. Too large and it will pull the nipple, forth with excess areola, far into the flange tunnel. Medela has a great breast shield fit guide here.
Turn the pump on. It will start with a faster pace to encourage permit-down. If you want to pump hands-free, invest in some breastfeeding or pumping accessories like a hands-free nursing bra or tank superlative.
Once you lot notice milk spurting, start the expression phase with Medela's easy ane-touch allow-downwardly push button. This will pump at a slower, more moderate pace (but like a nursing baby) to encourage milk flow. If you don't affect the permit-down button, the pump will switch to the expression phase later on 2 minutes.
Utilize the dial to conform the speed and suction for your maximum comfort and near efficient milk production (hint: faster isn't e'er better).
When you lot're finished pumping, remove the tubing from the breast shields, put the caps on the bottles, and shop the milk. Let the pump run for a few extra minutes to remove whatsoever condensation in the tubing.
Clean the pump parts (any parts that the chest milk touches) with warm, soapy water.

How to pump ane side with Medela Pump In Manner

If you are only using ane side of your double electric breast pump, make sure to put the tubing port cover over the side yous're not using and so proceed as normal. The breast that isn't being pumped may leak, so it's a good idea to use something to take hold of the milk that drips. Some moms like to save that milk, and others just utilise a clean towel or blanket to catch whatever spillage.

Pumping with the Medela Sonata and Medela Freestyle Flex

The above instructions for pumping are similar for the Medela Sonata and Medela Freestyle Flex, although they come up with buttons to control vacuum and speed rather than a dial.

The biggest difference is that both the Sonata and the Freestyle Flex come with Smart Solution, which connects your pump to your smart telephone through the MyMedela app. With the app, you can see real-time tracking of your pumping sessions, your baby'south growth, and evidence-based lactation information. The personalized content tin help you attain your breast milk feeding and pumping goals.

Assembly and utilize of Pump In Style Avant-garde

These instructions are for the Medela Pump In Way Avant-garde, only other Medela breast pump models will follow like steps.

Wash your hands.
Collect all your chest pump parts - chest shields, connectors, valves, valve membranes, tubing, bottles, and the pump itself (motor).
Wash and sterilize the bottles, breast shields (sometimes called flanges), connectors, valves, and membranes.
Snap the membranes onto the valves until they lie completely flat.
Securely adhere the breast shields to the breast shield connectors.
Push the assembled valves with membranes onto the lesser of the breast shield connectors.
Screw bottles onto the breast shield connectors.
Insert tubing into the hole on the back of the breast shield connectors.
Plug the ability adapter or bombardment pack string into the ability jack on the front of the breast pump.
Double pumping: Insert the gratuitous ends of the tubing onto both ports on the front of the breast pump.
Single pumping: Insert the free end of the tubing onto 1 port and place the port cap over the unused i.
Plug the power adaptor into an electrical outlet.

How long should you pump with your Medela Chest Pump?

How long you should pump varies depending on your (and your babe'southward) needs, how much milk you are producing, the pump yous are using, and whether y'all are exclusively pumping, or pumping and breastfeeding.

If you are pumping exclusively, you'll want to pump along the same schedule as a nursing baby - and with a newborn, that will exist nigh 8 times in a 24-60 minutes period, or every two-3 hours.

Mostly speaking, nigh experts and lactation consultants recommend pumping for at least xv minutes, but not much longer than 20 minutes. And if you pump for 5 minutes subsequently your milk stops flowing, y'all volition encourage more milk product.

How much milk should yous exist pumping?

How much milk you pump using your Medela chest pump will depend on factors such as the baby's historic period, the time since the last feeding or pumping, the pump blazon, and even how stressed y'all are.

Medela pumps aid moms attain their pumping goals with their ease of use and their ii-Phase Expression Engineering science. They're known for natural feel and excellent suction that encourage efficient milk production.

Moms who exclusively pump will typically produce about 25-35 ounces of milk in a 24-hour period during the newborn stage. This is considered full milk product. Of course, each baby and female parent is different, and it's of import to find what works for you (and consult a professional if yous believe you are non producing enough). In the starting time, it can accept time to work up to full milk production - then don't become discouraged!

The all-time time to pump when you are establishing your milk supply is betwixt 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. when your milk-making hormone levels are increased. Once you are consistently producing 25-35 ounces of breastmilk in a 24-hour period, you can start to reduce the number of pumping sessions (and hopefully go more sleep).

If you are primarily breastfeeding, you may discover you take higher milk production earlier in the 24-hour interval, with volume gradually decreasing into the evening.

Since every infant and mom has a unique relationship and different needs, the about of import factor when breastfeeding or pumping is to follow your infant'due south pb. What works for 1 mom may not work for another, so call back to proceed your own comfort and needs tiptop of mind.