When you’re figuring out how to maintain your milk supply while balancing all the demands of being a new mom, it can all feel like too much. And when there’s an issue with your supply or pumping, you might need a little help. Lactation specialists are the perfect go-to resource for getting the essential lactation support and pump guidance you need to figure out your equipment, deal with unexpected pumping issues, and make a schedule that matches your body’s needs.
Lactation Support, Pump Selection, and More
Lactation specialists bring a depth of knowledge that goes beyond the helpful, but very general, advice that you can get from other moms. Drawing from both their clinical training and practical experience, specialists know how to give advice that truly addresses the nuances of how your physiology interacts with mechanical devices designed for milk expression. When you talk to a specialist, expect:
- Thorough assessment of your individual situation
- Detailed info on pump mechanics and your body
- Visual demonstrations
- Help in crafting your own plan
- Tips for troubleshooting your pump (and your supply issues)
- Help for transitioning back to work
- Advice for choosing pumps
- Follow-up sessions and support
Assessing You as an Individual
A specialist’s involvement begins with a thorough assessment of your individual circumstances, including all relevant factors, such as your medical history, the frequency with which you plan to express milk, and any previous experiences you’ve had that might influence your comfort or efficiency. For instance, if you’ve had issues in previous pregnancies with engorgement or inconsistent let-down reflexes, a specialist can use those details to make specific recommendations to help you avoid that issue in the future.
This initial evaluation can often help you notice an aspect of pumping that you might have overlooked, such as how your nipple size and shape have affected flange compatibility, or how your work schedule requires you to get a pump with specific battery life and noise levels.
Learn About Pump Mechanics and Your Body
A specialist can help you grasp how a pump’s mechanics work in relation to your body’s signals. For instance, your specialist can help you figure out how to adjust your suction strength and cycle speeds to mimic your infant’s nursing patterns. That, in turn, stimulates prolactin release and helps you maintain your milk supply without causing undue strain on your breast tissue.
In these conversations, you gain insight into how different pump types will interact and work well (or not) with your lifestyle and how you can use the customizable settings to experiment with patterns that optimize your comfort and reduce the likelihood of nipple trauma or mastitis development from improper use.
Visual Demonstrations
Nothing helps like seeing for yourself, and your specialist may be able to show you a demonstration that will totally transform an abstract concept into a practical skill, like how to assemble and disassemble components. They can also watch your technique and help you correct any subtle errors that might otherwise go unnoticed and which could be needlessly causing you frustration or keeping you from getting the most out of your pump.
Troubleshooting Tips
A lactation specialist can help you troubleshoot both your pump and your own habits to get the results you’re looking for. For instance, when you know the proper areola compression and can adjust accordingly, you can stop the common issue of restricted milk flow that comes when parts don’t quite fit and you’re not emptying.
If you notice a decrease in expressed volume despite your consistent efforts, your specialist can analyze your pumping log and suggest modifications that might help, like breast compressions or changing the timing of your sessions to better match the peak production window of your own body.
They can also help you connect these technical elements to any broader emotional and psychological factors that could be an issue. Anxiety about supply, for instance, can actually inhibit oxytocin release, but if you learn how to engage in deliberate relaxation during your sessions, everything may feel more intuitive and less mechanical.
Transitioning to Work
Transitioning back to your professional obligations will always be a little tough, and a specialist can help you craft the right plan to incorporate pumping into your day without overwhelming your schedule, advise you on how to build up a freezer stash gradually while maintaining direct feeding, and explore options for discreet expression at work.
There are pumps with quiet motors and hands-free features that allow you to multitask, for instance, but it’s important to know how these might function differently from your primary, at-home pump. You can also get some guidance on milk storage and handling so you can get back to life with a schedule that works for you and confidence that your baby will have everything he or she needs.
Advice for Choosing Pumps
When it comes to the actual selection process, lactation specialists can help you practically weigh your preferences against issues like the pump’s efficacy, cost, insurance options, and more. They have a lot of familiarity with all the models that have proven reliable in real-world applications and also know how to warn you off any overhyped products that are all about aesthetics but don’t have the functionality you need. They can explain the differences among portable, battery-operated, stationary, double-electric, and hospital-grade pumps in very practical terms that make sense to your needs.
They’ll also be familiar with the integration of technology in modern pumps and can give you tips on which apps are best while also helping you remember to always listen to your body’s cues no matter what an app might say. And once you have your new pump, your specialist can help you get it into your preferred configuration right away.
Follow-Up Sessions and Support
The whole point of your sessions is empowerment. The goal is to equip you with the knowledge you need to self-assess and adjust independently and take full control of your schedule and life. Your lactation specialist can also help you access community resources like support groups or online forums where you can get insight from your peers to complement the expertise you get from a specialist.
Follow-up sessions with your specialist can also give you ongoing support to review your progress, adjust for baby growth spurts that might temporarily increase demand, or even help with things like addressing seasonal allergies that indirectly affect your supply through dehydration. Ultimately, your lactation specialist is someone on your side, committed to demystifying the technical side of milk expression, and giving you practical and evidence-based tips and information that help you make your equipment work for you instead of the other way around.
Armed with their information and advice, you’ll find yourself better and better able to handle changes, adapt to challenges and keep up your own well-being during one of the most demanding times of life.
Pump Guidance and More
At Breastpumps.com, we’re so much more than breast pumps. We help you buy the pump you need and deal with your insurance for you along the way, but we also have videos, a mommy blog, community forums, and lactation specialists all ready to help you succeed. Visit Breastpumps.com now to learn more and get help.