Relaxation for More Milk When Breast Pumping
Relaxation while using your breast pump is essential to expressing more breast milk for you baby. It is important to eliminate influences in your nervous system that elicit the “fight or flight” response. You probably know the “fight or flight” response shuts down excess circulation to the extremities, sending adrenalin through your system, causing cold hands, slowing your digestion, and basically stopping any “unnecessary functions” such as your milk let-down in order to send more blood rushing to the heart and running muscles.
Eliminate Anxiety about Your Breast Pumping
Identify the source of your anxiety and eliminate it if possible. How? Talk about your worries openly with someone who will listen. Have a laugh about it if you can. If you have been holding back, have a cry about it, too. Do the best you can to fix the problem then move on. Next, try to distract yourself. Are you anxious about filling your bottles? Don’t watch them. Find something else to do with your eyes. Look at pictures (not just one) of your baby. Put pictures of your baby in a slide show or folder on your computer, if you pump at your desk. Read something light and diverting. Call a friend on the telephone and just chat. Eat a high protein snack. Have a drink, like raspberry leaf tea or a mother’s herb tea, or plenty of refreshing, cool water. Forbear from working while using your breast pump if it contributes tension.
Ease Pain or Discomfort before Using Your Breast Pump
Take Advil or Tylenol thirty minutes before pumping if you have any pain of any variety. Are you too hot or too cold? Fix that. Do some of you muscles tire while pumping? Practice proper posture to prevent your back from tiring. Do some neck rolls. Extend your legs out in front of you and alternate flexing your heels and pointing your toes. Try a heating pad on the shoulders and back. Have someone massage your back while breast pumping. Has the breast pump always been uncomfortable or painful? Start with the lowest vacuum. Maybe you should keep it there. Some mothers have had better milk output by lowering the setting for greater comfort. Do you have fit issues with your funnels? One-third of all women who breast pump find they can get better results with larger size funnels. Try lanolin on your nipples to make them softer. If necessary, talk to the breast pump distributor or manufacturer. Talk to a lactation consultant. Consider switching to a better quality breast pump even if you have to rent one short-term to see if it makes a difference.
Page: 1 | 2 Next: Visualization and Active Relaxation
