Just got my PY pump need tips on how to best use it and general tips too

[Grace_underfire]

Hi,

I received my PY pump and have pumped twice already. Once last night and once this morning. Well I can already tell this is going to be a life saver. I was trying to make do with the ISIS. I work from home but have to go to the office a couple days a week and those days were so stressful because I never had enough milk... because I hated the ISIS. I don't really hate the ISIS I just hated for the type of pumping that i needed to do.

Anyway... I am not quite sure how to use the PY. I mean I know how to use it but what are your routines... what works best for you. I started at a high cycle and low suction and then switched? Is this ok? I am not quite sure how to hold both horns and deal with the dials too? Also where, how do you store the pump if you use it daily? What are your rotines when you pump? This info woudl help me tremendously as I am a bit lost about how to handle it.

Thanks!


PS. Oh I forgot to ask a few more things. Can you use Avent bottles somehow? How do you collect the milk? Do you use the bottles they provide and then transfer to plastic? To hard containers such as avent with the cap thingie? Also when you freeze the milk how do you do it? Do you do it in small quantities? My son takes at least 7 oz so I don't see the point in doing small. Other than just a tad for cereal when we do that.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I start at high cycle and low suction and then when the milk starts coming out (the letdown), I switch to a low cycle and higher suction. When the milk slows down, I will move the cycle to high again with the high suction and that will sometimes start another letdown.

I do breast compressions while pumping. Basically it is just squeezing and massaging the breast from the chest down towards the nipple. You'll be able to tell if it is working because more milk will come out. I used to do it all the time, but now I do it just when the milk stops coming out and I get another ounce or so.

To hold both horns and deal with the dials is not easy. I would sort of rest the left horn against my left arm and move my left hand to the right horn while I adjusted the dials with my right hand. And then I discovered the hands-free method. I wear a Bravado bra, and it has a piece of elastic that holds the bra strap in place when you unsnap it and I was able to pull that all the way over the horn and bottle and it would hold it in place. It is so much easier to pump hands-free! There are several methods for this, and special devices and bras you can buy.

I stored the pump at home on my kitchen counter. I got a clear bin for baby bottles and stuff and just kept everything in there when it wasn't being used or sitting on the drying rack after being washed.

At work, I keep it in my desk drawer. I have a reusable lunch bag that I keep it in when it is in the refrigerator between pumping. (I only wash it once at the end of the day). I have a separate set of tubing and horns and power supply at work so all I carry back and forth is the pump motor itself.

My routine at first was this:
1. get up at 5:30 AM and pump for 20 minutes. Put that milk in a bottle to take to daycare that day. Clean the pump and pack it in my backpack to go to work. Go back to bed and feed the baby.

2. get to work, unpack the pump and set it up so it is ready to use. (this way I wasn't so stressed when it was pumping time and my boss was in my office or I had a meeting run late or whatever, I knew I could start pumping instantly once I locked my door). Put my ice pack in the freezer.

3. at around 10:30 at work, I pump for the first time. Put the bottles and the horns in the refrigerator. If the bottles are not full, cap them to pump into again later. If they are full, pour them into the Gerber bags and write the date on them. Put them in my small cooler and put it in the refrigerator.

4. at around 3:30 at work, pump again. Pump directly into the same bottles if they are not full. Usually I would have a bottle and a half from the morning session, so I was pumping into the half full bottle.

5. put the milk in the refrigerator. Wash the pump parts in hot soapy water. Once a week or so I would use the Medela microwave sterilizing bags, just because I was washing in a public kitchen and storing in my desk and you just never know what germs might be lurking.

6. pack up the pump motor to take home. Have the milk with the ice pack in it all ready to grab from the refrigerator on my way out.

I left for work at 7:30 AM and got home at 6:15 PM, so if you work more or less hours your schedule would be different. Some people would rather pump three times at work rather than get up early, but I found I got more milk by doing it early like that.

That was my schedule when baby was small. At about 9 months, I stopped pumping in the morning before work and found that I got only 4 ounces less for the total output for the day. Now at 12 months I am about to go to one pumping per day, while I eat my lunch. So it does get easier as time goes by.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[calebsmama03]

I think Karen got all your questions. I just wanted to add about the Avent bottles - there is an adapter you can buy (I got at BRU) that allows you to pump into the bottles. It is about $10 and you'll need to of them for double pumping (only one kit per box). It works out well. I generally don't freeze more than 4oz in a bag just to ensure quicker thaw time, and because now that C is eating more solids he takes less in his bottles and I HATE to see EBM wasted!
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03