When to start pumping is a personal decision that can be dependent on a wide range of factors. The most common (and equally important) reasons are:-Your baby is born prematurely or experiencing health issues.-Your baby is not gaining enough weight.-Mom has to go back to work.-Caregivers are feeding your baby.Remember, breastfeeding is a long journey and usually takes time and practice to get it right for you and your baby.
When away from your baby or if you exclusively pump your milk, try to pump as often as your baby is drinking breast milk. This will help signal your body to keep making the amount of milk your baby needs. This amount may differ from baby to baby and can change as babies grow. For example, if your baby takes three bottles while you’re at work, pump three times when you’re out of the house.
If you are not expressing enough milk, you may need to take more time during your pumping session. Most pumpers need at least 15 to 20 minutes to fully drain their breasts, and some even need up to 40 minutes.
When storing breast milk, always use containers that are approved for storage of human breast milk. Our Zomee storage bottles and storage bags provide a secure seal and are BPA free. You can also use clean glass or other hard BPA-free plastic bottles with tight-fitting lids.After pumping, you can:-Keep freshly pumped breast milk at room temperature (up to 77 degrees) for up to 4 hours-Safely refrigerate freshly pumped breast milk for up to 4 days-Store freshly pumped breast milk in the freezer for 6 months (12 months is acceptable)Please remember to never refreeze your breast milk after it has been thawed. Any breast milk leftover in a bottle from a previous feeding should be used within 2 hours.
All Zomee breast pump parts and accessories that come into contact with breast milk, are made without BPA and are instead made with the highest quality, durable food-grade plastic. Let’s talk science - BPA, or Bisphenol A, is used in some hard, clear plastics. Phthalates are used to make soft and flexible plastics and some food packaging. The BPA Free label ensures that Zomee pump parts and accessories are 100% safe for mom and baby.
We encourage you to wipe down your Zomee pump motor with a clean paper towel or soft cloth after pumping as part of your regular maintenance routine. The motor is an electrical unit and should never be put into water or any other liquids for cleaning. It also should never be cleaned in a steam sterilizer, dishwasher, or microwave.
If you can, having extra pump parts available will cut down on cleaning time. Remember that harmful germs can grow on breast milk residue, so it is extremely important to use properly cleaned parts with every pumping session. Any pump parts that come into contact with your breast milk must be cleaned, every single time.