There are a great variety of ways to store breast milk for your baby – from bottles to freezer bags and ice cube trays, it’s becoming easier these days to pump and store your milk so that your baby can still enjoy the benefits of your breast milk even when you can’t be there. It is best to store breast milk in tightly lid glass or plastic bottles to reduce the risk of contamination. You can also use storage bags but occasionally milk sticks in the sides or the bag gets torn when storing milk in the freezer. Remember: all equipment and paraphernalia used in the collection and storage of your breast milk should be properly cleaned and sterilized. Here are some pointers on how to store breast milk more efficiently:

Breast milk should always be stored in storage bottles that can be tightly sealed.

Make sure that the bottles are properly sanitized and sterilized before pouring breast milk.

Don’t over-store. Store only the amount that your baby requires for the duration needed so that milk is not wasted.

The breast milk should not be kept more than 6 hours in room temperature, more than 6 hours in the refrigerator, and six months in standard freezers.

Breast Milk Storage Containers and Bottles

You can effectively store breast milk in bottles that fit directly and snugly on the breast pump that you use. When you finish pumping breast milk from your breasts to the storage bottle, remove the pumping tubes, and then cover the bottles with tight fitting lids. Label the bottles and put them safely in the fridge.

Selecting the Breast Milk Storage Bottles

There’s a plethora of breast milk bottles that you can choose from out there. Select the bottles that will best serve your purpose. Bottles made from glass, stainless steel or plastic are readily available in the market. When selecting breast milk storage bottles, you have to consider how long you intend to store the milk. If you are looking into buying the bottle liners, which are disposable, you may need additional protection to prevent leaking and possible contamination. If you want to store the milk in harder containers, your best option is the glass storage bottle or container. Glass is the least absorbent among the choices because it allows the milk to expand when frozen; thus provide maximum protection.

Plastic Bottles versus Glass bottles

Numerous research and study have been conducted to find out which of the breast milk storage bottles are best – glass or plastic. Most of these studies lay claim to the theory that glass bottles are better for storing breast milk because they provide utmost protection from any conceivable contamination. Next to glass bottles, sturdy plastic bottles follow closely. The third choice are frosted hard plastic bottles.

If you’ve never used a breast pump before, you may be missing on the benefits that pumping provides. A breast pump can help stimulate your production, if you’re having trouble with your milk coming in. If you are not quite sure how much milk your baby is getting, or if you want to know if he/she is getting enough, a sure way to find out is when you pump into a measured container. The Lansinoh breast pump is an ideal breast pump to start with. It comes with high quality, unique and convenient features.

The Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump is great for occasional pumping – like when you’re planning to spend a night out and want to leave breast milk for the babysitter to feed the baby; or when it’s Dad’s turn to feed the baby. This reliable, very convenient, quiet, discreet and portable breast pump has a lot more features to offer.  The ergonomically designed handle makes it easy to grip and because the whole system is lightweight and compact, it’s not difficult to carry anywhere.

One of its outstanding features is the ComfortSeal Cushion. It is removable and fits on any other Lansinoh breast pump creating a solid seal which creates comfortable and efficient pumping. It is simple to use and you can get the hang of it after several nursing. Start with short, fast squeezes, which should establish let-down, then gradually switch to a regular rhythm very much like your baby’s.

The entire pump and all other parts can be safely cleaned and sanitized using the dishwasher but handwashing the ComfortSeal cushion, the white valve and silicone diaphragm stem will extend their usefulness and life.

If you plan to use a breast pump more frequently – maybe you are due to go back to work – you may want a breast pump that does the pumping for you instead of straining your hands. The Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump will answer that concern for you by pumping both breasts simultaneously. This model can run on multiple powers so you don’t have to worry about electrical outlets; it can run on batteries.

Another feature of Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump is the six-speed settings and the 8-speed suction control. You can easily manipulate these settings and adjust separate rates to a speed that most reflect your baby’s sucking motion. Its unique design prevents backflow to the tubing or the breast pump itself. It  doesn’t require much maintenance as it only has fewer parts than most breast pumps.

Fewer parts means less and easier cleaning up. Included in the original purchase of the unit are 2 standard bottles, 2 bottle rings, w sealing discs, 2 extra valves, one cleaning bra and an extra silicone diaphragm. Is there any greater value for your money than that?

Nothing is more important than loving and caring for your baby. All Moms know this. And Almeda knows this. That’s why it has become Almeda’s self-proclaimed mission to help you care for your baby, specifically in breastfeeding, because they know how much that matters to you. No matter what you need or how you need it, there’s one Almed product that will fill that need. They have an assortment of breast pumps, breast pump parts and accessories that are almost custom-made for each mother’s distinct requirement.

More than the whole unit of each Almeda product, the parts and accessories that go with it, or the replacements that you need come time for some maintenance work, are also of utmost importance to ensure that for years after, these products are still usable and functional. But first things first.

In order that your Ameda breast pumps and Ameda breast pump parts can last as long as they should, you have to be well-informed and aware on how to go about its upkeep and maintenance.

Proper care for your pump can extend its life. To ensure this, you have to keep your pump clean and in good working condition. It may seem time-consuming but Ameda has provided some tips to make things easier and faster. Here are a few things that you can do to simplify your life – and spend more time with your baby.

Sterilize Your Ameda Pump Before the First Use

When setting up your Ameda breast pump follow the manufacturer’s instruction. Check if your pump kit package is marked “Sterile”; if not, put all the pieces that you know will come in contact with the breast milk in a pot, put water and boil them for at least 20 minutes before using the pump. There is no need to repeat this process unless your doctor or hospital has instructed otherwise.

No Tubing Care

Any moisture in the tubing can contaminate milk. It is therefore important to keep the tubing dry and the best way to do this is to use an Ameda breast pump that has a solid diaphragm barrier between the breast flange and the tubing. This will prevent air exchange between the pieces. Under normal use and condition, you don’t need to clean the tubing or worry about moisture and contamination. For mothers whose pumps don’t have the solid barrier to protect the tubing, you have to keep an eye that moisture don’t seep inside the tubing and grow mold.

Everyday Cleaning for Your Ameda Breast Pump

The nice thing about Ameda breast pump is that you don’t have to boil, microwave, or wipe your pump pieces with disinfecting wipes on a regular basis. You simply have to wash the pieces that come in contact with your milk in hot soapy water, after every use. Use mild detergent and rinse with clear, hot water, then air dry. Large pump parts, such as breast flanges and bottles can be cleaned using the dishwasher. It may be a good idea if you get one or more extra pump kits and wash them all once at the end of the day. Then you can minimize the time you spend washing the parts every time you pump.

Pump Motor Care and Cleaning

To clean your pump motor or bag, just wipe it with clean damp cloth. This may be a good time to also clean the outside of your pump tubing for any spillage of milk onto it.

Ameda Breastfeeding Accessories

Aside from the Ameda breast pump itself, there are also breastfeeding accessories available for your convenience. The Ameda Cool ‘n Carry Milk Storage Tote allows you to store six 4 oz. bottles inside. The three cooling elements ensure that your breast milk is safe and free from bacteria, which grow in warmer place. This tote bag is also very handy when traveling. It also comes with Milk Storage Guidelines magnet that reminds you how many hours your breast milk can sustain and be kept at certain temperatures before you can offer it to your baby.

Your nipples can get sore and chafed from frequent nursing and Ameda brand has made provisions for this condition with the inclusion of breast shells to protect your nipples. They also offer breast milk storage bottles that can fit most standard-sized feeding nipples. Another accessory that may prove useful is the nipple shields to encourage babies who are reluctant to latch on. These nipples can also be used to encourage babies to return to breastfeeding after having been bottle-fed for some time.

Truly, maintaining and caring for Ameda breast pump parts can be a lot simpler than you realize and this encourages modern moms to continue breastfeeding without hampering your lifestyle.

Breastfeeding can be a delightful experience; yet it can also be intense and stressful, especially for working mothers. If at any time the mother needs to be separated from her baby, for one reason or another, the only alternative is breast milk expression, in which case the answer is breast pump to keep the milk flowing. Breast milk dries up when the breasts are not stimulated by the baby’s sucking motion.

Cheap and ordinary breast pumps are quite uncomfortable and a lot of mothers were known to complain about hard breast pumps that they had to deal with. Eventually, only two courses are left, given that condition; either the mother just gives up on breastfeeding and turns to bottle feeding for her baby’s nourishment or resign herself to being chained to her baby for years until such time that she can wean her child.

The makers of Ameda breast pump probably had this in mind when they came up with innovative breast pumps meant to aid working mothers or when mothers have to be apart from their child for prolonged periods. Ameda created breast pumps that will allow mothers who are prevented from being with their babies at any given time, to still continue providing breast milk to their baby without having to sacrifice other necessary activities. These breast pumps work as efficiently as any mother would want but with great ease and maximum comfort throughout the whole process.

All mothers are not the same; which is why Ameda breast pump is so designed, using unique technology to meet each and every mother’s particular needs. There are as many models as there are different experiences and comfort levels for every mother.

Among the personal breast pumps available at Ameda, the most sophisticated is Purely Yours Ultra Double pump. This breast pump is outfitted with 32 settings that you can control and you can definitely find a suitable setting that will fit with your own particular requirement as to comfort and pleasant experience during breast milk expression.

For occasional breast milk expression, Ameda one-hand Manual pump should be a perfect choice. With its ergonomic design you can simultaneously pump milk from one breast while your baby is nursing with the other. Talk about gushing milk. Milk will be coming out of your breasts like you are a fountain, allowing you to express more milk. This is how the two-breast pumps trick works; if you cannot be with your baby, use two breast pumps – one for each breast, and you will get the same performance.

That’s Ameda Breast Pump for you – easy to use, comfortable, convenient and safe. That claim is seen in every box of Ameda breast pump products. You know what’s great? All those things hold true off the box, as well.

Mother’s Breast Milk: Only the Best for Your Baby

So you are one of those working moms who want to give their babies breast milk despite all the hustle and bustle and in between shuttles from home, to work place, to supermarket perhaps, to … you get the gist. That’s great! This set-up will necessitate expressed breast milk especially when you are apart from your baby. Providing expressed breast milk is marvelous choice when actual breastfeeding is not possible as opposed to bottled feeding. Breast milk – whether expressed or offered from the breast – carries a lot of benefits. You are most definitely reducing the risks of diseases commonly associated with formula feeding such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), meningitis, respiratory infection, diabetes, leukemia, diarrhea reflux diseases, allergies, asthma and ear infection, to enumerate a few.

Breast milk pump come in perplexing selection of varieties and features; thus, it is important that a breastfeeding mother know and assess her options carefully before choosing the most suitable pump for her, especially the first time..A breast pump is a very personal thing and since it is classified by stores as a “personal use item” you cannot return it even just after the initial use.

Breast pumps can be electric powered or manually powered – either by hand or by foot. The electric powered models fall into three categories by quality and price, while the manual ones… well, they are a category by themselves. Let’s check the details for these models.

The Best Personal Electric Breast Pump – Price  starting at $150

This is a favorite by many and in fact, the number one choice of full-time working mothers who go back to work. It’s a bit on the expensive side but when you think about the cost of baby formula at a minimum of $100 per month, this is a gold mine and one of these pumps can easily pay for itself vis-à-vis the long haul of formula feeding. Some very popular brands are: Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump, Medela Pump In Style Original Breast Pump, Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump, Avent Isis IQ Duo Breast Pump and  Playtex Embrace Breast Pump

The Economy Personal Electric Breast Pump – Price starting at $75

As breast pumps go, this group is the most diverse. There’s an array of choice with varied features, costs and designs. It is quite unclear how good – or not – this model is, as users either rave about them or practically hate them. If you are thinking of taking one of these, do some thorough research first. Available brands: Medela Double Select Breast Pump, Medela Swing (new in 2006) Breast Pump, Bailey/Ameda Nurture III Breast Pump, Avent Isis IQ Uno Breast Pump

The Hospital Grade Breast Pump – Price starting at $1000

For women trying to establish a milk supply for a newborn baby who cannot nurse immediately and frequently after birth, these breast pumps are the only serious choice. Because of their weight and size, however, they are less portable and you may need to put up some kind of breast milk expression station. You can try these brands: Medela Symphony Breast Pump, Ameda Elite Breast Pump, Medela Lactina Breast Pump

The Manual Breast Pump – Price starting at $75

These breast milk pump do not give the same quantity of breast milk that most mothers can get from an electric pump; hence, they are only recommended for occasional use. These models are small, quiet and easy to handle. Some users express a liking for the “hands on” control and say these breast pumps have a natural feel. Still others find them tiring to the hands. These are some of the available models: Medela Harmony Breast Pump, Ameda One-Hand Breast Pump, Avent Isis (manual) Breast Pump, Medela PedalPump Breast Pump

Breast milk pump allows mothers to express breast milk and store it in bottles or bags for her baby’s feeding later. Breast milk can be fed to the baby through a feeding bottle, cup, spoon, or any other means. Mothers who encounter problems in connection with their breast pumps and other breastfeeding concerns, may consult a lactation consultant, a breastfeeding specialist that can assist them. Many lactation consultants sell and rent breast pumps.

A mother’s breast milk is precious in composition and quality and contains all the benefits for your baby not just today but in years to come. You have made a great decision to feed your baby the best milk ever – your own breast milk. Congratulations!