Milk Expression & Storage Flashcards

When counseling a mother on building a breast milk freezer stash before returning to work, which approach is most practical?

Answer: Wait until milk supply is well established (around 3-4 weeks) and pump once daily after the morning feeding

Starting to pump after milk supply is established (around 3-4 weeks) and adding one daily session after the morning feeding — when supply is typically highest — builds a stash without disrupting breastfeeding or oversupply.

A hospital-grade multi-user pump is most appropriate for which situation?

Answer: A mother with premature or ill infant who is unable to breastfeed directly and needs to establish supply

Hospital-grade pumps have powerful motors designed for frequent, prolonged use and are especially important for mothers who must establish and maintain supply without direct breastfeeding, such as when an infant is in the NICU.

Which component of the pump kit requires the most attention to cleaning to prevent contamination of expressed milk?

Answer: Any part that comes into contact with breast milk, especially flanges, valves, and backflow protection membranes

All parts that contact breast milk — flanges, valves, membranes, and bottles — must be thoroughly cleaned after each use; tubing that doesn't contact milk typically doesn't require the same level of cleaning.

A mother asks if she can re-freeze breast milk that has been thawed but not fully consumed. The correct guidance is:

Answer: No, previously thawed breast milk should not be refrozen

Thawed breast milk should not be refrozen because repeated freeze-thaw cycles degrade milk quality, reduce beneficial components, and increase bacterial growth risk.

A mother who is pumping at work asks about milk storage during her workday. Which recommendation is most appropriate?

Answer: She can store expressed milk in an insulated cooler bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours

An insulated cooler bag with ice packs can keep expressed breast milk safely cold for up to 24 hours, making it a practical solution for workplace pumping when a refrigerator is not available.

Which labeling information is most important when storing breast milk for use in a daycare setting?

Answer: The mother's name, the infant's name, and the date and time of expression

Daycare and childcare facilities require clear labeling with the mother's name, infant's name, and date/time of expression to prevent mix-ups and ensure the oldest milk is used first.

Power pumping — a technique used to increase milk supply — involves:

Answer: Cycling through multiple short pump sessions and rest periods within a 60-minute block to simulate cluster feeding

Power pumping mimics cluster feeding by alternating short periods of pumping and rest (e.g., pump 20 min, rest 10 min, pump 10 min, rest 10 min, pump 10 min) within a 60-minute window to stimulate supply increase.