Plan to start pumping about 2 to 3 weeks before you go to work, get to know your breast pump, and learn how to use it. Start pumping at home and practice how it works. During your practicing, you can start storing the milk and use it to feed your baby when you return to work.  

When you start to pump for the first time, you may not get that much milk. The more you breast-feed and pump, the more milk you will produce. So try not to get too frustrated, this can be tiring at times. After a few days of pumping, you will start to get more milk. 

When you pump, it takes about the same amount of time as breast-feeding. Pumping your breast can take about 10 to 15 minutes. Also, try to pump as much as you can while you’re at work to keep up with your milk supply. If you don’t pump as much as breast-feeding your baby at home, your breast would get really full and can be painful. You will start to pump more often once your baby goes through growth spurts. 

You can store your breast milk in a sterile sealable bag containers, glass or plastic bottles. Always store same amount of breast milk you usually feed you baby in the containers to prevent wasting excess milk. Also breast pump kits already come with milk storage containers. 

Breast milk can be stored at room temperature (less than 77degrees Fahrenheit) for about 4 to 8 hours.  You can store your breast milk in the back of refrigerator for about 3 to 8 days and back of freezer for about 3 months.

So hang in there moms!