The Ameda Mya Pump is a light and portable breast pump. Included in the package with this pump are the following: the power cord (needed to charge the pump), the pump itself, and two pump kits that include tubing, backflow protector (this piece keeps the pump a “closed system”), bottle, duckbill valve, and flange.
Before you pump, make sure all pieces are put together securely. When assembling the backflow protector, fit the silicone piece onto the smaller of the two hard round plastic pieces to assure a tight fit. Use the green button to power the pump on; there are two modes to use: massage mode and expression mode. You want to begin with massage mode which mimics how a baby begins a nursing session with quicker, lighter sucking motions to cue your milk to start flowing. Massage mode on this pump ranges from levels 1 through 5 and you would ideally want to use a 4 or a 5 and that should feel comfortable for you if you have properly-fitting flanges. Stay in massage mode for about 1 to 2 minutes until you notice that milk has begun flowing steadily, press the massage button again to switch into expression mode. There are 10 levels to expression mode, 7 or 8 is a good level to begin with; continue to pump until the milk flow slows and if you determine you need more milk, hit the massage button again to trigger a second letdown which should yield additional milk. If you’re using this pump daily, charging it daily is ideal, if you’re using it on a less-frequent basis, charging once a week would suffice. There is a battery-life icon on the display screen that is important to pay attention to so that you can be sure your pump is always charged and ready to work for you.
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