Why do you need a breast pump when breastfeeding?

What is it needed for?

A breast pump is necessary for a woman during the period of lactation.
The device for expressing milk is designed to increase the volume of milk and drain its remains.

The device will help if the baby refuses to breastfeed.

It is also necessary for a nursing mother who has decided to go to work and cannot feed her baby during the day.

Thanks to the miracle of technology, you can avoid damaging your nipples. The device works quickly and is convenient and practical for nursing women.

You should start expressing milk with a manual breast pump; the woman will be able to independently regulate the pressure and strength of the device.

How to use a breast pump correctly

1. Rinse your breasts with water and wipe dry.
2. Give a light breast massage, rub the ducts.
3. Sit in a comfortable, comfortable position.
4. Relax and imagine breastfeeding your baby.
5. Place the breast pump against your breast and position the device's funnel so that the nipple is in the center.
6. Adjust the speed: at the beginning, a slower pace, after the flush, increase the speed and force of pumping.

Kinds

1. Pump-action. Refers to budget devices. This is its main and only advantage. The breast pump should not be used regularly; the device is not designed for this and breaks down quickly.
2. Piston. This device is popular. It combines such qualities as reliability, low cost, and convenience. In 10 minutes you can express 200 ml of breast milk. The device stimulates lactation.
3. Electric. Its advantages are difficult to overestimate. He independently expresses milk from 2 breasts at once. The downside of the unit is its price, and it is also too noisy and runs on mains power.
4. Electronic. Professional breast pump. It is most often used in maternity hospitals, but it is purchased much less frequently for home use.

Manual breast pump
Before use, the breast pump must be boiled for several minutes, and after use it must be disassembled, washed and dried.

Is a breast pump needed in a maternity hospital?

The best breast pump for a nursing woman is a baby. Sometimes mothers use additional devices to express milk. Do you need a device in the maternity hospital or can you do without it?

Each woman’s health after breast engorgement varies. One feels great, the other may have a fever. But in both cases this is considered the norm.

The device will be needed in the maternity hospital in the following cases:

• The child and his mother are in different departments. The forced measure forces the woman to use a breast pump to express milk and feed the baby remotely.
• The child is lazy. He can sleep through the feeding or drink some milk. A woman will feel fullness in her breasts, in which case she can use the device.
• The baby does not take the breast.
• Cracked nipples.
• A woman cannot learn to feed her baby.

In these cases, a breast pump is necessary in the maternity hospital; it will help out the mother and allow her to feed the baby.

Before purchasing a breast pump, it is recommended to consult a specialist. Based on experience, he will tell you which device is best to purchase.

A little about the mechanism of breastfeeding

Milk production and feeding are regulated by two hormones - prolactin and oxytocin. Both of them are produced by the pituitary gland, but in its different lobes. Maximum prolactin is produced at night, it is responsible for milk production. The more milk was given, the more it will be produced, and vice versa. Oxytocin is responsible for milk release. It is produced in response to stimulation of the nipple areola, as well as to any emotions on the part of the mother - a reaction to the baby’s crying, thoughts about the baby, etc.

When the milk ejection reflex (also known as the oxytocin reflex) is triggered, the woman feels a tingling sensation in her chest and a so-called “rush” - milk rushes to the sinuses near the nipple. This reflex works for about 6 minutes, and most of the milk during breastfeeding is sucked out by the baby during this time.

Ideally, in the first six months of the child’s life, the mother should be with him continuously and feed him at the request of the child. But this is not always possible. Modern life usually does not allow a woman to live in such a “natural” mode. The need to visit places where the child cannot be taken, the inability to feed him in a public place (although many do not care what it looks like), going to work, illness of the mother - all this does not contribute to the ideal feeding option. Nevertheless, even in such conditions, women want to preserve it and have been doing this for more than a century.

In this case, pumping turned out to help the woman: the milk is put into a separate container and then fed to the child by another person or poured out if the mother is sick and plans to continue feeding after recovery. This was always done manually, which caused a number of inconveniences, especially for first-time women who did not have the skill to pump. Rural women who were familiar with cattle had fewer problems - they had an idea of ​​how to get milk.

But progress does not stand still, and an invention such as a breast pump has come to the aid of mothers.

Which to choose?

1. Women who need the device for a short time should opt for inexpensive, budget models. Pump breast pumps are perfect. They are used when traveling. The devices do not need to be recharged from the mains and are also suitable for home use.
2. If you have the opportunity to buy an expensive breast pump with high productivity, you should give preference to a mechanical piston device. The unit allows you to express a lot of milk in a short period of time. For a woman, this is absolutely painless thanks to silicone attachments that stimulate lactation.
3. If the device for expressing milk will be used every day, it is worth purchasing an electric model of a breast pump. The device is effective, allows you to set the required operating mode, and reproduces it during pumping.
4. For the maternity ward, a professional electronic device would be an ideal option.
5. If a woman wants to save time, she needs to take a closer look at models for double pumping. The device works quickly.

Before using the device, be sure to carefully read the instructions and rules for using the device. From them you can learn how to wash a breast pump, store, care for, and transport.

Pump-action

This type of device has the simplest design. The breast pump consists of a rubber bulb and a special attachment for the breast. During the process of expressing milk, you must press the pump frequently. At this moment, a vacuum is created around the nipple, resulting in a rush of milk.

On sale you can easily find models without a bottle and a version of the device with an attached bottle.

Among the advantages of this model are the following:

• This is the cheapest option for a breast pump;
• the device is light in weight, so it is convenient to take with you;
• silent.

But there are also disadvantages:

• in the process of squeezing the pear, the hand gets tired very quickly;
• the breast pump draws milk rather slowly, and with frequent use, cracks may appear around the nipple;
• It is impossible to sterilize all components.

Review of popular models

The Chicco breast pump with bulb and bottle is made of hygienic plastic, which is very easy to sterilize. The device is easy to use; milk is expressed by squeezing the bulb. The device does not pull on the nipple, as it is equipped with a milk expression control system.

The BABYONO 048 breast pump with a bulb is also similar to the previous model. The equipment of the device is the same. The breast pump includes a silicone pad on the breast with a massaging effect. There is no pumping control system.

The manual breast pump “Kurnosiki” works on the principle of two-phase expression. During the first phase, the child imitates shallow sucking of the nipple, the second phase involves deep sucking movements. The device is equipped with a bulb and a nipple shield; some sets do not have a bottle, but have a connector for it.

The Camera manual breast pump with a rubber bulb is equipped not only with a bottle, but also with two brushes that make cleaning the device easier.

The Canpol manual breast pump has great suction power. The package includes a watering can, a bottle, a bulb and a twist. The model is additionally equipped with an anatomical nipple, which helps the baby learn to suck milk correctly.

Terms of use

It usually takes a woman only 10-15 minutes to pump. If you follow all the rules, a nursing mother will not experience discomfort; a breast pump will be an excellent assistant during breastfeeding.

Rules for using the device:

• A woman needs to drink water or tea 10 minutes before using the device.
• It is necessary to use the device with the regularity with which natural feeding occurs.
• Before pumping, be sure to wash your hands and breasts.
• If your breasts are hard, massage them and apply a warm compress.
• Cracks in the nipples should be lubricated with warm vegetable oil.
• We press the device tightly to the chest, selecting the optimal pace for pumping.
• The device must be applied alternately to the left and right breast if the milk does not come out well.
• The unit must be removed immediately after the milk stops coming out.
• If necessary, pour the milk into a container and place it in the refrigerator.
• Wash all parts of the breast pump.

Rules for using a manual breast pump:

1. Before first use, sterilize the device. This applies to the silicone nozzle, horn and bottle.
2. We apply the nozzle to the chest so that it fits tightly to it.
3. You need to press the bulb several times to select a convenient mode for pumping.
4. Express the milk into a container.

Model overview

The best models of manual breast pumps.

AVENT Philips breast pump

Estimated cost – 3000 rubles. The kit includes a bottle, nipple, 2 caps, spare parts. The nozzle is shaped like a breast, this ensures a natural flow of milk.

Advantages:

• Easy to use.
• Has a comfortable pad.
• Lightweight, you can take it on the go.

Flaws:

• It is noisy.

Philips AVENT Natural

Medela Harmony breast pump

Approximate price – 2200 rubles. High-quality breast pump, with two-phase expression. It works quickly, you can set the pace yourself.

Advantages:

• Adjustable speed.
• Silence.
• Easy to assemble and disassemble.
• Convenient to store.

Flaws:

• Hard pad.

Breast pump MEDELA HARMONY

Breast pump Tommee Tippee Сloser Nature

Approximate price – 3000 rubles. Consists of three parts, so it can be quickly assembled.

Advantages:

• Container for transfer.
• A container intended for storing milk.
• Massaging nozzle.
• Economical.

Flaws:

• The milk container is small.

Breast pump Tommee Tippee Сloser Nature

Chicco breast pump

Estimated cost – 1100 rubles. Leading in sales, allows you to set a comfortable speed, does not pull on the nipples. The set includes a bottle and nipple.

Advantages:

• Accessories.
• Price.

Flaws:

• Does not stimulate milk production.

Chicco breast pump

Breast pump “World of Childhood”

Approximate cost – 1600 rubles. Easy to use. The device is not intended for regular use.

Advantages:

• Can be connected to any bottle.
• Set includes 2 bottles.
• Low cost.

Flaws:

• Cannot be used frequently.
• There is no silicone insert.

Review of the Medela BASE manual piston breast pump

Pros:

1. Low price.
2. The structure is easy to assemble and disassemble, allowing you to sterilize all parts. Easy care.
3. Compact.
4. The nipple fits snugly and does its job well.
5. Convenient to use, does not injure the breast and nipple when used correctly.
6. You can adjust the force of pumping.

Minuses:

1. My hand gets very tired.
2. Slow pumping process.
3. It takes some getting used to and finding a convenient use.

The best electric breast pumps

Medela Swing Maxi Breast Pump

Approximate price – 8900 rubles. It occupies a leading place among breastfeeding women because it allows you to express two breasts at the same time and runs quietly on batteries.

Advantages:

• Double pumping.
• Simple settings.
• Can be clipped to your belt.
• Powered by mains or batteries.
• Silent.

Flaws:

• Price.

Model Medela Swing

Philips AVENT SCF breast pump

Approximate price – 7800 rubles. Convenient design, several pumping options, effectively copes with the tasks.

Advantages:

• Soft massage nozzle.
• The set includes a pacifier and a bottle.
• Delicate to use.

Flaws:

• Works quietly.
• Expensive.

Electronic breast pump Philips Avent SCF332/01

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

Approximate price – 15,600 rubles. The device makes it possible to express milk in just a couple of minutes; using the display, you can fully control the process of the device.

Advantages:

• Expresses from both breasts.
• Convenient to transport and store.
• The display is illuminated.
• Remembers the pumping mode.

Flaws:

• Price.

Automatic breast pump: types, pros and cons

An alternative to a manual one is an electric breast pump. The vacuum for milk flow is created using a motor, which can be attached to the funnel itself or be separate from it. In the latter case, the vacuum passes through special tubes.

The work is divided into two stages: stimulation and pumping. The biphasic milk pump was developed based on observations of infants. It has been noticed that the baby first stimulates the breast with gentle sucking movements, and then slowly and strongly begins to suck on it. The device works on the same principle.