Breast Pumps – The Flexible Way of Breast Feeding

Breast feeding while on one hand is an intelligent choice to make for your baby, it is also a taxing one all the same. Many mothers have found respite in the much needed flexibility that breast pumps offer, extracting nothing from the benefits of breast feeding.

The new mother, who suddenly has her hands full with many tasks at the same time, often finds herself completely tied to the baby, drained with the demands that the commitment of breast feeding makes on her.

This is precisely why many women prefer to take to breast pumps, the manual or battery operated suction systems which enable nursing mothers to extract milk from their breasts and use it as per their convenience.

While breast feeding builds a strong bond between the mother and the baby, in addition to providing nutrition which is pure, unadulterated and free of contamination or infection to the infant, it does get a little difficult to follow it as part of the daily routine all the time.

There are times when breast feeding is not possible and yet the mother would not like to compromise with the goodness of breast milk. This is where breast pumps come in. A breast pump is a blessing for working mothers as it:
• Helps mothers to feed the baby with breast milk even in public places without looking for privacy.
• Provides flexibility of feeding breast milk to the baby even in the absence of the mother.
• Offers the much needed time-off.

Various kinds of breast pumps are available in the market for mothers to choose from. There are the manual ones while others run on electricity. Some are single breast pumps, while others have the option of extracting milk from both the breasts at the same time. Depending on their needs, nursing mothers can choose which suits them best.

Manual Breast Pumps
These pumps are hand operated and are very simple in design. Many women are offered manual pumps in the initial days by the nursing home, to ease off the breast engorgement while the baby is learning to hold on to the breast.

• They are easy to use as, the milk can be extracted from each breast by simply squeezing the handle of the pump.
• They are easy on the pocket also as many manual pumps are available for less than $50.
• They are maintenance free, barring the time-to-time cleaning and disinfecting part.
• These pumps are useful for mothers who do not need to extract milk too often.
• Manual pumps take around 15 to 20 minutes per breast to extract the milk.
• They are usually single breast pumps only.

Electronic Breast Pumps

• They are useful for working mothers or those who get to spend very little time with the baby.
• These pumps take almost half the time as compared to manual pumps and are much faster.
• With electronic pumps you have the option of single or double breast pumps.
• Single Breast Pumpscome in handy when the mother has relatively some more time at hand and can afford to extract from one breast at a time. They are also cheaper than the Double Breast Pumps which come in handy during quick sessions between lunch breaks or before-office rush hours. These pumps cut short the time spent to the minimum, as they stimulate both breasts simultaneously.
• They are, however, quite expensive costing more than $200 each set, which includes the carrying case, as well as an insulated section to store and carry the extracted milk.
• It is important to know before hand that if you are eyeing to be discrete with your pumps then, expect your electronic models to be a little noisier than the manual ones.
• Also power failure is one of the limitations in this case. So, it is always better to keep a battery or manual pump ready.

Here are some important things one must keep in mind while going in for breast pumps.
• Avoid renting breast pumps, although many hospitals provide the facility, as the risks of contamination and infection can not be overlooked.
• Choose a pump which is easy to carry and is lightweight also.
• A noisy pump is sure to attract unwanted attention, avoid it at best.
• Understand the pros and cons of a particular model before buying it and also understand its working well.
• Make sure the breast shields that come with the pump are of the size that suits you the best.
• Clean the parts of the pump well after each use.
• Meet a lactation consultant for all your queries on breast pumps or your baby’s paediatrician.

Remember, breast milk is the best milk for your little bundle, congratulate yourself for making the right decision. To make it easier, you have the breast pumps.