When a woman produces as much breast milk as her baby needs, there is no need to express or buy a breast pump. But in practice, this usually does not happen. The need for pumping can arise in a new mother at any time, and this is where not only the device itself comes in handy, but also a clear knowledge of how to use it correctly.
What is it for?
The breast pump fully corresponds to its name and is designed to suck out breast milk, which was not needed by the baby for some reason. There may be plenty of reasons for a woman to express. After giving birth, when true breast milk has not yet "arrived", it is recommended to express colostrum. Not everyone does it by hand; some people start using a breast pump from the very first days after giving birth. To what extent this is justified is another question.
In the process of breastfeeding, unpleasant surprises may lie in wait for the mother, for example, swelling of the mammary glands, if much more milk is produced than the baby consumes. In this case, there is soreness in the area of the mammary glands, they swell, touching the chest causes severe pain.
To avoid inflammation of the ducts, stagnation in them, as well as the addition of infection, a woman will have to express excess milk. This is where the correctly chosen breast pump will come in handy. Sometimes the mother needs to leave the baby for several hours or days - go on business, go to the hospital, go to relatives. In order not to transfer the child to artificial milk formulas, which are clearly inferior to breast milk in terms of benefits and composition, it makes sense to express breast milk, pasteurize it and leave it in the refrigerator during your absence.
Sometimes the separation of the mother from the baby is more prolonged and forced - the child is weak, is in intensive care, or the mother was admitted to the hospital due to problems with her own health. In order not to lose lactation while on treatment or while the child is being treated, the mother needs to express the incoming milk several times a day and dispose of it. Only then will milk production be continuous and stable. Here you can't do without a breast pump at all.
It is best to choose a breast pump in advance, even before delivery. It is a big mistake to send a husband for a purchase when the woman is in the maternity hospital. The husband is unlikely to delve into the features of the different models of this device. Most likely, he will buy either the most expensive one, or the one that catches his eye first. Not the fact that it will be convenient to use it.
It is worth taking some of your own time before giving birth to find the right breast pump for you.
Kinds
Breast pumps are divided into two large groups - manual and electric. The former will require physical strength, the latter will greatly facilitate the pumping process. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. The principle of operation for all breast pumps without exception, even for home-made ones, is the same - they work like a pump, create a vacuum in the area around the nipple, under internal pressure, milk begins to flow into a special container that acts as a receiver of liquid. When pumping is complete, the milk from the container is poured or disposed of.
Manual
Manual breast pumps are of several types.
- Pump vacuum device it is very simple - it is, in fact, a pear or a pump and a chest pad. The device also works very simply - you need to press the bulb and build up pressure around the nipple. The rubber bulb breast pump is the most economical and simplest option. Pump suction is a little more expensive, but it comes with a special bottle that acts as a milk receiver during expression.
- Syringe hand tools got this name for the principle of operation, which is very similar to the principle of operation of a syringe. The suction consists of two cylinders. The first is superimposed on the mammary gland, the second is set in motion by hand. The piston creates the vacuum necessary for the milk discharge process.
- Reciprocating breast pump - this is the most expensive option among the tame ones. It looks like a siphon. A special breast pad attaches to the pumped milk bottle and you press a small lever to express. This does not require much effort.
The advantages of hand tools are the low price and ease of washing. It is very difficult to break such a device, since it is simple and straightforward. The downside is that their productivity is low, and during the time it takes to get some milk, the hand will get very tired from the same type of mechanical movements.
Electrical
Electrical appliances save a woman from the grueling labor of pumping and pumping her arms to a state that any bodybuilder would envy, while freeing her hands. While the milk is being expressed, the woman can do something else. Vacuum automatic suction works on batteries, some models - from the socket. The principle of operation is the same, but with some nuances. In modern models, it is possible to turn on the pulse mode, which will simulate the sucking of the baby as much as possible, that is, the pressure will change impulsively. This is considered the most natural for the breast and has a positive effect on subsequent lactation.
The woman can change the pressure itself arbitrarily - if milk flows out easily, the nipples are "weak", you can set a slight pressure. If the nipples are "strong" and difficult to express, the pressure can be increased at any moment to achieve the desired goal. Finally, electric models can give a young mother the most valuable thing - a little free time for herself. Suction models with two simultaneous overlays help in this. This means that you can simultaneously express both breasts at the same speed.
Anyone who believes that the above advantages exclude disadvantages is deeply mistaken. Among the minuses, first of all, you need to name the cost - it is quite high. The more functions are provided, the more expensive the purchase will be. During operation, electrical appliances make noise, and there is no getting away from it. And also, a woman will not be able to completely sterilize a breast pump, since it has electrical blocks and circuits that will not tolerate thermal, steam, or any other treatment. This increases the likelihood of infection of expressed milk with pathogenic bacteria, and a young mother can infect them with cracks in her nipples, if any.
Terms of use
Whichever device is chosen, the following rules for its use should be strictly observed, which will keep the breast healthy, avoid stagnant breast milk, and keep the breast pump in working order:
- the new device must be removed from the box and thoroughly rinsed with warm water all parts that will be in direct contact with the mammary gland, as well as the milk receiver if you plan to feed the baby with expressed milk;
- the container for collecting milk should not be forgotten after each use, and also sterilized;
- Express milk only with clean hands;
- you need to use the device only after carefully studying the instructions attached to it;
- in order to express breast milk in the most comfortable and correct way, you need to try to choose the optimal individual mode; if an electric breast pump is used, you should practice it manually in order to develop the best mode of pressure and intensity of movements;
- how often you can use a breast pump depends on personal needs, manufacturers do not regulate this, as well as the duration of the pumping session in time;
- after the end of pumping, you need to rinse the parts, sterilize those that are to be sterilized;
- it is necessary to store the device in a special package or in a clean cool place; it is better to cover it with a clean, ironed cloth napkin to prevent dust from settling during infrequent use.
Some high-priced electric models can be rented to be tested in action to make a final purchase decision. All electrical models come with a one-year warranty.
How to express milk?
Expressing requires some dexterity and skill. A woman who gave birth for the first time and has never before faced the need to straighten her breasts may face a huge number of difficulties and incomprehensible moments. Therefore, a manual breast milk model is recommended to start pumping. It is more suitable for the inexperienced, as it makes it possible to examine your own breast, to determine with what pressure the milk will come out freely.
Then, when lactation stabilizes, you can start using electric. Regardless of the type of device or fixture used, the order of use will include several steps.
Training
Preparing for pumping involves several steps.
- At the stage of preparation, a woman needs to lower those parts of the breast pump that are recommended by manufacturers for sterilization in boiling water for a few minutes. At this time, you should thoroughly wash your hands with baby soap, prepare a place for expressing.
- The breast is rinsed with warm or cool water, but it is not recommended to use soap to wash the nipples, as alkaline media dry the delicate skin of the breast. Overdried nipple tissue is more prone to painful cracking.
- Some doctors recommend that you take a warm shower and drink a glass of milk tea before you start expressing, which will encourage milk flow and make the task easier.
Main process
The pumping process is as follows:
- one of the mammary glands is fixed with the right hand, then the part of the device adjacent to it is fixed around the nipple so that the nipple itself is strictly in the center;
- making sure that the pad fits quite tightly, you need to start pumping by turning on the device or acting on the working part mechanically (depending on the type); at first, the milk will appear in small drops, then it will begin to drain in a trickle;
- in the process, you need to stop and lightly massage the mammary gland with your hands in the direction from the base to the nipple along the ducts; to press on the chest, to squeeze it strongly, it is not necessary - it is painful and traumatic, and most importantly, it is completely useless, after a light massage, the pumping process resumes;
- the procedure should be continued until the time when there is a feeling of emptiness, lightness in the mammary gland;
- after finishing with one breast, you need to wipe it with a clean napkin and transfer the patch to the second breast; with her, everything is repeated in the same way.
At the end of pumping, rinse the nipples with cool water without soap, blot with a clean cloth or diaper. In the presence of cracks and damage, it is necessary to lubricate them with "Bepanten". The breast pump should be disassembled, rinsed, dried on a napkin without wiping.
You can sterilize its individual parts immediately, or before the next expression.
Tips
Don't worry if it doesn't work right away. Experienced mothers know that sometimes you have to work hard with a breast pump for several days in order to enjoy quick and high-quality pumping, which cannot be compared with manual pumping without the use of devices. All complaints like “it hurts”, “it’s not enough” will gradually become a thing of the past, if you follow some “little tricks” that women have mastered through their own hard experience.
- We need to turn pumping into a ritual where everything is repeated down to the smallest detail. It is worth drinking the same drinks, carrying out the procedure in one place, at about the same time, and then the body itself will quite quickly "tune in" for the forthcoming expression and milk will arrive as on schedule.
- A woman needs to learn to get rid of all problems at least for the duration of pumping. At this moment, you should not sort things out with your household, watch a TV series or participate in a family council on choosing new furniture for the bedroom. Doctors recommend that a woman relax internally, imagine the sea, beach, ocean, waterfall, in extreme cases, a clear and sonorous forest stream. Such associations make breast milk easier to pass.
If all is not the best with associative thinking, you should put a photo of the baby in front of you and look at him, which also contributes to lactation.
- To reduce stress while expressing, psychologists recommend that a woman turn on her favorite music or sounds of the forest, nature, or the surf. No matter how difficult it is, you must definitely tune yourself from the very first days to the fact that the process of sucking milk is normal, not painful. Very soon he will really become like that.
- It is worth expressing milk as often as the baby eats, that is, after each feed. The baby is unlikely to suck the entire breast, and there is no need to leave milk in the ducts. Even a completely emptied breast will have time to fully restore the supply of nutrient fluid in 2.5–3 hours before the next feeding.
- Happy owners of the latest generation of electric suction can save their own time and pump one gland while the baby is sucking the other.
- If during a week it is not possible to set up expressing with a breast pump, despite following the instructions correctly and following all the tips, you should try changing the device to another. This usually fixes the problem.
You will learn more about how to use a breast pump in the following video.
