A breast pump is a special mechanism that includes a reservoir and a vacuum attachment for expressing breast milk. This device helps young mothers to establish lactation, relieves their condition and relieves painful sensations.
Characteristic
Many women are thinking about purchasing a breast pump even before the birth of a baby, since this device is actively involved in the processes associated with breastfeeding. That is why doctors advise to take care in advance to select a high quality product. At the same time, it is extremely important not to dwell on the first breast pump that catches your eye, but to study all the parameters and characteristics of the devices in as much detail as possible in order to choose the option most suitable for a young mother.
One should acquire the mechanism that can most effectively perform its functions, while being convenient to use. A good breast pump is easy to clean, simple to disassemble and assemble. In addition, it represents an advantageous price-performance ratio.
There are hand-held devices and automatic devices (electrical). Depending on the specific version, each can have from one to four modes of operation or the ability to soft speed control. The complete set may also vary. In addition to the container and attachment, the set may include various spare parts, anatomical breast pads, nipples and various bottles for collected milk. Each type of product has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Mechanical manual breast pumps are of two types.
- Pump (or with a pear) the options are recommended to those women who use them from time to time, and not regularly. The efficiency of such devices is relatively low, but the cost is also low.
- Piston breast pump (also called a syringe) more efficient and convenient, its price is slightly higher.
The advantages of using manual breast pumps are:
- silent work;
- lack of dependence on the mains, batteries and chargers;
- a young mother can independently control the force of expression, since it depends only on the physical efforts she puts on;
- manual breast pumps are easy to clean and sterilize.
But the disadvantages are obvious:
- pumping is extremely slow;
- the process requires a lot of effort, which a woman who has just given birth sometimes simply does not have.
Electric breast pumps are considered a more "advanced" type. They are the best choice for those girls and women who have to express regularly. This happens for physiological reasons (for example, when a newborn cannot suck independently) or for family reasons (if a woman has to go to work or for any other reason give up hepatitis B, but does not intend to completely abandon lactation). In addition, the use of breast pumps is recommended for mastitis and for the prevention of lactostasis. Judging by the reviews, such devices have a lot of advantages:
- any electrical mechanism works 2-3 times faster than a manual breast pump;
- no physical effort is required from women;
- the device empties the chest as much as possible.
However, there are also disadvantages:
- any electrical appliance makes a hum during operation;
- no matter which brand you choose, you will not be able to completely sterilize the device;
- the cost of electric breast pumps is quite high.
Electronic breast pumps are available from time to time. In fact, this is nothing more than an advertising gimmick. From a technical point of view, both electrical and electronic devices are based on the same operating principle. However, the buyer associates any electronic devices with a higher level of quality. Although, of course, such options are better equipped: they have a display, memory, can independently remember the rate of expression, etc.
At the same time, their prices are very high, therefore most often such breast pumps are rented.
Principle of operation
The principle of operation of a breast pump depends on its type. With a hand-made product, everything is simple - a vacuum is formed near the areola of the nipple and, under the influence of force, milk begins to be released from the mammary glands.
Pump products consist of a pear and a gland attachment. In this case, milk is expressed with each press on the breast. These devices often come with a special bottle. They are easy to clean and require little space, but are considered labor intensive and crack with constant use.
Syringe is a simplified two-cylinder model. In this case, the first cylinder is attached to the mammary glands, and the second moves up and down. At the moment the piston moves, a vacuum is created and milk is released. This option is convenient to use, but with frequent use, it can also crack.
Piston - breast pumps, consisting of a silicone soft attachment, which is attached to the areola and controlled by a special lever on the device. It is a simple and ergonomic option that works quietly and does not harm lactation. However, with prolonged use, the parts of the device wear out a lot.
Electrical appliances have a slightly different principle of operation. In this case, a nozzle is attached to the chest, and then a vacuum is created by pressing a special button, which gives the most efficient expression without any effort on the part of the mother.
How to choose?
When choosing a breast pump, the first step is to decide which option you need - manual or electric. This largely depends on financial capabilities, family circumstances, the planned frequency of pumping, as well as the health status of the young mother.
Handmade is suitable for rare use and is cheap. Electronic has a higher cost, but can be used on a daily basis. Many women hand-buy a breast pump. In this case, it will cost much less than a product bought in a store. The device should be sterilized before use, but this cannot be done 100% in the case of an electrical device.
Therefore, if you need an automatic machine, it is better to buy a new device that has not been previously used by strangers.
Guidelines for choosing a manual breast pump
When choosing between a piston and a pump device, give preference to the first one, because, as the reviews show, the pump pump is not so effective and quite often causes milk stagnation, which leads to lactostasis. The best option would be to purchase a product that comes with a silicone anatomical patch on the areola. Experts advise to choose an overlay made in the form of petals with small bulges. In this case, the process of expressing milk can be simplified as much as possible.
The mechanisms are advantageous and simple, which also include a bottle and nipples. This is the only way to be sure that in size and notches they will correspond to the nozzle. In addition, the young woman will not need to transfer milk from one container to another before giving it to the child. The process is much more hygienic.
Tips for choosing an electric breast pump
Just as with manual pumps, it is better if the purchased breast pump has a soft silicone pad with petal-shaped bulges. It is important to pay special attention to the size of the nozzle, since in some cases you have to buy them additionally (if non-standard sizes are needed).
An electric breast pump is powered by a power source. During use, situations often arise when there is no access to the AC network, for example, outdoors or in the event of a power outage. Therefore, preference should be given to those devices that can additionally operate on batteries, since they can be stocked up in advance.
Keep in mind that most modern manufacturers have established the production of universal units that are capable of operating in both manual and automatic modes. In this case, be sure to check the presence of a special motor for hand pumping, and if it is not available, purchase it separately.
If a woman plans to travel with a child or arrange frequent walks, it makes sense to buy a mobile set that is lightweight and small in size. It is lighter, more compact and usually comes with a bag or a special plastic container for carrying. It is important to pay attention to the material from which the device is made. Polypropylene without bisphenol A is considered the safest for a child.
A good choice is a device with a two-phase type of pumping - at the first stage, a small massage is performed, during which the breast is prepared for pumping, and at the second stage, milk is received directly. It is desirable that it be possible to use different speeds and modes of operation.
In addition, today you can find many mechanisms that allow you to simultaneously express both breasts. These breast pumps save a lot of time.
How to use?
Before you start expressing, you should study in detail the features of using the device. It is also worth considering some recommendations. Before using a breast pump, wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and wipe your breast with warm water.
All parts of the device (other than electronic) must be regularly washed and sterilized. The information on how to do this is always contained in the accompanying documentation and depends on the type of device and the base material. Please note that the appliance does not need to be wiped clean. Better to just leave it to dry naturally by lightly covering it with a cotton cloth. The same applies to milk storage containers.
To make lactation more effective, shortly before expressing, you can drink warm water or weak tea. Doctors recommend a little massage of the mammary glands, nipples and areola before using the device - these manipulations stimulate the full production of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the formation of milk in the woman's breast. Before pumping, you should be in a comfortable body position - usually women pump while sitting with a small pillow under their lower back. If, during these manipulations, you bend forward a little, then the milk will begin to flow from the lobules more actively and flow better from the breast.
It is important to correctly install the device. The nipple must be located in the very center of the funnel, and the edges of the device must firmly touch the skin of the breast. If the fit is not tight enough, then no vacuum is formed, and therefore, pumping will not work. At the same time, the nipple must be in a free state, its contact with the walls of the funnel is unacceptable, otherwise pumping will be accompanied by strong painful sensations. The funnel should be selected so that its diameter matches the size of the breast.
Press the button of the device (or the bulb) until the first drops of liquid appear. At first, its volume is small, and the process is rather slow, but after a few minutes a jet is formed.
Expressing should be done immediately after breastfeeding so your baby can get full breasts. This will make it easier for him to suck. If, during pumping, a young mother feels tired and wants to rest, then it is worth taking a short break and lightly massaging her breasts.
The device should remain close at this time.
It should be expressed until the mammary gland becomes completely soft and the dense lobules are smoothed out. When using an electrical appliance, this usually takes about 15 minutes. The manual breast pump lasts longer.
If milk does not appear within the first five minutes after applying the device, stop the procedure. Come back to pumping later. If a woman feels discomfort and discomfort during the operation of the devices, work should also be suspended and the correct assembly of the device should be checked.
The resulting milk must be stored in a refrigerator in a tightly sealed bottle. Before use, it should be heated in a microwave or water bath. You can store it for no more than 2 days.
If desired, milk can be frozen, then its shelf life will be increased to 3 months.
Rating of the best models
Among electric breast pumps, the most popular are products from Avent. They are compact and ergonomic, have anatomical attachments and imitate baby's sucking, which helps prevent cracks in the nipples. During the use of the device, light massage movements are also simulated, due to which the woman's milk flows.
The products of the Swiss company Medela Harmony received a lot of good reviews. Breast pumps of this brand are quiet, easy to use, and in addition, they allow you to adjust the suction speed.
The third place belongs to the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature company. The advantages of these products are good equipment, including additional containers for sterilization and transportation, as well as the presence of a funnel and special rings on it.
However, it should be noted that these pumps are not very convenient for those with large breasts. But for women with a small size, they are quite effective and comfortable.
Chicco products, equipped with a fairly comfortable nipple, have proven themselves excellent. The device has a special adjustment to avoid nipple pulling. However, if a young mother produces too much milk, then it is not expressed in full, which means that there is always a risk of developing mastitis.
Products of the domestic manufacturer Mir Detstva are considered the most successful in terms of price / quality. In addition, the breast pump from this company can be used with any container. This is a good purchase, given the extremely affordable cost of the product.
Tips
There are situations when even the most powerful breast pump works properly and is assembled correctly, but milk does not flow out of the breast in any way. This can be due to several factors.
Low milk content in the breast occurs if the time for manipulation is not chosen correctly (for example, when the baby has already emptied the breast, and new milk has not yet formed). In this case, the mammary gland is soft to the touch, and with any pressure on the nipple, the liquid is shown in small drops. In such a situation, the procedure should be repeated after a while.
Stagnation of milk, in which there is a blockage of the ducts, is called lactostasis. It is accompanied by severe pain, fever and a deterioration in the mother's well-being. With such symptoms it helps light massage and frequent latching of the baby to the breast.
But if the problem is not resolved within 24 hours, you should consult a doctor. Otherwise, the likelihood of developing mastitis is high.
It is worth remembering that if the breast is inflamed, pus comes out of it, then the child is fed from a healthy one, and the patient must be pumped with a breast pump to maintain lactation processes. If this is not done, the condition may worsen.In addition, milk production can be significantly reduced.
You will learn more about electric breast pumps in the following video.
