Having a baby is one of the most important moments in a woman's life. Many young mothers, even in the first months of pregnancy or even at the planning stage, think about buying all the necessary things. One of these purchases that make life easier for a young mother is a breast pump. This is a device that allows you to quickly and conveniently express breast milk that you need to feed your baby.
Kinds
Even breastfeeding advocates note ease of use of this device.
- Firstly, you can combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding in cases where the baby is not sucking well. In addition, many women admit that breastfeeding can be very painful, and when using such a device, feeding occurs through the nipple.
- Secondly, a woman can be absent and leave the child to another parent or assistant, who will feed the baby with milk in time.
Before the advent of breast pumps, breast milk was expressed by hand, which also caused pain and discomfort. Unlike painful hand pumping, a breast pump not only relieves discomfort, but also helps to relieve milk stagnation and stimulates increased milk production.
The principle of operation of all breast pumps is the same - it is drawing milk out of the breast using a vacuum created by a nozzle and a special pump. Depending on how the operation of this very pump is built, devices are divided into mechanical (manual) and electrical.
Handheld devices are the cheapest and easiest breast pump option and the best place to start getting to know such a product. They are always produced only for individual expression, so they are not used in maternity hospitals. Mechanical devices, in turn, are divided into several types.
- Pump-action. This breast pump consists of two parts, one of which is a silicone or plastic attachment that fits over the breast. And the second element is a pump with a round pump. When you press the pump, a vacuum is created in the nozzle, which draws in the milk. Manufacturers do not always include a bottle in the kit, so you will have to purchase it separately. This is the simplest design of a breast pump, which appeared a long time ago, but remains popular today.
- Pear. The design consists of a plastic nozzle that is placed on the nipple and a rubber bulb. Such a breast pump is very similar to a regular pump, it is just that the pump is located immediately behind the nozzle, and not at a distance from it. In order for the milk to flow, you need to squeeze the pear with your hand, creating a vacuum. These kits usually include a milk collection bottle. Both pump and pear pumps are considered not very efficient, but the cheapest devices.
- Piston. This type of breast pump is already more efficient, but also easy to disassemble and assemble. A silicone nozzle, a milk bottle, and a small piston mechanism - that's all its structure. When you press the handle, the nozzle sucks in the milk and directs it into the bottle. The device is practically silent, which will allow it to be used with a sleeping baby. There are models with a weak spring, which are easy to press, and with a very tight one. When using the second models, the hand gets more tired, but their suction power is higher.
- Syringe. A syringe pump consists of two long cylinders. One of them is placed inside the other and moves smoothly in it. The inner cylinder is applied to the nipple, and the movement of the outer cylinder away from the breast creates a vacuum that allows milk to flow out of the breast. This whole design looks like a large syringe without a needle, for which it got its name.
A baby feeding bottle is not included, but the cylinder itself can be used for this. Unfortunately, syringe pumps are very different from each other, and it is simply not possible to replace a broken part from one model with a part from another.
An electric breast pump is most often similar to a regular pump, however, it is powered by a mains connection or a battery, rather than manual operation. The vacuum is pumped more for those models that are plugged in, but they are much more noisy. Unlike manual models, electric models have a pumping intensity regulator and a control unit, the display of which displays all the necessary information.
One of the newest electric devices is the electric breast pump. It will allow you not only to select the desired rhythm and strength of pumping, but also remember the necessary data so that the next time you use it you will not set the necessary marks again. These models mimic the baby's movements during suction, which makes the pumping process more familiar to those mothers who are used to breastfeeding.
Pros and cons
Every mom wants to give her baby the very best, including plenty of wholesome breast milk. Therefore, choosing the right breast pump is one of the most important steps towards this goal. A manual apparatus differs significantly from an electronic one, and a pump-action apparatus differs from a syringe one. Someone only cares about the price, and someone will choose the quietest model. In order to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of breast pumps, it is necessary to compare their characteristics.
In general, hand-held models are more suitable for rare, one-time use. Regular pumping with hand-held models is not recommended due to the fact that the devices can damage the nipples, especially when using a pump-type breast pump. In addition, frequent use quickly wears out the parts of hand-held apparatus, after which they fail.
For those who express breast milk once a day or more often, an electric device is perfect, which performs the procedure in a more gentle mode.
Top Models
There are various ratings of breast pumps on the Internet, showing the most successful models, according to reviews of young mothers. Most often, you can find the following manufacturers in them.
- Phillips Avent Is the most popular manufacturer with four varieties of breast pumps. The best model is the piston Avent Philips 330/20, which costs about 3000 rubles. The kit includes the breast pump itself, a 125 ml milk bottle with two lids, and a few replacement parts. It works completely silently, it is easy and comfortable to use it. The device has a special replaceable attachment that does not pump out milk, but massages the breast, preparing it for pumping. The Avent model is convenient to take with you on a trip or for a walk, as it is very compact and fits into almost any purse.
- Swiss company Medela is also one of the market leaders. The best model, according to customer reviews, is the Medela Harmony breast pump with a piston system. The cost of the device in the domestic market is about 2200-2500 rubles. Biphasic pumping will gently prepare your breasts for the first flow of milk with a gentle massage. The handle is so quiet that you can express milk next to a sleeping baby. Adjusting the operating speed will allow you to control the duration and intensity of suction, and the simplicity of the design will not cause problems with assembly and disassembly of the device.
- Chicco, Canpol Babies, Nuk, Tommee Tippee. All these firms are less popular than the first two, but they also quite often fall into the top of the best manufacturers. Good quality at a reasonable price provides them with a stable demand in the market. The best models are the Tommee Tippee Closerto Nature piston, comparable in price to the Avent Philips 330/20 model, and the Chicco pump action. The first one is good with a large selection of silicone tips, every woman will be able to choose the shape that suits her. It has a special container for sterilization and storage, as well as a separate compact container for carrying the device.
The Chicco breast pump is more economical in price (about 1000 rubles), but is suitable only for those women in labor who have no problems with the amount of breast milk.
- "World of childhood", "Kurnosiki" and other Russian brands rarely make it to the top of the ratings, although they have rather good reviews due to their low price and high reliability. The average price of such breast pumps varies from 1000 to 2000 rubles. Domestic breast pumps are convenient for their standard: a handle and a bottle from one device are perfect for another. Unfortunately, such inexpensive devices fail quickly and are not suitable for regular use.
Based on the rating of the most popular models, a certain conclusion can be drawn: women prefer piston breast pumps from foreign manufacturers. The piston mechanism leads the way due to its high reliability and speed of operation, as well as ease of use, unlike a syringe breast pump.
How to choose?
It's not enough - just decide on the type of a suitable breast pump, you also need to choose the right one from all the models offered in the store or on the website. It is not necessary to purchase a new product, you can buy a high-quality device from hand, or you can even rent it. However, in any case, you should thoroughly wash and sterilize all possible parts of the breast pump before use.
Before buying a manual breast pump, you should pay attention to the following nuances.
- When choosing between a pump and piston unit, the latter should be preferred. Pump devices often cause milk to stagnate in the breast. Because of such stagnation, the breast hardens and hurts, and its development is a rather painful and difficult procedure.
- The best models have two phases of expression. In the first phase, the breast is prepared for pumping with the help of massage, and in the second phase, the device is already drawing milk out of it. The massage will not only relax the breasts and reduce discomfort, but will also stimulate the mammary glands to further increase the amount of milk.
- Having a bottle and a teat in the kit will greatly simplify the process of both pumping and feeding. There is no need to sterilize additional containers and transfer the finished milk. You can immediately put on a convenient nipple on the bottle and store it ready-made.
- The breast cap can be made of plastic or silicone. The latter is more elastic and can take an anatomical shape, which facilitates the process of obtaining nutrient fluid. In addition, there are petal bump attachments that mimic baby's sucking movements and make pumping easier.
How to use?
The basic rules for using a manual breast pump are quite simple.
- The most important thing is the cleanliness of both the apparatus itself and the woman's body. Before starting the procedure, all parts of the device that will come into contact with the body and milk must be thoroughly sterilized or washed. The breasts should be washed with warm water without soap to remove sweat and impurities. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- To start the pumping process manually, you need to place the breast pump funnel on your breast. The nipple should be exactly in the center of the nozzle, otherwise there is a high risk of cracks and abrasions. The nipple should not be squeezed or pinched by the tip.
If you experience a sharp pain sensation, you must immediately remove the nozzle and install it correctly.
- First, you need to do a few rhythmic half-strength pressing on the pear / pump / handle: this is done so that the milk flows to the nipple. After the first droplets of milk have appeared, you can proceed to monotonous pressing on the handle at a pace in which the woman will be most comfortable.
- You can support the breast with one hand, but in no case should you put pressure on it, "expelling" the milk. Gradually, rare drops should turn into small trickles. The rate is maintained until the milk stops dripping, after which you can either change breasts, or try to induce a second rush of milk by repeating the entire procedure from the beginning.
- After expressing correctly, the chest should feel relief, and the pulling sensation should go away. At the end of the work with the device, it must be disassembled, thoroughly rinsed all parts and dried. It is better to store the device assembled. Expressed milk can be immediately given to the baby or stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Care Tips
Before using a breast pump for the first time, it must be sterilized. The device is disassembled into its component parts and those that are in direct contact with breast skin and milk are placed in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. This must be done after each procedure, and preferably immediately after use, this will allow you to always have a ready-made device at hand. If the procedure is postponed until the last moment every time, then there is a great risk of simply forgetting to sterilize the device.
Not every breast pump can be boiled, usually the most budget models, which are made of low quality plastic, have such a prohibition. Such devices must be thoroughly rinsed with hot water without the use of cleaning agents.
Particular attention should be paid to universal breast pumps. It is strictly forbidden to wash some of their parts, as contact with water can damage them.
Before submerging parts under water, you must carefully study the manufacturer's instructions attached to the product. It is best to store your breast pump in a closed box so that dust and debris do not fall on the surface.
All women are different and if one of them liked a certain model of a breast pump, this does not mean that the others will like it. Until a nursing mother tries a particular model on herself, she cannot guarantee that it will suit her. In order not to buy all models, you should focus on how often the device will be used.
More expensive foreign models with wide functionality are suitable for regular expression. For one-time use, you can limit yourself to buying a more budgetary domestic version. A quality product can be found among both expensive and cheap goods.
Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to choose a breast pump in the next video.
