Breast-feeding your baby offers her a wealth of nutritional benefits. There are many reasons why you may choose to pump milk for your baby, according to La Leche League, including a return to work, the infant is premature or because there are occasional instances when you must be away from your child during feeding times. You may choose from several different kinds of breast pumps. La Leche League recommends considering how often you will use the pump when deciding which one to try.
Hand- or Foot-Operated Pump
Hand- or foot-operated breast pumps work by creating suction through physical force, write Suzanne and Ray Fredregill, authors of "The Everything Breastfeeding Book: Basic Techniques and Reassuring Advice Every New Mother Needs to Know." The pump includes a suction device you place over your breast and a plunger that you pull in and out or step on repeatedly to stimulate milk expression. Hand- or foot-operated pumps work, but they require a great deal of time and energy and are best for occasional use, reports La Leche League.
Hand-Held Battery Operated Pump
Hand-held battery operated breast pumps use a small motor to create suction and express milk. You place the suction device up to your breast, turn it on and the motor creates a vacuum on your breast to stimulate milk expression. Some models break suction every four to eight cycles, write the Fredregills, to mimic a nursing session. Battery operated pumps are inexpensive options for pumping milk but can cause tissue damage and operate slowly, so they are recommended only for occasional use.
Electric Pump
Electric pumps are useful for mothers who return to work after the birth of their baby, says La Leche League. Electric pumps are more efficient than hand-held and battery operated pumps and can express more milk more quickly. Many models include two suction devices so mothers can pump milk from both breasts simultaneously. An additional advantage of electric pumps is that you can adjust the suction speed depending on your needs. The Fredregills note that many electric pumps are portable, so you can use it at work or plug it in to the cigarette lighter in your car.
Hospital-Grade Pump
Hospital-grade breast pumps are ideal for working mothers as well as mothers of premature or low birth-weight babies, reports La Leche League. According to the Fredregills, hospital-grade pumps are the most efficient option and can be rented from the hospital where you gave birth. Many models include an automatic suction-release cycle that most closely mimics nursing your baby so you are able to express as much milk as possible.
References
- La Leche League International: Answering Questions About Breast Pumps
- "The Everything Breastfeeding Book: Basic Techniques and Reassuring Advice Every New Mother Needs to Know"; Suzanne Fredregill and Ray Fredregill; 2002
