Most nursing mothers start working as soon as they possibly can after childbirth and using a breastfeeding pump provides them with the flexibility that enables them to go about their daily routine without neglecting the nutritional needs of their babies. When mothers are away from their babies for a long period of time, they can easily use a breast feeding pump before going out and storing their milk so that their babies don't have to depend upon formula milk for their feeds.
Types Of Breastfeeding Pumps
Basically there are two types of breastfeeding pumps that you can choose from depending upon your need and lifestyle. You can either go in for a hand- operated pump or you can choose an electrically operated one. Moreover, you can opt for a pump that operates on one breast at a time or for a breastfeeding pump that can draw milk from both breasts at the same time.
Hand-operated breastfeeding pumps are ideal for infrequent usage when you might need a pump only once in a while. Being small and uncomplicated, these pumps do not cost much and you can get them at most baby stores and drug stores at less than . All that you need to do is to squeeze the handle after fixing the pump on the breast and you can store the milk. You can also use the pump on one breast and feed your baby on the other breast simultaneously.
On the other hand, electric breastfeeding pumps are very useful for those mothers who are working full time and stay away from their babies for eight hours or more. Before going out for work, you can use this pump to extract all the milk from your breasts and store the same for feeding your baby throughout the day. Electric breastfeeding pumps are better stimulators of the breasts so that they are more effective and faster in drawing the milk.
How Much Time Does A Breastfeeding Pump Take To Draw Milk
Obviously, an electric pump is faster than a hand-operated pump and it should be used if you have very little time for this purpose. Moreover, if you are at work and can squeeze in very little time for this purpose, then you can use a double breastfeeding pump that will allow you to pump milk from both the breasts at the same time and allow you to get the required milk in half the time. Hand-operated pumps would naturally take more time than the electric ones.
You can buy a breastfeeding pump from any medical store or from baby stores. The electrically operated breastfeeding pumps are costlier than the hand-operated ones since they are more complicated and are provided with a carrying case and have an insulated milk storage container. The cost of a hand-operated pump is about whereas the cost of an electric pump would be in the region of 0.
A breastfeeding pump is personal equipment and care should be taken to use your own pump and not to rent or borrow it so that you don't catch any infection. Your baby is your most prized possession and looking after its needs should be your first priority and here a breastfeeding pump plays an important role.
