There's nothing so mysterious for mums to be or brand-new mums than the world of expressing breast milk. Do you really feel like a milking machine? How do these breast pumps actually work? And do I even have to express? Let's try to unveil some of the mystery!
To pump or not to pump?
Let's start at the beginning: why would you want to express breast milk? There's absolutely no obligation to. Some mothers who don't breastfeed, can go perfectly without expressing, because they don't suffer from pressure in their breasts and don't want to stimulate milk production. Women that do breastfeed but are able to spend every mealtime with their baby, can also avoid pumping because they can feed directly from the breasts every time. But there are also situations in which breast pumps can come in handy. When you are bottle feeding, but the pressure in your breasts is getting painful, a quick pumping session can relieve the pain. Premature babies sometimes can have difficulties suckling breastmilk from the breast. In that case they can drink expressed milk more easily. Or when mum’s milk production is not quite there yet, regular pumping sessions can help to keep stimulating the breasts. Of course, there are also a lot of mums that want to continue breastfeeding but have to go back to work or have to skip mealtime once and a while due to other circumstances. In that case a breast pump can help to store some extras for when the real deal is not around.
The search for the perfect breast pump
When you have decided that expressing breast milk is the best option for you, the inevitable question is which breast pump is perfect for you. There are a few decisions that need to be made and that depend on the situation in which you will be using the beast pump.
- Manual vs. electric
You can choose between a manual breast pump or an electric automatic breast pump. When you only need to express every now and then, for example to release the pressure of your breasts, or when you want to keep complete control and determine the pumping rhythm, a manual breast pump can come in handy. With our years of experience in what’s right for mum and baby, focused on a healthy development, we offer 2 different manual breast pumps. One for a real fast job and one who’s more comfortable.
An electric breast pump has the advantage that the pumping sessions go significantly faster and you don’t have to tire yourself. When you are expressing regularly, this is the easiest and most comfortable option. That is why we have a brand-new electric breast pump set that is designed especially for mother’s comfort.
- Single or double
When you have made the choice for an electric breast pump, you might still be torn between a single or a double electric pump. Are you the kind of person that likes things speedy and most of all efficient? Then a double electric breast pump can make your pumping session go twice as fast, because both breasts are being expressed at the same time. The downside is that prices rise a bit for this option. Or you can choose to combine both possibilities by going for the additional dual pumping add-on set to transform your single electric breast pump into a double one. This way, you can still decide at any given moment which one to use.
- Any other things you should pay attention to?
It could be convenient to check whether your breast pump has a closed or an open system. In closed systems, it’s impossible for breast milk to stay behind inside the tubes, which in return prevents mould growth. The most important characteristic is of course pain-free pumping. The perfect breast pump for you is the one that doesn’t feel uncomfortable when expressing. To achieve this, the size of the horn of the pump is important. Your nipple should fit perfectly in the horn and tube without the areola being pulled in the pump as well and without your nipple rubbing against the edges of the tube. To make sure all women of all nipple sizes find the perfect breast pump, we provided different sized horns available separately. When you need a different size than the standard included medium size horn, you can always go for a smaller or larger one.
Basically, it all comes down to this: pick the breast pump that is best suited for you and express in the way you feel most comfortable with. Try to keep in mind hygiene as well, to avoid annoying situations with mould or infections and you are good to go. This way, you can provide the best nourishment and care for your baby in your own way.