Why breast pumping?
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Moms choose to pump breastmilk for their babies for different reasons.
The most important driving force for most moms is the fact that every mom definitely desires to give their baby the best start in life.
Good nutrition is one good start every mom wants to give to their baby and what better way to do so than ensure that the baby has enough breastmilk.
Breastmilk is known to be the complete food for the baby.
It is known to provide complete nutrition for your baby for the first six months of their lives.
Breastmilk is also known to build your baby’s immunity by introducing antibodies to their bodies.
Therefore, experts encourage moms to breastfeed absolutely for the baby’s first six months.
As noble a cause as breastfeeding maybe, some challenges make the process almost impossible.
Having to go back to school or work immediately after your baby’s birth or you may have had your baby born prematurely and so they can’t breastfeed normally or breastfeeding becomes difficult because your baby finds latching difficult.
This will require you to have to look for a solution for you and your baby.
Breast pumping offers you such a solution.
Moms get to express milk for their babies for them to be able to get good nutrition for their babies.
But just like breastfeeding, it can be very demanding to frequently express milk for your baby.
You will need to be expressing milk for your baby every two to three hours so that your baby’s milk supply is adequate.
This can be very demanding but rewarding at the same time!
You, therefore, need a good pumping experience that would make this less tedious.
Breast pumping will give you the freedom to rest and let other caregivers bottle-feed your baby.
You can also be able to participate in other activities outside your home without having to worry about your baby’s feeding since the caregivers have the milk with them.
Breast pumping can also help you to relieve breast engorgement when you are at work.
This milk can be kept in the fridge or freezer for your baby to drink on a later date.
What are the types of breast pumps?
There are many types of breast pumps in the market but they fall under these types:
Electric breast pumps
These are breast pumps that need to be plugged into a power outlet for it to work. They come as single pumps and double pumps. Single pumps have can pump only one breast while with a double pump, you can pump both breasts simultaneously. The double breast pumps would be preferable if you need to pump very fast since you’ll pump in half the time.
Battery operated breast pumps
These use batteries to pump. The batteries can be rechargeable while some pumps can work with the normal AA batteries. Some electric breast pumps also can be battery operated. Some have inbuilt rechargeable batteries too. All you need is to recharge the battery often and you are good to go. Battery operated breast pumps are very portable because of this feature make a great travel companion for you.
Manual breast pumps
These are very light in weight and inexpensive. Their weight makes them very portable. These manual breast pumps are in different designs but the bottom line is that you do all the pumping work. This can be very tasking if you have to pump every two to three hours. Because of how tiring it is, you may also not get much milk out of a pumping session. This pump, therefore, may only be useful for you if you only occasionally pump milk for your baby like when you are traveling. It might not be one for every day pumping.
Open system or closed system pump
Closed system breast pumps are also called hospital grade pumps. They have a barrier that seals off the milk and prevents it from getting into the pump’s motor and tubes. This makes it easier to clean and assure you of the safety of your baby’s milk since the smaller parts of the pump may be difficult to keep clean. The open system pump, on the other hand, does not have the barrier that keeps milk from the pump’s motor. Therefore, the milk flows into even the small and difficult to clean parts of the pump. This makes it difficult to clean the tiny parts of the pump. The closed system pumps are usually more expensive compared to the open system of breast pumps.
What other features should you look for in a breast pump?
Apart from the type of breast pump, there are other things to look at in your choice of a good breast pump.
You need to think through your needs carefully so that you choose one that meets your pumping needs.
You need to consider how you are going to use the pump:
Do you need to travel a lot?
How often do you need to pump?
Are you going to the office with it? … And so on.
These will determine the type of pump you need to get for yourself. Therefore, the factors you can consider include:
Weight
This is an important factor to consider especially if you need to travel often or commuting to work. You might need to choose a pump that is light in weight for this.
Sound
Some pumps make very loud vibrations while some are quieter. If you will be pumping somewhere around people, like at the office, you may want to consider the more silent varieties. This can also come in handy if you want to pump while the baby is sleeping. You can pump without having to leave the room.
Cost
Of course, this is a very important bit in choosing a breast pump. Some health insurances usually cover for you to buy a breast pump. You need to check how much is covered. You may also need a second pump may be to use at the office and so cost becomes an important factor to think through.
Which is the best pump?
Picking the best breast pump can be an overwhelming experience since the market has innumerable brands to choose from.
How do you then get to choose a pump for your needs?
This article lists for you different pumps that are the best on the market right now.
Best Electric Pump: Medela Sonata Smart
The Sonata Smart Double Electric Breast Pump is the latest model by Medela.
It is known for being very portable as well as for its hospital grade performance.
It also has an inbuilt rechargeable battery that makes it very portable.
You can also find a setting that works for you because of its adjustable speeds.
The other amazing thing about it is that you can connect it to the MyMedela application so that you can track your pumping sessions.
Best Manual Pump: Medela Harmony
Medela Harmony is so far the best manual breast pump because of the comfort it offers you when pumping. Being a manual pump, your hand does most of the work.
The Medela Harmony Breast Pump has a handle that swivels for a full 1800.
This feature helps you shift into a stimulation mode.
The adjustable handle makes Medela Harmony comfortable to use since you can adjust the grip to your preferred hand position.
Best Budget-Friendly Pump: Lansinoh Signature Pro Version
We are always looking to save some money when making purchases although we oftentimes get less for spending less.
With Lansinoh Signature Pro breast pumps, you get more for less.
It is a double electric pump and is super quiet.
It is designed to mimic your baby’s suckling actions with three pumping phases.
It also has eight suction levels out of which you can find the setting that is most comfortable for you.
It is very light and so you can carry it with you and most of all, it has a closed pump system thus making it very easy to keep clean!
Best Pump For Working Mothers: Pump In Style Advanced Version
The Pump-In-Style Advanced is one of the most popular breast pumps and for good reasons.
It is an electric double pump.
It Boasts of its two-phase technology which is designed to mimic your baby’s feeding pattern.
This makes the pumping process feel as natural as possible.
It is also very portable and can also be battery operated which makes it handy for the traveling mom.
It is important to note that the Pump-In-Style version pump has an open system pump which makes it a bit harder to clean and sterilize.
It is also a bit loud in its vibrations which makes it difficult for you to be discreet when pumping.
Best Hands-free Pump: Willow Pump
The willow pump is very discreet and pumps quietly so you can pump with it secretly.
It also does not have any tubes or wires attached to it.
It is breast-shaped which allows you to insert it into your bra or wear it under your blouse.
It is attached to an app that you can use to control the suctions.
The app also keeps records of each pumping session.
This means that you can sit through a meeting while pumping without raising any suspicion.
Best Portable Pump: Phillips Avent Comfort Pump
Philips Avent Comfort Manual version is made with the belief that moms need to be relaxed and comfortable while pumping milk for their babies.
It allows you to pump milk without having to sit in a certain position.
With this pump, you can pump even while lying down without worrying about your milk getting into the bottle.
It is efficient in pumping milk because its flanges have massagers that help in stimulating milk.
Being a manual pump, it is not very easy on the hands and so it can be a tiring venture.
Best Hospital Grade Pump – Medela Symphony
Medela symphony has been used through the years to help moms to initiate or increase their milk supply.
This hospital-grade pump provides your breasts with the suction that it needs when trying to establish milk flow for your baby.
It mimics your baby’s suckling patterns and massages the breasts thus stimulating milk production.
Its closed system makes easy to clean and can be shared by many mothers as in a hospital setting.
However, it is quite costly but with the option of renting it for a smaller fee.
It is also rather heavy which makes it not very portable.
Best Hands-Free- Medela Freestyle Flex
This is a double electric pump that mimics your baby’s suckling patterns.
It is light in weight and is one of the smallest pumps in the market which makes it a great pump to travel with.
It can comfortably fit in a handbag.
It has a rechargeable battery that can be charged using a USB charging cable. You can, therefore, use it in the office.
It also has a night light which makes it useful when pumping at night.
Its downside is that its motor is not a hospital-grade pump.
It is also quite loud which makes not a very discreet pump to use.
Best Easy To Use Pump: Haakaa Silicone Pump
The Haakaa silicone pump is a perfect pump for moms who need a little help establishing a milk flow.
It is a one-piece pump that attaches to your breast while collecting milk in with its suction.
You do not need to squeeze it or attach it to any power source.
It does not need wires for power outlets or tubes which makes it very easy to carry around.
It also is easy to clean and does not have very small parts to clean.
It is easy to keep it hygienic.
It is also very pocket friendly.
Best Overall: Spectra S1
Spectra pumps are quickly gaining popularity in the breast pumps market.
Spectra S2 is like the unicorn of breast pumps!
Spectra S2 is very convenient to use because it is a very portable, battery-powered, hospital-grade closed system design and is a double electric breast pump.
It is also fitted with nightlights so that you can use it at night without having to turn on the light.
It is also said to be super quiet which means that you can pump your milk in the same room as your sleeping baby without disrupting their sleep.
It has a timer that times your pumping sessions and turns itself off in case you doze off while pumping.
You can also set the suction and speed of pumping and it saves for you.
Therefore, you do not have to have new settings each time you have a pumping session!