New mothers have to deal with a lot of changes in their lives. They have a little human being in their care, and we all know how fragile babies are. Due to their delicate nature, these small human beings are very demanding of their mothers’ time and attention. They need to be fed, cleaned and kept comfortable. New mothers also have to deal with so many changes in their bodies, and it can all be very overwhelming, to say the least.
Breastfeeding is a great way of nourishing your baby and bonding with him/her. However, it comes with its own set of challenges including engorgement of breasts, which is the breasts becoming hard and painful, sore nipples, low milk supply, and milk oversupply in some mothers. Some mothers choose to breastfeed longer than others. You might have a busy work schedule, and therefore be unable to breastfeed your baby as much as you would wish to. Your baby might also refuse, or be unable to breastfeed, and your only option will therefore be the bottle. If you have low milk supply, expressing milk is also a way of increasing the supply. Finding a breast pump that suits your needs is not as difficult as many people make it out to be. Below are some of the things to consider.
- Pump fit
Many people wrongly assume that pump fit is about the breast size, but it is actually about the nipple size. The pump nipple tunnels need to be the right size for your comfort and efficiency while expressing milk.
- Price
Just as it is with shopping for anything else, the price is an important factor to consider. However, note that buying a cheap pump is a total waste of money, and you will regret it. It will frustrate you, and you know how babies and mothers feel each other’s emotions? Your frustration might just be passed on to your baby. You want to get value for your money, so you need a pump that will serve you for a long time. Go for a pump with a warranty. You can also rent a pump for the period of time you will be needing it. This will be much cheaper than buying one.
- How often you plan to be pumping milk
If you will only be expressing milk occasionally, say, once or twice a week, a manual pump will work just fine for you. A small motorized pump is also great for occasional use, and can come in handy in an emergency. You might have a good milk supply, but have to be away from your baby because of school or work. If you still want your baby to feed exclusively on breast milk, then you will need to be expressing regularly. In this case, you will need an electrical breast pump, preferably a double pump so that you can get done with it in a short time. If you do not have a good milk supply, or your baby is premature or doesn’t feel well, you will need a hospital grade electric pump.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
