If you are pregnant, it is always helpful to shop at a store that not only offers maternity fashions, but also offers mothers breast pumps and related breastfeeding supplies after their child is born. If you have never expressed breast milk before, you may wonder if you are using the pump properly. You may also wonder what to expect with respect to breast milk production. Also, you may have questions about the rhythm or pace at which the milk is pumped.
Why a Breast Pump is Used
The main reason to use a pump is to collect breast milk so the baby will have an ample supply when both of you are together. This is essential if you want to continue breastfeeding, but will be going back to work. To learn how to pump the milk, it is a good idea to practice a few weeks before you need to depend on the milk. Just make sure you are in good practice before you start bottle-feeding you infant with the milk.
Pumping is convenient because it means you do not have to be constantly on call when you are at home. Your partner can also feed your baby with your breast milk from a bottle, thereby permitting you to receive some uninterrupted sleep or take a small break from infant care. Let dad take care of some of the feedings so he can also bond with your infant.
Again, try to find a retail source that allows you to obtain your maternity wear and breast pump and pads at the same place. You can also use a breast pump to stimulate the production of milk and increase your milk supply or to feed a premature baby or an infant who has trouble latching onto your breast.
Pumping breast milk also alleviates the pressure and pain associated with breasts that are engorged. However, you have to be careful about pumping too much milk as doing so can make matters even worse.
A Quick and Simple Way to Express Milk
In order to maintain you milk supply, you can choose either a manual or electric type pump. Some women prefer to express milk themselves or by hand, but most will use a pump as it is quicker and simpler. Whilst it may feel somewhat strange initially to get milk from the breast, it typically will not take too long for you to adapt to the process.
You can review the various kinds of breast pumps to find out more about how they operate. In order to use an electric pump, you place a phalange or breast shield over the nipple, then turn the machine one, allowing the milk to flow into an attached container.
Usually phalanges come with a pump. Phalanges also come with manual pumps but you extract milk by pulling a plunger instead of depending on a motor. It takes approximately 15 minutes to pump both of the breasts with an electric pump and about 45 minutes with a manual pump.
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