Mothers will go to any extent to ensure that their little ones get the right amount of nutrition. It can be a little impossible with a tight schedule to be around your baby all the time. Besides, some mothers don’t like the idea of suckling their babies. So, the remaining option is to express milk.
Technology has been kind on that note – channelling out different types of breast pumps. Mothers can now choose the pumps depending on many factors. Currently, expressing milk is very common, meaning exclusive breastfeeding is possible, thanks to leading breast pumps. These pumps come with additional benefits, including increasing milk supply during the early days. Pumping allows mothers also to collect breast milk and keep it as a supply for later use. Keeping a milk stash is particularly important if you are travelling.
What options do you have in terms of breast pumps?
The common types of breast milk are four. They include:
Double-electric breast pumps: this version of the pump lets you express milk from both breasts at the same time. This makes it an excellent option for mothers who need a large quantity of milk frequently. So, if you are feeding twins, this might be the right option for you. However, these powerful pumps can inflict a significant bite on your budget.
Single-electric breast pumps: single breast pumps are electric pumps that express milk from only one breast. So, if speed is not something of concern, you might consider this option. These pumps are cheaper but effective. This pump is popular.
Battery-operated breast pumps: This pump is a cordless breast pump that runs on batteries. They are much slower than their electric counterparts, but they express milk just fine. Their biggest advantage is that they are highly portable and they prove very important when you don’t have access to electricity. So, if you are travelling, this might be your to-go option.
Manual breast pumps: manual pumps are a bit tiresome because you’ll be doing all the work – pumping. As a result, you may not get as much milk as you would get if you were using an electric or battery-operated pump. But their biggest advantage is that they are portable, lightweight, and much cheaper.
Closed-system pump vs. open-system pump
Open system and closed system pumps are common phenomena. If you choose from Ameda breast pumps in the market, you come across these terms, and you definitely have to make a decision.
Closed-system pumps are also called hospital-grade breast pumps or overflow protection pumps. They have a barrier that seals them off from the milk. Such a design makes them the most hygienic types of a breast pump – the barrier, typically, prevents the milk from contacting the machine. When milk gets into the machines, it can be pretty challenging to clean and sterilize the types alongside other small components.
Due to their design and construction, these pumps are costlier than the open system pumps. By contrast, an open-system pump allows milk to flow via the tubes and accompanying smaller pieces into the collecting bottle because it lacks the barrier that separates the milk from the other parts of the pump. That means the expressed milk will be in contact with the pump’s mechanism.
Cleaning open system pumps should be done meticulously because dirt and germs may be in the tubing and passed on to the milk. In turn, this might harm the baby.