Most of the mothers I have contacted have a breast pump, whether it is manual, electric, unilateral or bilateral, whether you use it or not, everyone always thinks that it is always right to have one.
I feel that with a breast pump, I can successfully breastfeed, and with a breast pump, I can control my willingness and time to pump.
But in practice, we still recommend that you breastfeed as much as possible because:
In terms of pumping effect, the baby's sucking power is the strongest, and breastfeeding is more likely to be successfully breastfed.
In terms of the benefits of breastfeeding, the close contact between mother and child can not only promote milk production, but also bring a sense of security to both parties.
Therefore, when we encounter difficulties in breastfeeding, we choose to use a breast pump as a temporary alternative.
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So, today I would like to share with you the tips and problems that tend to arise when using a breast pump:
1. Inability to express enough breast milk
Many mothers think that their breast milk is just so much that they are pumped out, and they think that their milk is not enough, so they are worried that their babies will not be able to eat enough to add milk powder.
In fact, most breast pumps are not as efficient as properly breastfeeding babies, and babies eat more when breastfeeding!
Actually, you're more capable than you see yourself!
2. Suck for a long time to get enough milk
Every time I pump, there are very few milk showers, and the milk comes out very slowly, dripping down instead of squirting.
At this time, we need to try to choose a comfortable and quiet place to pump.
The milk reflex can be stimulated before pumping, the breast can be warmed, the breast can be rubbed, the nipple areola can be stimulated, and the breast shield can be pre-warmed for better results.
You can listen to soft music, watch your baby's videos/photos, watch your favorite TV show, eat, drink and press your breasts while pumping.
You can also let your baby suckle on one side with a breast pump on the other. Try to empty your breasts each time.
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3. Discomfort/pain when pumping
Painful pumping may be due to an inappropriate size of the pipe wall.
Choosing a wall size that is 4 mm larger than the diameter of the nipple can avoid pain caused by the nipple rubbing against the wall when it is suctioned.
Painful pumping may be an inappropriate choice of gear.
When using a breast pump, you should choose a comfortable maximum negative pressure. For example, if it doesn't hurt to open 3rd gear, it will be upgraded to 4th gear, 4th gear will not hurt and then upgraded to 5th gear, and 5th gear will hurt a little, then return to 4th gear, and you must ensure that it is not painful when pumping.
Painful pumping, which may be caused by negative pressure that has lasted too long.
Many mothers do not stop pumping for 15-20 minutes. Long-term negative pressure is easy to make the nipple and areola edema, and it will be painful after edema, and the milk will not be smooth. While maintaining milk outflow, negative pressure can be appropriately released to prevent and reduce the risk of sore nipples.
If the nipple is already sore and the milk is not coming out smoothly, instead of lowering the breast pump to continue sucking, switch to hand milking. Avoid nipple damage that is more severe.
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Why did I try the method above and still express less milk?
It may be related to the feedback received by the hypothalamus of the mother. I still remember what we have been saying before, if you want to have high lactation, you need to be relaxed, happy, and happy!
Sometimes you can't ask for milk because you are nervous, anxious, tired, and worried!
Why did I change to a breast pump, and the pumping effect is better.
Different products have different sucking curves, maybe the sucking curves of this product are more suitable for you.
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In addition, when a mother of a premature baby uses a breast pump:
In particular, it is important to ensure that the breast pump is efficient at expressing milk, as the "pump" baby is likely to not be able to help, so it is recommended that mothers of premature babies should use the breast pump with hand expression/massage to increase breast milk production.
Choose a double-sided electric product to make pumping more efficient. Choose products that are easy to clean and avoid contamination.
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The difference between feeding after a breast pump is pumped out and kissing is really huge!
The two conditions have different outcomes for your baby's health!
If the expressed breast milk cannot be fed in time, it will lead to the loss of nutrients and reduce the nutritional value;
If stored for a long time, it also increases the risk of contamination, and the bottle-feeding process already increases the risk of disease;
In addition, it should be emphasized again that mothers may regard the amount of milk they express as their own breast milk production, mistakenly believe that their breast milk is insufficient, and add milk powder, or even give up breast milk altogether. This is all regrettable!
Proper and correct use of a breast pump can help us to breastfeed better.