A significant number of breastfeeding mothers work. If you breastfeed your baby and have a full time job, or you have to be away for extended periods of time, you may have to pump your breasts to extract breast milk. Choosing the best breast pump can be difficult. You have to consider where and how often you will need to pump. If you have to express your milk several times a day, you will need an efficient, hospital grade pump.
There are different types of breast pumps. The manual type is cheap but can be tiring to use. Manual models are recommended for nursing mothers who only have to pump their breasts occasionally. If you have to extract your milk on a regular basis, an electric model is better for you. In fact, a hospital grade pump with double collection kit may be necessary if you have to pump throughout the day.
Hospital grade pumps are very expensive and may easily cost ,500. However, they are the most efficient pumps with a cycle time (suck-and-release time) similar to that of a nursing baby. A pump with a double collection kit allows you to pump both breasts simultaneously. This cuts down the pumping time by at least a half and drains both breasts more efficiently. These pumps provide enough suction power to stimulate the breasts so that your breast milk production will be maintained or even increased.
Unlike personal use pumps, the hospital models can be used by more than one mother. They are designed to prevent cross contamination. However, each mother must use her own collection kit.
In addition to being more expensive, these pumps are heavy and bulky. They are less portable than personal pumps. They are also more durable and come with a 3 to 5 year warranty, compared to a 1-year warranty for the personal pumps. Mothers do not really have to buy a hospital grade model as these devices are available as rentals from local hospitals or a lactation consultant.
You may need a heavy duty one for the following situations: premature or sick infants, twins or other multiple births, to induce lactation, or to increase milk supply.
New mothers who may have to decide on buying the right breast pump can take the opportunity to rent a hospital grade breast pump. This will help them understand what to look for in a breast pump. A lactation consultant can help you determine what type of pump is best, based on your pumping needs.
