Mothers face lot of difficulties while feeding a baby when they are outside. For mothers who travel frequently along with their babies, breast pumps will be helpful devices. These are artificial mechanical devices that pumps which extracts milk from the breasts of the lactating woman. There are different types of breast pumps. Manual type of devices can be operated with the moments of foot and hand and the electrical type of devices operate on batteries or electric mains.
Breast pump is the equivalent device of milking machine that is used extensively in commercial diaries during production. Breast pump’s job is to trigger milk ejection or let down from the breasts. The breast pump ejects the milk by using suction to pull the nipple. The nipple is pulled into the tunnel of the breast flange or shield and then releases which is counted as one cycle. The electrical breast pumps can produces thirty to sixty cycles per minute. But most of the breast pumps are not effective in extracting milk from the breast as the newborn baby is.
The extracted milk with the help of the breast pump is known as expressed breast milk (EBM). This is stored at room temperature and then later fed to babies with bottle afterwards. This expressed breast milk is also donated to milk banks. Milk banks in turn donate this breast milk to high-risk children and other premature infants.
Women for many reasons use breast pumps. Many women often use breast pumps in continuation of breast-feeding after they return from work. They extract milk from their breasts with the help of breast pumps and then bottle-feed the babies. It is also used to provide sufficient milk to infants whose mother’s have low breast milk. Breast pumps are also used to give relief for mothers having breast engorgement or if they are on medication which prevent them from feeding their infants.
So mothers should select the breast pumps that are convenient, helpful for them. There are different types of electrical and manual breast pumps with open and closed collection systems. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Mothers should consider the pros and cons of using the breast pumps that will be of great help for them. These will be helpful for mothers and infants who will be traveling out on a regular basis saving them of the embarrassment of looking out for secluded place to feed their infants.