With the birth of a child, a woman has many new pleasant concerns and responsibilities, chief among which is breastfeeding. However, situations often arise in which mothers are forced to leave home, and they cannot always breastfeed the baby when she needs it. A young mother's milk may disappear due to stress, or it may not be enough. Especially in such cases, there is an ingenious invention - a manual breast pump, a device that imitates the movements of the baby's lips and the expression of milk from the mother's breast for later storage and use. In addition, manual breast pumps do not injure the breast, are easy to operate and maintain, and just know how to use manually breast pump.
When choosing a breast pump, your feelings and needs are key. Of course, you need to listen to the advice of friends and mothers, but the last word should be yours alone
It is also important to know when to pump. How to pump?
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When to pump?
Whenever you feel heaviness in the breast or you feel that your breasts are not draining properly. You feel your breasts are very hard or leaky. If there is any such defect like pulling etc. then pumping should be done. You don't have to pump only when you're in pain or cramping. You can also do pumping under a routine.
When your baby has finished feeding and you feel that there is still milk in the breast, you can also pump it out. And can store it for later use.
Sometimes the child is admitted to the nursery due to an illness or prematurity due to which mothers cannot feed directly, during this time breast pump is a very essential step. It is an important invention to properly establish lactation and keep milk going in process۔
You can express the milk from the breast pump and transfer it to the baby in a bottle. Also, if there is too much milk in the breast because milking is a natural process that starts to come with time. If its excretion is not timely, it accumulates in the breast and freezes in the form of lumps and it causes pain.
You can pump milk as needed, which will soften the breasts and relieve pain۔
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Benefits of a breast pump
Pumping is the best and most necessary thing for every mother. Whether a mother is a housewife or a working woman, she has a lot of work to do. which are apart from handling and feeding the baby. You can't hold and feed the baby all the time. There is nothing wrong with giving the pumped milk to another family member to feed the baby.
Many mothers use formula milk along with mother milk due to their busy schedules so that the baby can be fed in their absence.
But due to the difference in the nutritional value of both, the child's digestion is affected. Also, it is very expensive. On the one hand, not expressing the mother's milk in time causes pain to the mother, and on the other hand, the child is also deprived of complete nutrition. This will also save both money and time. And the mother and child will also be protected from diseases.
Another major benefit of pumping is that your breasts are ready for the next feed and the milk will be produced faster and more abundantly.
Some women have high milk production and the breast fills up and starts leaking before two hours. This problem can also be removed by pumping milk۔
- Parts of a manual pump
Parts of a manual breast pump
Generally, this pump has 4 main parts.
- Flange. This breast shield is made of high-quality food-grade silicone material.
- Comfortable handle. Easy to use and comfortable for press and release.
- Container. Which is leakproof and anti-slip
- Suction. It makes for airtight suction which makes milk ejection possible
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How to use a manual breast pump
First, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them. Disinfect all parts of the pump. Now sit in a comfortable position while relaxing your body.
Soften the nipple by applying olive oil, coconut oil, or any edible oil on the nipple of the breast, and at the same time relax the muscles of the breast by massaging the breast with light hands. Fit the pump cup snugly to the breast, taking care not to put too much pressure on the breast. And don't keep too loose a hand۔
The pumping process is painless but the first 25 to 30 seconds or the first 2. 3 Strokes may cause mild discomfort or cramping. And also take special care that your nipples do not stick to the walls of the cup. Because if the nipples repeatedly touch the wall of the cup, due to friction, you may have the problem of sore nipples. So choose the right cup size.
When you have a good fit of the cup on the breast, start gently pressing down on the handle of the pump. First press half the handle and release. Keep pressing and releasing quickly. So that the cup tightens its grip and the milk starts to flow. After half pressing 10 to 15 times, start pressing the handle fully so that the milk can be expressed faster and better.
The milk will start collecting in the container below. Pumping should be done for 20 to 25 minutes. In 5 to 10 minutes the flow of milk decreases while later the veins of the breast open and the flow of milk increases.
If you want to feed the baby immediately, then attach the nipple with the pump to the container and feed it. And if you want, store it and use it later.
Wash and dry all parts of the pump. You can also boil or sterilize them.
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Human Milk Storage Guidelines
Freshly Expressed or Pumped - In a colder room 77°F (25°C) Up to 4 Hours. •
- In the refrigerator 40°F (4°C) for up to 4 Days.
- In freezer 0°F (-18°C) Within 6 months is best
Up to 12 months is acceptable
- Thawed, Previously Frozen
- In the coldest room 77°F (25°C) 1–2 Hours.
- In refrigerator 0°F (-18°C)Up to 1 Day (24 hours)
- In the freezer NEVER refreeze human milk after it has been thawed.
- Leftovers from a Feeding
(baby did not finish the bottle)
- Use within 2 hours after the baby is finished feeding.
I hope you enjoy reading this as well as I enjoyed writing this for you