Expressing Breast Milk

Direct breastfeeding is a great means to establish and increase milk quantity as well as to develop bonding between a mother and her infant. It is a pleasure to initiate the process of nourishing your baby through breastfeeding. Breast milk is indisputably the best nutritious food for baby and it is also jam-packed with immunoglobulins. Meaning, breast milk not only provides nutrients to your baby, it also boosts your infant's resistant towards bacterial and viral infection. It is highly recommended to provide breast milk to your child for a minimum of six months.

Some mothers may not be able to be with their babies all the time. One typical scenario is when a mommy is needed to go back to work after her maternity leave. The availability of a breast pump allows the working mommy to carry on providing her infant with breast milk while working.

There are various types and brands of breast pumps which can be obtained easily in the market. For some first time mothers-to-be, choosing a well-suited pump may possibly be a hassle. It is generally good to read up on the different kinds of pumps and what are the characteristics of each kind. Generally, there are three types of pump for breast milk, and that include manual, battery operated and electric breast pumps. In regards to cost, manual is normally the most economical while electric operated breast pump is on the highest end. On the other hand, benefit wise, electric breast pump tops the list. The kind of pump a nursing mommy requires, largely is dependent on the milk flow, frequency in pumping breast milk and affordability. Some of the reputable brands are Medela®, Philips Avent®, Ameda® and Lansinoh®.

Some mothers require practicing in utilizing the pump for breastfeeding, so it is actually good to initiate pumping a few weeks before returning to work. A couple of weeks of a head start also allow a mother to accumulate a surplus of breast milk for her infant's consumption when she is at work. Using a breast pump coupled with helpful breastfeeding strategies also provides the means for a mommy who wants to enhance her milk supply. Some of the techniques consist of pumping directly after a breastfeeding session, expressing milk in a relaxing environment, regular expressing and massaging while pumping. Investing in an electric breast pump is also worthwhile for mothers who have low milk supply. Pumped breast milk can be stored in a suitable containers or bags and can be kept frozen. Upon needed, the breast milk can be thawed under lukewarm water.

A breast pump really should be available when required and should not be purchased in a rush. Take some time to consider on the right pump and it is a good idea to acquire the breast pump, if possible, before childbirth.

The article author is a mother of two and strongly encourages all mothers to give breast milk to their babies. She finds that making use of a pump for breastfeeding is highly necessary and would definitely like to share her knowledge and research about electric breast pumps.