Breast Pumps To Ease Feeding

By Author: Divya
Total Articles: 4
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While breast-feeding is the healthiest and safest feed for your infant and part of the infant care tips any doctor would give you, some mothers can have trouble with feeding. In such cases, breast pumps can help to ease the physical as well as mental strain on the new mother.
Kiran Manral talks to Radha Gopalakrishnan, a working mother about her experiences with a breast pump. Radha’s daughter is 4 now.

Why did you start using a breast pump? How old was your child then?
I had bought one before my delivery as I planned to go back to work at six months and wanted to express and feed my daughter. I also got one because I thought it might be a good way to get some nights of rest. I started using it on day five because breastfeeding was extremely painful for me.

In spite of having breast-feeding consultations with lactation experts and consultants who all said I was doing everything right, it was painful. So I would express at the same time as my daughter was feeding, so I could have one pain-free feed.

Did you research the models in the market before buying one? What were the parameters you looked ...
... for?
Yes. I wanted one which had both an electronic as well as a manual setting. It also had to be a leading brand name and something which could be sterilised easily using a microwave.
I went in for an Avent electronic model because it was the same brand as the bottles we were using and seemed very reliable. It had great reviews from both friends who used it and the Internet.

For how long did you use the breast pump and why did you stop?
I used it for about two months, but I had to stop because the pain did not ease and I was sore and miserable all the time. My daughter took to both bottle and breast very well and I used both simultaneously from around day five.

What would you advise women who want to start using a breast pump?
Express only for the time stated on the instructions manual. There is a reason they mention that. Sterilize regularly. An electronic one is quite handy because it leaves a hand free. It is very useful to express and give you a night of rest and also gives a chance for the husband to do night duty, especially on weekends. Breast milk can be frozen for a long time or can be refrigerated.

How did using a breast pump help you?
It gave me the much needed break from pain, at least for alternate feeds. It also gave me a chance to get some weekends of rest as the night duties could be shared. It also helped me realize that I had given breastfeeding my best shot as I carried on feeding for much longer because of the breast pump.