Breastfeeding is a natural process, and milk in the breast is produced continuously. However, there are cases when, for a while, a mother must stop breastfeeding - separation from the baby, illness, forced exit to work, taking medication, and so on ... Breast pumps - manual and electronic - have become an integral part of the life of the woman who gave birth, and it is recommended that they be taken with you already in the hospital.
Breast milk is produced according to the principle of "demand - supply", and therefore, in these cases, women are recommended to express milk at the usual time of feeding to maintain constant lactation. Also, decantation is necessary in the formation of stagnation of milk in the chest, which often happens at first, until lactation becomes “mature”. In addition, you can freeze expressed milk and use it later. It is stored in the refrigerator for no more than four days, and in the freezer for up to three months! At your service now there are special containers for freezing, and packages. Leave a bottle of milk to your grandmother or husband, and in your absence the crumbs will receive a full meal. But do not forget to remind them that defrosting and heating should occur only in a water bath, and not in a familiar microwave oven - its waves destroy the vitamins contained in milk, and also form “hot spots” in the liquid that can burn the baby’s mucous membrane.
In the days of our grandmothers and mothers, expressing was carried out by hand, often in inexperienced mothers this leads to chest injuries. Today, this problem is solved - there are breast pumps on sale: manual and electric, expensive and cheap. Each woman can choose the right one for herself.
Electric models, although very convenient, are far from affordable for all mothers. One of the most popular electronic is the Medela Swing breast pump , which is virtually silent and compact. It has gained popularity among mothers who suffer from hypergalactia - they need to express large quantities of milk. It costs about 7 thousand rubles.
If you do not need to express large volumes of fluid, it is wiser to choose a manual breast pump as an assistant. It is more compact and affordable. Manual breast pumps cost from 80 to 2500 rubles.
There are several types: pump-action, or vacuum, syringe, piston, with a pear. The latter are the cheapest, their price is from 80 rubles, but often they injure the nipples, and their use requires considerable skill.
Piston type manual breast pumps are now the most popular, they are equipped with silicone inserts on the nozzle and a reservoir for collecting milk. Sterilize all parts of the device and assemble it according to the instructions. Remember that you can boil silicone parts for no more than 3 minutes, plastic parts for no more than 5. Attach a funnel to your chest, reaching its maximum grip. Choose for yourself a convenient rate of decantation by pressing the piston lever. Place the collected milk in a clean storage container and refrigerate. Rinse the breast pump, taking it apart. Wash those in contact with milk in soap and hot water separately from the rest. Next, the parts are washed with running water and left to air dry without wiping with a towel. The remaining parts are simply rinsed in warm water.