Breast pumps come in a variety of sizes and designs. Some are double pumpers, which extract the milk from both breasts at once to cut the expressing time in half. Many of these are battery powered or run off of house current. Some pumps are single pumpers and may be hand powered. All pumps work by pulling out the milk through the use of suction on the nipple. The best models mimic the actions of the nursing child and pull on the nipple up to 50 times per minute, which is the most effective rate. This is the rate that a suckling infant would create suction on the nipple. Breast pumps have plastic cups called breast shields that are cone-shaped and fit over the nipple and areola of the breast. They have a pump that can either be manipulated by hand or by a motor, and they also have a milk storage container, either a disposable plastic bag or a bottle that can be washed out and reused. This container is removable and attaches directly to the breast shield.
Creating Suction to Pump Milk
Manipulation of the pump, sometimes through a rubber squeeze bag, creates the suction, which, if done correctly, will bring out the milk from the breast. It is best to use a pump that best imitates the actions of a human infant. However, be aware, a lot of the cheaper models do not live up to this standard and the amount of milk pumped is directly related to how much the mother can produce. The more she is able to pump, the more she will produce for her child. The logical contrast is that the less milk that is successfully pumped, the less she will manage to produce after awhile. The most important rule is that as long as the baby's needs are being met, the amount of milk is adequate. If the child is still hungry and formula needs to be implemented, the mother needs to increase her milk production and this can be accomplished through the use of a breast pump that pumps more milk at once.
Mother's Busy Schedule
Some breast pumps are designed to double pump, taking milk from both breasts at once. This cuts down on the pumping time, allowing for a working mother's busy schedule and it can also substantially increase her milk production if more is needed. Normally a nursing infant does not suckle both breasts at the same time, thus, in pumping both at once, it is possible to create a surplus of milk. For mothers who require less milk, there are also single pump models that do only one breast at a time. This process takes longer and is not recommended for mothers on the go.
