Any mother who has tried to navigate through the array of breast pumps at her local baby store would probably agree that it would be nice to have a knowledgeable tour guide available for the adventure. There seem to be as many types of pumps out there as there are flavors of ice cream in the world. Breast pumps range from simple little hand pumps, which cost less than a night out at the movies, to intricately designed mega-pumps, which cost something close to a car payment. In addition to these, there are some pumps that are so advanced that they are generally too costly to be owned by one person, so instead, they are available for rent. Amazingly, each of these pumps serves a different need. Therefore, a review of the different levels of breast pumps is offered here.
Some women, for reasons beyond their control, must pump their breasts several times everyday to establish their milk supply without the help of baby’s suckling. This may be due to the baby being hospitalized, or due to a variety of health factors that prohibit the baby from effectively feeding at the breast. When this occurs, the best choice in breast pumps is a hospital-grade, piston-style pump, with a double-sided personal kit, so that both sides may be pumped simultaneously. These pumps are the ones usually offered for rent by a board certified lactation consultant, such as through Tess Johnson Lactation Services (see my website at www.tjlactation.com). The Hygeia EnDeare and the Medela Symphony are examples of these pumps. Using anything lower than this quality level may compromise the milk supply if the baby is not actively nursing to support production.
Another reason a mom may need to pump is so that she can return to the workforce. She may have a perfectly capable breastfed baby at home, but during her work day, a good breast pump is needed to maintain the milk supply. In this case, a double-sided professional-grade breast pump is advisable. The Medela Pump In Style is one example. The Hygeia EnJoye is a similar pump which has the added advantage of being the first professional-grade pump to be approved for multiple users. This means that a couple of mothers may chip in together to share the cost of the Hygeia pump, as long as they each purchase their own personal kits. This is a great benefit to the mothers and to the environment! These pumps are now available in Fresno, through Tess Johnson Lactation Services.
A third reason a mother may choose to use to pump is for occasional “relief bottles,” such as for an occasional dinner out with daddy. Since these moms usually have well-established milk supplies, and are mostly having their babies directly breastfeed, they do not need a Cadillac for their breast pump. A single-sided pump is often sufficient for this type of occasional use. They may try the Medela Swing pump, an Avent Isis, or any other pump in this quality range. Most baby stores carry these pumps, and no tour guide is needed once you know their purpose.
Co-Founder/CEO of HappyHourMom.com, Freelancer, Internet Marketing Consultant, and Social Media lover. Wife to an amazing husband, mom to two beautiful little girls, and follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Happy Hour Mom…are you?
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