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| If you're breastfeeding, you probably want your baby to benefit from your milk even |
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| when you're not available. Whether you're getting ready to go back to work or you |
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| just want someone else to feed your child while you get some rest or go out, a |
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| breast pump can be a big help. |
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| There are several different types of breast pumps to choose from. Whichever pump |
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| you pick, it's a good idea to have it ready to go well before you return to work or leave your baby with a sitter. |
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| In fact, because many babies will refuse a bottle offered later on, it's best to start pumping and introduce a |
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| bottle as soon as breastfeeding is established, when your baby's 3 or 4 weeks old. To keep her willing to take |
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| the bottle, offer it with an ounce or two of breast milk inside at least every three or four days. |
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| Which kind of breast pump is best for me? |
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| There are many styles and models of breast pumps, but they fall into two main categories: electric/battery- |
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| powered and manual (which you operate by hand). While some women use both ¡ª one for the bulk of their |
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| pumping, the other for taking on short trips ¡ª most moms strongly prefer one or the other. |
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| Here's a look at your options: |
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| Hospital-grade electric breast pump If you're pumping constantly throughout the day ¡ª perhaps because you |
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| or your baby isn't able to breastfeed ¡ª you'll need the most efficient pump around: a heavy-duty hospital-grade |
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| model with a double collection kit. These pumps have a rapid suck-and-release cycle (referred to as the cycling |
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| time) that draws milk from your breasts at about the same rate as a nursing baby. |
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| Using a double collection kit means you can pump both breasts at once,which can cut pumping time by more than |
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| half and drain both breasts more effectively. Keep in mind that these pumps are usually heavy ¡ª weighing as |
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| much as 18 pounds ¡ª and bulky. |
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| Hospital-grade pumps are by far the priciest ¡ª a new one costs more than $1,000. However, many hospitals, |
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| lactation consultants, and medical supply stores rent top-of-the-line breast pumps for $1 to $3 per day. |
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| If you're renting a pump, you'll still need to purchase a collection kit, which includes breast flanges (the piece of |
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| the pump that goes on the breast itself), tubing, and collection bottles, for $50 to $60. (If your baby was born |
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| prematurely or with a condition that makes nursing difficult, ask your insurance company whether it will cover the |
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| cost of a breast pump with a doctor's prescription.) |
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| Top-end electric personal-use pumps |
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| Combining the efficiency of hospital-grade pumps and the convenience of more portable models, top-end electric |
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| pumps are a popular choice for sonny-le who return to work full-time. These pumps are fully automatic, with quick |
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| cycling times, adjustable suction levels (to help you avoid nipple discomfort), and double-pumping capability. |
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| Some newer models are designed to mimic a baby's sucking patterns: They start with short, quick sucks to elicit |
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| the letdown response and then move into a slower, deeper sucking pattern. This feature can make pumping |
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| more comfortable, but it doesn't necessarily mean you'll produce more milk. |
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| Weighing in at 8 pounds or less, these pumps can come in attractive carrying cases with accessories included |
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| - like storage bags, labels, clips, bottles, and nipple ointment. |
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| Most top-end pumps can run on a car's cigarette lighter with an adapter that's sold separately, and some even |
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| come with a built-in battery pack ¡ª both handy options if you're pumping on the go or in a room lacking an |
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| Prices range from $200 to $350, and most pumps come with a one-year warranty. |
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| Note: Though it may be tempting to share or borrow a friend's personal-use breast pump, or buy one used, the |
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| FDA and breastfeeding experts caution against it. Breast milk can carry bacteria and viruses - including hepatitis, |
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| HIV, and cytomegalovirus ¡ª that can contaminate these pumps and pass an infection to you and your baby. |
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| Because droplets of milk can get into the internal parts of these pumps, using your own collection kit doesn't |
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| necessarily make them safe to use. |
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| Pumps designed for multiple users, like rental pumps and hospital pumps, don't have this problem. They're |
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| designed to prevent breast milk from getting inside the pump. So as long as you use them with your own |
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| personal collection kit, they're safe. |
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| To find out whether a pump is okay to use secondhand, check the packaging or call the manufacturer. If it's |
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| designated as a "single-user" pump, it should be used by only one person. |
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| Mid-range electric or battery-operated pumps |
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| These pumps are best for short-term separations ¡ª for instance, moms who want to leave their baby with a |
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| sitter every now and then and don't want to supplement with formula. |
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| These pumps are more portable (most weigh less than 2 pounds) and more affordable than the high-end models. |
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| On the down side, they generally take a little longer and require a little more effort to use than the top-end |
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| electric pumps. If the pump is battery-operated, the batteries may need to be replaced frequently. |
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| Most mid-range pumps allow you to pump only one breast at a time ¡ª and slowly at that. While there are some |
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| double electric pumps in this category, the motors may not last as long as those in the more expensive models. |
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| Semiautomatic models tend toward long cycling times. (Some produce only about 12 sucks per minute, compared |
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| to 50 to 60 per minute for top-end and hospital-grade pumps.) The suction can often be too strong or too weak, |
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| although some have adjustable suction. |
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| Prices range from $50 to $150. |
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| Manual pumps require you to pump a piston or squeeze a lever to create the suction to empty your breast. These |
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| pumps empty only one breast at a time and may require two hands to operate, although a few are designed for |
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| While most moms who need to pump regularly opt for a more efficient electric model, some women rave about |
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| manual pumps' simplicity and convenient size. Many also say that some manual pumps feel more natural and |
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| more closely mimic a baby's sucking, and that they like being able to control the suction by hand. |
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| Hand pumps are generally more affordable, smaller, lighter, and quieter than electric pumps. And if you like to |
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| pump on one side while your baby is nursing on the other, he'll probably prefer the quiet of a manual to the noise |
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| While some moms get the knack of effective manual pumping, others find these pumps maddeningly slow. (It |
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| depends to some degree on how quickly you can squeeze the pump handle - and this can get tiring for your |
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| Some moms have trouble getting any milk at all with hand pumps. Others say that hand pumps don't completely |
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| empty their breasts, which can lead to a lowered milk supply. |
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| Prices range from $30 to $60. |
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| A note of caution: Stay away from the models that look like bicycle horns ¡ª the rubber balls can harbor harmful |
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