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There
are many models of breast pumps available in the market.
They fall under two
main categories:
- Manual
Breast Pump - operated by hand.
- Electric
Breast Pump - operated by battery-power or electricity.
Many
mothers use both types. A manual breast pump is preferred
when one plans to go for short trips.
There are two types of pumping:
- Single
pumping
- Double
pumping
In
single pumping you can express milk from one breast. Some
pumps allow for double pumping. They can express milk from
both breasts simultaneously, if you require frequent pumping.
Double pumping is more useful than single pumping, because
it reduces pumping time by half.
Now,
we'll take a close look at the types of breast pumps.
1.
Manual breast pumps
These
are popular for their simplicity and small size. Many mothers
prefer manual pumps to electric pumps. They give a feel of
a baby sucking. This is closest to the natural feeling of
breast feeding. The mother can manually control the suction.
The strength of the hand or arm muscles is used in manual
breast pump for single pumping. There are some manual pumps
that use the leg movement and foot muscles for double pumping.
Many things are considered while designing a manual hand pump.
The
major advantage of manual hand pumps are:
- More
Affordable
- Smaller
- Lighter
etc…
- Less
noisy
- You
can pump on one side while your baby is nursing on the
other.
2.
Electric breast pumps
The
electric pump is very easy to use and gives higher efficiency.
If a mother wants to increase the production of breast milk,
then she must use the electric or battery-powered pump. It
is the natural choice for a mother having twins. An electric
pump is very useful when the mother wants to pump both breasts
at the same time. An AC adapter powers the pump or a direct
outlet is used in conjunction with the plug. Electric breast
pumps are used for double pumping and it is designed in such
a way that you can use it frequently.
The
disadvantages are, that an electric breast pump can be noisier
than most of the manual pumps, though some models are surprisingly
compact and quiet.
3.
Hospital-Grade breast pumps
You
can also purchase hospital-grade quality breast pumps. They
are most efficient and easy to use. Hospital-grade breast
pumps are also available for rent. They are powered by electricity
and designed for double pumping. Depending on your budget
you can choose to either rent or purchase them.
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