Many future mothers, preparing for the birth of their baby, make up in advance, trying to take into account all the important little things that will help them in caring for their baby in the future. This list most often includes a breast pump - a special device for expressing breast milk.
Why a breast pump, and not hands, because you can express your breasts with your hands? Modern breast pumps will help you save a lot of time and save your energy.
The choice of these devices today is so wide (the functionality differs from each other in the mechanism of their work, price, properties, convenience, etc.) that a woman's eyes just run wide. In order not to be tormented by the question of which breast pump is the best, and which one to choose for comfortable expressing milk, you should know what types of these devices exist.
Types of breast pumps: which one to choose
(Photos are clickable)
Absolutely all breast pumps are divided into two types according to the principle of their operation: manual, that is, mechanical, and electric.
Manual breast pumps are not as expensive as their electric counterparts. They can be divided into:
pump action
The simplest of the existing devices. It consists of a chest attachment and a rubber pump (or pear). When expressing milk with such a device, a woman often needs to squeeze the pump in order to create a certain vacuum around the nipple and cause a rush of milk. Milk comes out with every pressure on the chest.
- plus models- low price. The price of pump-action breast pumps starts from 90 rubles for the simplest models.
- Minuses- due to constant mechanical squeezing of the pump, the hand quickly gets tired, with frequent use there is a possibility. Milk is bad.
Pump-action breast pumps are available without a bottle and with an attached bottle.
Breast pump in the form of a syringe
The device consists of two cylinders, where the inner one is applied directly to the nipple itself, and the outer one makes movements forward or backward. This option is the most common and popular: it is easy to clean, easy to use, small in size.
Piston (cylindrical)
This type of breast pump consists of a silicone nozzle on the nipple with a special lever attached to it and a bottle in the kit. For expressing, it is enough to press the lever, firmly pressing the nozzle to the chest.
Pros:
- thanks to silicone nozzles, expressing with a piston breast pump resembles natural breastfeeding, which helps to improve lactation;
- fast curing. In 10 minutes, up to 150-200 ml is decanted. (With manual pumping, this takes up to 40 minutes);
- silent operation;
- the possibility of sterilizing all parts of the breast pump;
- relatively low price and a huge selection of different models.
Minuses:
- fragility of details. With very frequent use, the breast pump arm may break.
- a woman's hand gets tired quickly when pumping.
Electric breast pumps
In addition to mechanical models, there are also electric models to facilitate the pumping process. It will not be difficult for a nursing mother to use any model of an electric breast pump.
The principle of operation of the device is not to manually create a vacuum around the nipple, but using a special motor. A woman just needs to press the button, and the device will begin its work!
Pros:
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- the ability to memorize the pumping mode;
- there are models with a two-phase mode. At first, the device works in a fast and gentle mode, gradually moving to a slow and deep pumping. This mode allows you to express the accumulated breast milk as much as possible;
- there are models that allow you to express from both breasts at the same time;
- easy to disassemble, the parts are washed and sterilized;
- The electric breast pump is suitable for continuous use, as it does not injure the nipple and does not contribute to fatigue.
Despite the undoubted advantages of electric models, they also have certain drawbacks. These include very high cost and noise in use. Such a breast pump can hardly be used next to a sleeping baby.
Electronic
This is a microprocessor-controlled breast pump that fully controls milk flow and pumping rhythm. Runs on mains or battery. They are correspondingly expensive.
Example of expressing with an electronic breast pump from two breasts Video: choosing a breast pump
Having decided on the choice of a breast pump, a woman is faced with questions about how to properly prepare for pumping and how to express breast milk as efficiently as possible.
Rules for expressing with a breast pump
During the period of feeding, most mothers have to deal with such a situation as pumping. To protect yourself from unnecessary risks, every mom must know how to properly express her breasts with a breast pump so as not to harm herself.
Expressing the breast with a breast pump is absolutely not a shameful process, you do not need to be afraid or ashamed of it!
The main reasons that make you pump:
- You have an extremely large amount of milk, therefore, in order to avoid hardening it in the chest, it is necessary to get rid of the excess;
- Your breast milk is not enough to feed your baby, so you need to pump to stimulate lactation;
- You need to attend an important event where it will be impossible for the child to provide access to the breast or the baby stays at home without you and your grandmother, dad and they need to feed the baby;
- The child refuses to take the breast, but drinks milk from a baby bottle.
There can be many options…
Preparing for pumping
Before expressing milk with a breast pump, read the recommendations:
- Wash your hands with soap and wash your chest with warm water.
- If possible, drink a glass of warm water or tea to improve milk flow.
- Read all instructions included with your breast pump carefully.
- If you are using a breast pump for the first time, be sure to boil it and let it dry. Then collect all the parts and prepare sterilized dishes to collect milk.
- Before starting the process, select a funnel of the right size, the nipple itself should not be adjacent to the wall of the suction device, otherwise pumping will be slow and painful. The nipple should move back and forth without obstruction, so you need to leave room for it to move.
- With large breasts or large nipples, it is recommended to choose a funnel with the largest diameter.
- Moisten the skin with a damp towel to better seal the breast against the funnel.
- Find a place for yourself that is most convenient and suitable for such a procedure.
- Start expressing milk at the most comfortable speed, even if it is the most powerful. The main thing is not to forget to constantly stimulate the flow of milk.
- With light movements in a circle, the breasts can be stimulated before and during the procedure.
Preparation is over, you can start pumping
If you feel the slightest difficulty in pumping, do not forget that pumping is an artificial process, an imitation of feeding. You can achieve a positive result by producing a pumping hormone called oxytocin. To do this, it will be enough to take a warm bath, drink (preferably with milk), put a warm towel on your chest, or just look at a photo of your baby. Already during pumping, the hormone prolactin will begin to work, it depends on how much milk you can express.
Video: pumping milk
Desk instructions for nursing mothers
Expression with a breast pump takes 10-15 minutes for each breast. If you pumped faster, don't stop—continue for a few more minutes.
- To facilitate the process, it is better to bend forward a little, but not too much. This position will allow the lobules to pass milk more easily and it will be much easier for the mother to collect it.
- Supporting and slightly lifting the breast with one hand, with the other, place and firmly press the breast pump nozzle to the nipple. The nipple should be in the middle of the nozzle. In turn, the funnel must fit snugly against the nipple, otherwise the necessary vacuum will not be created, and the pumping process will be difficult.
(Photo clickable)
The nipple should be in the center, the funnel should be airtight and fit snugly against the breast
Press the piston (if the breast pump is manual)
- When using a mechanical device - start pressing the lever or pump, to express with an electric breast pump, just press the button. It is not necessary to squeeze the breast at the same time, so as not to injure the nipple. If, nevertheless, pain takes place, check whether the funnel of the breast pump is located correctly and whether the nipple is exactly in the middle. In a state of severe discomfort, you should stop pumping and start the process again after a while.
- It should be pumped until the chest softens and the seals are no longer palpable. Before the end of the process, once again massage the breast from the armpit to the center, driving the rest of the milk from the side lobules. This completes the pumping, you can use the milk immediately or freeze it.
How to use a breast pump (video #2)
Why is it impossible to express with a breast pump?
So, how to choose a breast pump and how best to express a woman is already known, but what to do when a breast pump can not express even a drop of milk?
Pumping, although an imitation, is still a natural process, and if there is no milk in your breast, then no breast pump will be able to express it. Having studied the pumping technique and the rules for handling such a device, we can conclude that you will not be able to expel milk if:
- The tightness between the nipple and the funnel is broken. If air enters, the breast pump will not work properly.
- Milk stasis ( also called lactostasis -). If the breast is very dense to the touch, there are painful areas, then it will be difficult to express milk quickly. In this case, a long breast massage will help ( See article
There are many myths and misconceptions around breast pumping. Now medical workers do not recommend getting involved in such a procedure, however, in some situations, a nursing woman cannot do without it.
The most accessible and most natural technique is hand pumping. That's why new parents need to know how to express breast milk with their hands and when to really do it.
Breastfeeding is certainly a natural process, so the composition of the milk secretion and its volume adjusts to the needs of a particular newborn.
If a woman constantly puts her baby to her breast (especially at night with the maximum release of the hormone prolactin), the glands are emptied. But in certain cases, expressing milk will help normalize a woman's well-being.
Optional conditions
Before pumping the breast, the mother needs to consider whether she really needs this procedure. Breastfeeding experts are skeptical about the necessity of artificial stimulation of the mammary glands, considering the following reasons far-fetched.
Mandatory conditions
There are few cases in which it is permissible to express milk, but every new parent should remember them. This will eliminate unnecessary procedures and help you make the right choice.
In other situations, expressing milk with natural feeding is not necessary. If the child eats well, is not hungry, develops normally, the mother feels fine, unnecessary procedures will only harm.
Two main hormones are responsible for the process of formation and secretion of milk secretion. It is from their “work” that the course of lactogenesis depends, the woman’s nutrition or heavy drinking practically does not participate in lactation.
- Oxytocin. This hormonal substance provokes the flow of milk under the action of certain "irritants". For example, oxytocin is activated when a newborn is attached to the chest, smelling a native baby, and stimulating the glands. If oxytocin is released, the milk flows on its own, without requiring any effort.
- Prolactin. A similar hormonal substance is designed to control the volume of milk secretion. It "calculates" the amount of milk removed from the breast and returns the same amount. Due to this, the breast during lactation is practically not emptied.
Breast pumping will be effective if these hormones begin to act. To “turn them on” and cause the flow of milk to the glands, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation.
It may include the following activities:
- applying towels to the chest, previously soaked in warm water, or standing under the jets of a non-hot shower;
- drinking warm weak tea or any other liquid (it is important that the drink is warm);
- light and gentle massaging of the mammary glands;
- stimulating the flow of milk, for example, by tilting down.
When performing these activities, the mother should think about her beloved newborn baby. The ideal option is to sit next to the baby in order to better feel it.
The influx of milk secretion will be more effective if one breast is offered to the baby, and the other is decanted. This technique is good because the milk, when sucked by the baby, will flow into two breasts at once.
Marmet and other pumping methods
How after childbirth and "get" milk with your own hands? To simplify the process of pumping, breastfeeding experts offer several methods, each of which has its own characteristics.
It is specially designed for breastfeeding mothers. Since this procedure is not entirely natural for the female breast, it is necessary to carefully study all the intricacies of the process and follow the following steps.
In addition to the Marmet technique, there are other techniques that help get milk from their mother's breasts. They are usually used if the previous method did not bring results.
The warm bottle method
A similar method is used if the nipple is in a tense state, and the mammary glands are inflamed. In such situations, it is extremely difficult to get milk, and it’s impossible to attach a baby.
A bottle is used to express milk with your hands or relax your chest to such an extent that the child can take the nipple in his mouth. This container with a neck width of at least 4 centimeters must be heated with boiling water, and the upper part should be cooled.
Then, the peripapillary area must be lubricated with petroleum jelly and a container should be applied to it. The papilla will begin to retract into the bottle and the milk will flow out. As soon as the jets become weak, the bottle is removed.
Nipple squeeze method
If the nipples begin to coarsen, and pain is felt when they are pressed, a special method will be required, which involves the primary secretion of milk.
To implement this method, it is necessary to place all the fingers directly on the nipple and press on it for three to four minutes. Such actions soften the mammary gland and make the pumping process less painful.
Possible errors
Expressing breast milk will be effective and painless only if you follow all the steps correctly. During the procedure, the following errors are possible.
To erroneous actions, experts on breastfeeding also include the refusal to decante, if during the very first procedure the woman felt pain or did not receive milk. It is necessary to try - to choose the right time, the best posture and a favorable mood. In this case, the return of the white product will not keep you waiting.
Before expressing milk secret, a woman should understand how to use it. This will help the recommendations of specialists in natural feeding of newborns.
Do not heat up expressed milk in the microwave. Such a product turns out to be unevenly heated, and this is fraught with the presence of excessively hot parts in the container and a burn of the oral mucosa.
Expressing milk by hand is a procedure that can only be mastered after some time. If a woman who is breastfeeding is unable to drain her breasts, a doctor or natural feeding expert should be consulted for advice. And although experts recommend not to get involved in such a procedure, pumping will allow the mother to stock up on a useful product and prolong breastfeeding as much as possible.
Some mothers create a milk bank for the opportunity to sometimes go away. This is especially true when you need to go to work, and the child is still on. Soluble cereals, medicines for children are bred on breast milk, and there are many other reasons for decanting it, which we already talked about in a previous article. The need for pumping really objectively exists, and a special device, a breast pump, will help facilitate the process and save mom time.
After you decide on the choice of the device itself, you may have a question, how to express milk with a breast pump to make the process as efficient as possible. Read below on how to use a breast pump.
Expressing breast milk with a breast pump
- Training. Before you start expressing breast milk with a breast pump, you must:
- wash hands thoroughly with soap;
- also wash the chest with warm water (in no case cold and not too hot);
- fold all parts of the breast pump, previously sterilized and dried;
- massage the breasts and nipples for a better flow of milk.
- Further, the process of expressing milk with a breast pump differs depending on the type of device. But in each case, the funnel of the breast pump must be attached to the breast so that the nipple is in the center. The device must fit snugly against the skin of the chest, otherwise it will be difficult to create a vacuum. The effectiveness of pumping may be poor even if the skin on the breast is damp, so dry it well before starting the process.
- Next, depending on, start squeezing the pump, press the piston handle or the electric breast pump switch. Watch the flow of milk - if it is active enough, then you should not pump the pump or press the handle until the flow becomes weaker. If you are using an electric breast pump, you should adjust the pumping force.
- Before you stop pumping, do a second breast massage and drive the last drops of milk to the nipple - as you know, they are the most nutritious and are simply necessary for the formation of immunity.
- Once the process is complete, remove the bottle from your pump, close the cap tightly, and store the milk in the refrigerator. Wash the breast pump so that it is ready for subsequent sterilization (preferably with a detergent for washing baby dishes or, in extreme cases, with baby soap).
- When re-expressing, store the resulting milk separately from the one that you expressed earlier, in no case mix them.
How to sterilize a breast pump
To sterilize the components of the breast pump at home, you can use either a sterilizer, or a double boiler, or a saucepan of boiling water (boil for 5-10 minutes). Sterilization of the breast pump is necessary every time you express breast milk to prevent the introduction of bacteria.
We have analyzed the main questions regarding the use of breast pumps. We hope that we were able to help you in such an important task as expressing breast milk with a breast pump.
Natalya Galuzinskaya, mother of Arturchik, a shalopy, especially for the site.
Breastfeeding is recognized as a key condition for the healthy and harmonious development of the child. Breast milk contains all the nutrients and vitamin complexes necessary for the baby. Mother's milk contains all the main immune substances. Once in the child's body, they protect the newborn from infections and form his immune system.
Although the World Health Association advises against expressing breast milk, in some cases it is necessary to carry out the procedure. Therefore, the mother must know how to express properly. Proper pumping will not only provide the baby with enough food, but also strengthen the health of the woman. In addition, the procedure is extremely simple and does not require financial costs.
Why breast pump
First of all, you need to determine the cases when pumping is necessary, and when a woman can do without it.
Cases where pumping is not necessary
Conventional wisdom says that breast milk expression (also known as artificial breast stimulation) should be used in such cases (although some experts have a different opinion on breast milk expression):
- For the development and stimulation of the mammary glands in the postpartum period. The opinion of experts in this case is divided. When the baby is healthy, breastfeeds well and eats in sufficient quantities for him, and the mother does not take hormonal or potentially dangerous medications for the baby's health, has no specific contraindications (including diseases) to breastfeeding, the baby independently stimulates sufficient secretion of breast milk .
- Insufficient or excessive milk production. When milk is produced in sufficient quantities, pumping leads to an excess of its secretion and the breast becomes overfilled with milk. In this case, you will have to express very often and for a long time. When the secret of the mammary glands is sufficient for the normal feeding of the infant, there is no need for pumping. If there is too little milk, it is better to replace pumping with more frequent attachment of the baby to the breast. You also need to monitor the sucking process itself. With the right feeding technique, the baby gets more food. Pumping should be resorted to only when the above recommendations do not help.
- At the time when the practice of hourly (regime) feeding of babies was adopted, there was a point in additional stimulation of the mammary glands. But this practice increased the risk of premature disappearance of milk. Over time, the approach to breastfeeding has changed dramatically in the direction of optimal feeding from a physiological point of view.
When pumping is really necessary
There are really few cases when there are direct indications for pumping. But every nursing woman needs to know them. Expression shown:
- With prematurity. Premature babies have little or no sucking reflex. At the same time, the digestive tract of such children is sufficiently developed to absorb food. The optimal food for premature newborns is mother's milk. Therefore, pumping is the best way to feed in such conditions;
- Pathologies of the central or peripheral nervous system. According to statistics, the pathology of the central nervous system prevails. The child in such cases is not able to breastfeed on his own. Feeding expressed milk with a spoon, pipette or through a stomach tube can help. The use of a bottle is undesirable, as the child may choke or suffocate when sucking;
- Insufficient milk synthesis. Breastfeeding is the main factor that stimulates the formation of milk. In some cases, breastfeeding is not enough, so pumping is the best way to enhance its formation;
- At the initial stage of lactation. When too much milk is produced and the child does not suck it out, it is indicated to release the mammary gland. This will not only soften it, but will optimize secretory processes;
- Stagnation of the secret (lactostasis) leads to the development of lactational mastitis. The disease develops with insufficient emptying of the mammary gland or its improper capture by the child. Proper pumping helps prevent mastitis;
- Breastfeeding is contraindicated if the mother is taking certain medications or has specific medical conditions. In this case, breast pumping will help to maintain lactation;
- With a flat nipple. Pumping can change the shape of the nipple. The child cannot change the configuration of the nipple, because it captures the areola, not the nipple;
- If necessary, the procurement of milk in case of impossibility of breastfeeding on demand.
Which pumping method to choose
There are three ways to express breast milk:
- manual;
- with the help of a breast pump;
- using the warm bottle method.
Manual pumping is less traumatic and does not require special devices and financial expenses. Hand pumping techniques are taught in the maternity hospital or in courses for expectant mothers. Below is a hand-pumping technique.
The use of a breast pump is indicated for mothers with abundant secretion of milk and women with sensitive breasts. The process is painless and can be carried out in almost any conditions.
The warm bottle method is extremely simple. It is suitable for women with large breasts or those who have abundant lactation.
The choice of pumping method depends only on the preference of the mother and the specific situation. A doctor can help you choose the best method.
Where to express breast milk
In one-off cases, you can express milk into a baby bottle for feeding. It is convenient and food will always be at hand.
The breast pumps are supplied with special containers-bottles. They are great for short-term storage of milk. You can feed your baby directly from them. It is enough to put on a pacifier.
Long-term storage (from 2 days) will require special containers. On sale there are special sterile containers. They are sterile and hypoallergenic. Filled containers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
A budget option is to store milk in baby food jars (not suitable for formula containers). It is best to use glass containers. The key condition is their thorough sterilization (including lids). Storage of glass containers in the freezer is not shown.
It is convenient to use special bags for storing chilled or frozen foods. An important feature of the use of such containers is the ability to fix the date of expression and storage temperature.
It is best to express directly into the milk storage container. It is not advisable to pour it.
Breast preparation
- apply a warm towel to your chest or take a warm shower before pumping;
- drink a warm soft drink (coffee is not recommended);
- perform a smooth light massage of the mammary gland: starting from the upper part of the gland, move the fingers in a circular motion on a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe chest, then the procedure is performed on the next area. I move my fingers in a spiral from the upper area to the areola, after which the chest is stroked from top to bottom;
- lean down or hang down the chest.
Performing these actions allows you to relax the nervous system and improve the flow of milk.
Attention!Improving the passage of the secret allows pumping the free breast while feeding the baby with the other breast.
Before pumping, the breasts must be thoroughly washed with soap and dried from water.
How to express breasts with your hands
Proper execution of the technique ensures optimal secretion passage and prevention of congestion.
Pre-prepare a clean container for storing milk and wash their hands. Before each use, it is thoroughly washed and boiled.
Pumping technique:
- The woman chooses a comfortable position. The container is held at chest level. The back is straight. It is not necessary to tilt the body - it will only tire the woman,
- The gland is held from below with one hand, the second is stroking the chest towards the nipple.
- The thumb is held on the edge of the areola, the index finger is opposite. The rest of the fingers hold the iron.
- The thumb and forefinger squeeze the gland, then bring them together with a ring, while pressing on the areola.
- The described movements are rhythmically repeated until the chest is empty.
- Gradually move the fingers along the perimeter of the areola.
The appearance of a pain syndrome indicates a violation of the pumping technique (in the case of the first pumping, the appearance of minor pain is normal, the pain will pass with time).
A sign of proper pumping is milk flowing out in even streams.
How to express breast milk with a breast pump
Typically, the manufacturer indicates the rules for using the breast pump on the product packaging.
Before using the device, it must be sterilized and the chest washed.
How to use the breast pump:
- the funnel of the apparatus is applied to the chest;
- the nipple should be exactly in the center;
- the gland is as close as possible to the funnel;
- the electric device is turned on after pressing the corresponding button, the mechanical device is started by pressing the piston or by squeezing the pump (squeezing should be rhythmic).
The signs of proper pumping are the same as with the manual method.
The warm bottle method
The method is similar to the use of medical jars.
A washed bottle or jar with a wide neck and a volume of at least a liter is filled with hot water. The container must cool for a certain time, after which the water is poured out, and the neck is quickly cooled. Immediately after this, the container is hermetically applied to the areola.
As the vessel cools, the nipple will be drawn into it and the process of milk secretion will begin. After weakening the flow of milk, the procedure is repeated until the gland is completely released.
How to express breast milk when congested
The rules for preparing the breast for pumping with lactostasis are identical to the standard rules.
Pumping technique:
- The second or fourth fingers of the hand are placed above the chest. The thumb and forefinger are brought as close as possible to the edge of the areola. Pumping begins gradually, adhering to a clear rhythm.
- The fingers should move from the top of the breast to the nipple. A key feature is the need for a priority impact on the pathologically altered components of the gland.
- It is necessary to constantly change the position of the fingers near the areola. Milk should be secreted from all areas of the gland.
- If the secretion of milk has stopped, but the compacted areas in the gland remain and hurt, pumping should be stopped for a minute, perform a breast massage and repeat the pumping.
- Express the breast until it is emptied.
Attention!Congestion in the mammary gland is an indication for seeking medical help as soon as possible. A progressive process can lead to health and life-threatening consequences.
How much milk to express and how often to do it
It all depends on the specific situation.
- When feeding a premature baby. It is recommended to pump breasts 6-10 times a day. The procedure takes about 15 minutes for each breast. It is optimal to carry out the procedure twice during the morning. Subsequent decantations are carried out in such a way as to evenly distribute the multiplicity during the day. The last procedure should be around midnight.
- When the mother is sick. It is desirable to carry out the pumping procedure at intervals of 3-3.5 hours during the day. The duration of the procedure itself should not exceed 15 minutes for each gland.
- For the purpose of becoming milk secretion. The mammary glands are decanted at intervals of 3-3.5 hours. The duration of pumping is the same as in the previous cases. In the case when normal secretion could not be achieved, it is shown to add two or three additional procedures.
- To prevent lactostasis, the procedure is carried out as the glands are filled with milk.
- When a mother is not able to breastfeed her baby, it is necessary to prepare milk in advance.
When not to express
There are contraindications on the part of the child and on the part of the mother.
Child contraindications
- lactose intolerance;
- leucinosis ("maple syrup disease");
- phenylketonuria;
- anomalies in the development of the gastrointestinal tract.
Maternal contraindications
Absolute (breastfeeding is strictly prohibited):
- HIV infection;
- AIDS;
- parenteral hepatitis.
Relative (breastfeeding is interrupted until the root cause is eliminated):
- serious illnesses that do not allow caring for a child;
- herpes virus disease;
- the use of psychotropic drugs;
- treatment with radioactive drugs;
- the use of a large number of iodine-containing drugs;
- treatment of tumors by the method of chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Breastfeeding should be taken with extreme caution when:
- the presence of inflammatory processes in the mammary gland;
- mother's illness for tuberculosis;
- mother's drug use.
In such cases, the decision on the need for breastfeeding is made by the medical commission.
How often should you pump
How and how long can expressed breast milk be stored
Milk can be stored at room temperature for no more than 3-4 hours. Milk can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in a freezer (temperature not more than -18 ° C) - up to six months.
The storage container must first be sterilized, and after filling with milk, close tightly.
To prevent the growth of bacteria, milk should be protected from direct sunlight.
Freezing breast milk
Proper freezing of milk allows you to save food for a child for a long time.
Freezing rules:
- Before freezing, milk is pre-cooled in the refrigerator.
- The container in which milk will be stored must first be sterilized.
- Refrigerate and freeze milk in the same container.
- For milk, a separate shelf is allocated in the refrigerator or freezer. It should not come into contact with other products, since such a neighborhood threatens to contaminate milk with infectious agents found on other food products.
- Do not store milk in the refrigerator door. Remember, only a separate shelf.
- The freezer is set to freeze mode only after milk has been placed in it.
- On containers with milk, the date and time of freezing must be indicated. Milk that is in the chamber for more than six months can lead to serious disorders in the functioning of the intestines and other organs.
How to tell if milk has gone bad
The spoilage of milk is evidenced by:
- unnatural color;
- an unpleasant or unnatural smell (similar to the smell of sour cow's milk);
- change in consistency (like sour cow's milk);
- unpleasant taste of milk (reminiscent of sour cow's milk);
- curdling (formation of lumps) during boiling.
The same rules apply here as for milk of animal origin.
Attention!If there is the slightest doubt about the quality of breast milk, it is forbidden to feed a child with it. In addition to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the use of such milk can lead to serious complications from other organs and systems.
Rules for defrosting and heating milk
Breast milk must be thawed naturally - it must thaw on its own in a refrigerator. In this case, the same rules for storing milk apply as for normal storage in the refrigerator (separate shelf, etc.). It is forbidden to open a container with milk, because this increases the likelihood of its contamination with pathogens. Milk is thawed until it acquires a standard liquid state.
Before feeding the baby with expressed milk from the refrigerator, it must be warmed up using a bottle warmer. In its absence, you can use a water bath. The easiest way to warm breast milk is to hold it under running hot water.
Do not use boiling water to heat milk. This method leads to a violation of the structure and organoleptic properties of milk. In addition, all immune complexes and most of the vitamin and other substances necessary for the normal growth and development of the child are destroyed. This makes breast milk just a collection of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
For the same reason, it is forbidden to heat milk in the microwave. Also, heating in it can lead to the melting of the nipple on the container or to the formation of a crack in the glassware or its rupture due to temperature differences.
Heating with boiling water or a microwave oven increases the likelihood of the transition of substances that are part of the storage container itself or the nipple, which negatively affects the health of the child.
Reusable use of heated milk is prohibited. Even if it was stored in ideal conditions, it is better to throw away the remains of the product.
During storage separate fractions of milk are formed. To make it whole, shake the milk container well before feeding.
Mother's milk is the main component of the nutrition of an infant (especially in the first months). Due to the influence of heat treatment on it, products prepared on its basis are an additional component of nutrition. In addition, thermally processed protein is less absorbed by the child's body than protein in its natural configuration.
Conclusion
Expressing breast milk allows you to provide the baby with the necessary food in cases where breastfeeding is contraindicated.
Compliance with the rules for collecting and storing milk guarantees the good health of mother and child.
Expression with a breast pump
One of the questions that women ask themselves when they become mothers is the question of pumping. We must immediately make a reservation that pumping can be useful to a woman only in rare cases. This is not at all an everyday necessity. Remember that breastfeeding is more than just breast milk. This is the best manifestation of maternal love from the first minutes of a child's life. And pumping should be used precisely to maintain quality breastfeeding, as well as to prevent problems associated with the health of a woman's breasts.
Several reasons why pumping is necessary:
1) Breast engorgement, lactostasis
If the feeling of fullness in the chest brings a woman severe discomfort, then you can express a little, only to a feeling of relief. In this case, you should often apply the baby to the chest. In case of lactostasis, you can express yourself on your own for no longer than 2 days. Then you should consult a doctor;
2) If mother and baby are separated and pumping is necessary to maintain lactation. In this case, you need to express regularly up to 10 times a day, depending on the circumstances (for example, the age of the child);
3) If mom needs to leave.
The mother can leave the expressed milk to the baby in specially prepared containers.
4) If for some reason a woman has an excess of milk (hyperlactation)
In this case, the mother can express a little milk to help the baby better adapt to the full breast;
5) To prevent dryness and engorgement of the nipples;
You can express a few drops after feeding.
Pumping can be done in two ways:
Manually;
With the help of a breast pump.
In my opinion, a breast pump can help in cases where a woman has not yet mastered the manual pumping technique or if she is weakened (overwork, illness). Pumping with a breast pump does not require special skills and may seem easier to use. But still, this is not always the case. Sometimes a woman needs to overcome some, perhaps a psychological barrier, because sometimes the breast simply refuses to give milk to a mechanical assistant. In addition, it must be remembered that improper use of a breast pump can lead to various problems (deepening of nipple cracks, hyperlactation, and even addiction).
When using a breast pump, mothers need to remember that:
- There should be no pain;
- The breast should be prepared (warm shower, light strokes of the breast from the periphery to the center, i.e. to the nipple). This action will cause a rush of milk, which makes pumping easier.
- The breast pump must be set to a level of traction that is comfortable for you;
- The nipple should be in the center of the funnel;
- Wash your hands before expressing.
Consider the types of breast pumps that exist today.
Types of breast pumps
Electric The breast pump can be powered by a mains or battery, milk is expressed into a bottle, some models allow you to express both breasts at once, which saves time. The disadvantage of electric breast pumps is their high cost and noise characteristics - an electric breast pump cannot be used next to a sleeping baby and they can easily injure the breast if the mother has not put it into the electric breast pump correctly.
Electronic breast pump used mainly in clinical settings. Such a device has a microprocessor control, imitates the natural process of sucking a child, works from the mains or from batteries. The advantage of electronic breast pumps is that, in addition to automatic pumping, such models are able to remember the most comfortable intensity, and sometimes the vacuum level, which turned out to be the most comfortable for the mother. In such cases, there is no need to reconfigure these functions. Most often, electric breast pumps can be used as manual ones.
Universal breast pump. Its design allows you to use it with containers with different diameters of the necks, and it can also work from the mains or from batteries.
Battery operated breast pumps. Combine portability with efficient performance. However, they are less powerful than electric ones, and the speed with which they destroy batteries makes them expensive to run. This breast pump can be used with rechargeable batteries.
There are three types of mechanical breast pumps: piston, pump and pump with a pear.
Piston The breast pump allows you to express milk into a bottle, is silent and efficient in operation. Thanks to the silicone nozzle, the breast is massaged, while the natural process of breast sucking is imitated by the child and the milk ejection reflex is stimulated. The piston breast pump can be easily disassembled into parts, the parts are convenient to wash and sterilize. Such a breast pump is suitable for frequent pumping, however, with prolonged use, a woman’s hands may get tired. Another disadvantage of piston breast pumps is the fragility of the parts.
pump action The breast pump consists of a pear and a plastic horn; milk is expressed by creating a vacuum by compressing the pear. The disadvantages of a pump breast pump include the lack of a container for milk, low efficiency, the inability to sterilize parts, as well as the lack of imitation of baby suckling, which can lead to cracked nipples.
Syringe breast pump
It consists of two cylinders, one of which is nested inside the other. The inner cylinder of the breast pump is applied to the nipple, and the outer one moves back and forth, creating a vacuum and sucking milk. This breast pump is the most popular because it is quite easy to handle, easy to clean, portable and suitable as a feeding bottle. On some models, the pump's discharge pressure can be adjusted to closely match the baby's sucking efforts, making pumping easier.
Pear breast pump It works on the same principle as the pump. However, unlike him, the breast pump with a pear is equipped with a bottle into which milk is expressed. In addition, the pear breast pump has a valve that allows you to adjust the pressure release.
Breast pump care
A woman using a breast pump must remember the rules for caring for it. All parts of the breast pump must be sterilized before first use. Washing with hot soapy water or in the dishwasher is sufficient.
After each pump: put the pump set (excluding tubes or motor) in the refrigerator until the next pump, or if you don't intend to pump again that day, wash and rinse it in hot water and air dry.
Remember to disassemble all parts of the breast pump when you wash it, including the smallest ones, to make sure there is no stagnation of milk anywhere.
Attention should be paid to the following: even if a woman cannot express a significant amount of milk from her breast, this still does not indicate a lack of milk. The baby sucks milk from the breast better than any breast pump.
Modern society offers many devices to make life easier for moms. And yet, I think that everything should be treated reasonably, putting the well-being of the baby first. After all, the life of a small person is in your hands. Using a breast pump is no exception. A woman can avoid many problems if she organizes breastfeeding correctly from the very beginning, i.e. the most necessary and important way of communication between mother and child.
Gayvoronskaya Olesya,
member of the support group GV Mamino Solnyshko, teacher.
