feeding time

I.Randi Manual Breast Pump

Generality

The manual breast pump is a device used to extract milk from the breast when the mother cannot provide breastfeeding directly to the newborn.

In fact, breast milk is an extremely valuable nutritional source for the baby, since it contains all the nutrients, enzymes, defense cells and antibodies necessary for its correct and healthy development. For this reason, when it is not possible to proceed with breastfeeding, the manual or electric breast pump should be used, depending on the case, in such a way as to never let the baby miss this precious food.

What is that

What is the Manual Breast Pump?

The manual breast pump is a tool that allows you to extract breast milk from the breast.

As you can guess from its name, this is a device that must be operated manually, therefore, it has no batteries or other electrical components.

More precisely, the manual breast pump consists of:

  • A cup or cup - also known as a "funnel" or sucker - which must be placed on the breast, surrounding the nipple, but without squeezing it;
  • A milk collection container in which the latter is conveyed when pulled;
  • A special draft system that - once operated manually - creates a vacuum that allows the extraction of breast milk. This system (which can also be defined as a kind of pump) is designed to mimic, as far as possible, the suction of milk that would occur with breastfeeding.

In the latest generation manual breast pumps, there is often a regulation system that allows you to adjust the vacuum exerted by the draft system when it is operated. In other words, this system allows you to adjust the intensity of the "suction", while the speed can be changed by the movement of the hand.

The cost of the manual breast pump may vary depending on the characteristics of the instrument and the manufacturer. However, indicatively, the price can vary from around 20 to 60 euros.

Types

Types of Manual Breast Pump

Currently, there are mainly piston operated manual breast pumps, in which the draft system - with piston, in fact - is operated by means of a lever positioned at the top of the instrument. There are also other types of manual breast pumps that, however, are less common:

  • Manual syringe breast pump : it is composed of a sort of glass syringe at the end (to be clear, instead of the needle) there is a cup to rest on the breast. The operating principle is precisely that of a common syringe: after resting the cup on the udder, to extract the milk it is necessary to pull the mobile part of the instrument outwards.
  • Manual pump with pump : the cup of this type of pump is connected to a pump similar to the one present in the manual instruments used to measure pressure. The use of this type of instrument is not widespread, since it is difficult to regulate the intensity of the vacuum exerted and, generally, it is more difficult to clean than the other types of breast pumps.

When to use it

When should the Manual Breast Pump be used?

Milk draw can be necessary in all those situations where it is not possible to breastfeed your baby. In detail, a similar occurrence can occur in the event of:

  • Premature birth of the child : those born before the end of pregnancy could experience difficulties in attaching to the mother's breast and / or could suck the milk for insufficient time to guarantee the satisfaction of their nutritional needs.
  • Post-natal disorders and disorders : in the presence of diseases or disorders that occur after birth, it may be necessary to keep the baby under observation, or subject it to treatments that do not allow it to be fed through breastfeeding.
  • Need to get away from the child : an eventuality that can occur when, for example, the mother is forced to return to work before the end of the breastfeeding period.
  • Appearance of disorders such as:
    • Breast engorgement ;
    • Breast cuttings ;
    • Mastitis .

In truth, the use of the manual breast pump is indicated above all when the milk must be extracted occasionally or sporadically . Therefore, this tool is mostly useful if the precious maternal food must be collected in anticipation of a departure from the child for a short period of time, or in the case in which a small stock is required in case of "emergency".

At the same time, the manual breast pump can be used to alleviate the sensation of discomfort that occurs when breast milk is produced in large quantities.

Did you know that ...

Mothers who produce high amounts of breast milk can collect it and donate it to the milk bank, which provides the precious food in question to newborn babies or newborns whose mothers are unable to feed them.

When breast milk must be pulled continuously (as happens, for example, in the presence of post-natal pathologies that do not allow the attachment of the newborn to the breast), generally, it is advisable to use an electric breast pump .

Please note

Naturally, what has been said above must be considered more than anything else as a general rule which, however, does not necessarily have to be followed by each woman. In fact, each new mother can choose - independently or together with her doctor - which type of breast pump to use: some prefer to use only the manual breast pump, while others prefer to use the electric breast pump even if the milk is extracted only occasionally .

How to use

How to Use the Manual Breast Pump?

Proper use of the manual breast pump is very important to avoid damaging the delicate breast tissue and to ensure that the pull operation is as comfortable as possible for the mother.

Therefore, the main phases of use of the instrument in question will be indicated below.

  • First and foremost it is very important to choose a cup that fits your breast size . In fact, the cup must adhere to the breast and surround the nipple, leaving however a certain space in order to prevent it from rubbing against it: the nipple must be free to move back and forth and must not be compressed or crushed.
  • Before proceeding with the use of the device, it is necessary to sit in a comfortable position, possibly supporting the shoulders and the back.
  • Afterwards, it is useful to massage the breast in order to favor the milk ejection reflex .
  • Once the aforementioned operations have been carried out, proceed by placing the cup on the breast, holding it between the index and the thumb (or between the index and the middle finger) and supporting the entire breast with the palm of the hand and the other fingers left free. To ensure the success of the operation, in fact, the breast pump must be in an upright position and not tilted.
  • Activate the manual draft system of the instrument and start collecting the milk.
  • If necessary, the breast can be gently massaged even during the breast milk draw operation.

Please note

For any doubts on the use of the manual breast pump it is always a good idea to ask your doctor for advice or, if necessary, the hospital staff in the event of hospitalization.

How long is it necessary to pull the milk?

Generally, when using the manual breast pump, each draft session has an average duration of 15-20 minutes per breast, possibly alternating the extraction between one breast and another (generally recommended option).

Hygiene and Cleaning

How to Clean the Manual Breast Pump

The recent models of manual breast pumps are generally composed of a few pieces, easy to assemble and disassemble and just as easy to clean.

The parts that come into contact with the breast and breast milk must be sterilized every time, before each use; the other parts, on the other hand, can be washed with soap and water, or - if allowed by the manufacturer - in the dishwasher. Sterilization can be carried out by boiling (by placing the objects in question in boiling water for at least 20-30 minutes), or even better by special sterilizers (for example, microwave sterilizers) sold in pharmacies, parapharmacy or other specialized shops .

Please note

To clean your manual pump, it is advisable to refer to the instructions provided directly by the manufacturer, shown on the packaging and / or in the instrument's user manual.

Personal hygiene

In addition to cleaning and sterilizing all the components of the manual breast pump, the mother absolutely must:

  • Wash hands thoroughly before pulling operation;
  • Maintain an accurate hygiene of the breast that must be cleaned after each draft and / or breastfeed;
  • Wash daily to maintain an optimum degree of cleanliness .

After the draw operation, it is essential to store breast milk in a timely manner in order to guarantee the integrity of the product, preventing any contamination or its degradation.

Useful Tips

Useful tips to promote Milk Draw

Sometimes, recourse to the manual breast pump can raise concerns and a certain degree of agitation in women, especially when it comes to first-time mothers with this kind of instruments. Below, therefore, some tips are given which, if followed, can be useful for making the milk draw as calmly as possible.

  • When using a manual breast pump (but also an electric breast pump), the keyword is " relax ". Agitation, in fact, hinders and sometimes prevents the drawing of breast milk altogether.
  • In order to guarantee relaxation and milk release, the manual breast pump should be used in a comfortable and quiet place .
  • To ensure the success of the operation, it is good not to hurry . Similarly to agitation, in fact, even haste can inhibit the release of milk.
  • To facilitate and stimulate the release of milk, it may be useful to perform a breast massage with warm water (for example, using the shower or bath jet), or to make compresses by wetting a towel with hot water, or again, completely immersing it the breast in warm-lukewarm water .
  • To stimulate the flow of milk and favor its draft, it is useful to use a manual breast pump at specific times . If this action becomes a routine, in fact, the body of the new mother is able to "prepare" herself for the request for milk, thus making it easier to extract it.

Although this is not an excessively complex operation, the use of the manual breast pump could require some practice, for this reason, it is good to be patient and not to be discouraged if at the first use the results obtained are not the desired results.