How To Choose A Breast Pump

The milk production in the breasts, much like so many other things, work on the shear principal of supply
and demand.  The more breast milk your baby consumes, the more your body will need to make.

Breast pumps are generally used to insure continued production of breast milk when you cannot feed your
baby - whether you are back to work, traveling, taking medication, or just out of town.

Basic types of pumps
Breast pumps can either be battery operated, hand operated, semi automatic electric, or even self cycling
electric.

Hand pumps
Manual hand pumps are designed to use the strength of your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast at
a time.  You can also get pumps that will use the leg and foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one
time.  Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome may want to consider using a pump designed for the arm
or leg muscles or even an automatic model.

Battery operated pumps
Pumps with battery operation are the best for women who have an established supply of milk and want to
pump once or even twice a day.  These pumps use batteries to create suction, minimizing any type of
muscle fatigue.  Most battery type pumps are designed for pumping one breast at a time and are recommended for occasional usage.

Electric pumps
Even though electric pumps are more efficient than hand or even battery operated pumps, they also tend
to be more expensive.  You can however, rent them if you need to.  Electric pumps can normally plug
directly into an outlet and are designed for pumping both breasts at a time and even frequent use.  Hospital
grade pumps are the most efficient for initiating and maintaining milk supply, and are available for rent
or purchase.

How Breast Milk Is Made

If you've every been pregnant or if you are pregnant now, you've probably noticed a metamorphisis in your
bra cups.  The physical changes (tender, swollen breasts) may be one of the earliest clues that you
have conceived.  Many experts believe that the color change in the areola may also be helpful when it
comes to breast feeding.

What's going on
Perhaps what's even more remarkable than visible changes is the extensive changes that are taking
place inside of your breasts.  The developing placenta stimulates the release of estrogen and
progesterone, which will in turn stimulate the complex biological system that helps to make lactation
possible.

Before you get pregnant, a combination of supportive tissue, milk glands, and fat make up the larger
portions of your breats.  The fact is, your newly swollen breasts have been preparing for your
pregnancy since you were in your mother's womb!

When you were born, your main milk ducts had already formed.  Your mammary glands stayed quiet until
you reached puberty, when a flood of the female hormone estrogen caused them to grow and also to
swell.  During pregnancy, those glands will kick into high gear.

Before your baby arrives, glandular tissue has replaced a majority of the fat cells and accounts
for your bigger than before breasts.  Each breast may actually get as much as 1 1/2 pounds heavier
than before!

Nestled among the fatty cells and glandular tissue is an intricate network of channels or canals known
as the milk ducts.  The pregnancy hormones will cause these ducts to increase in both number and
size, with the ducts branching off into smaller canals near the chest wall known as ductules.

At the end of each duct is a cluster of smaller sacs known as alveoli.  The cluster of alveoli is
known as a lobule, while a cluster of lobule is known as a lobe.  Each breast will contain around
15 - 20 lobes, with one milk duct for every lobe.

The milk is produced inside of the alveoli, which is surrounded by tiny muscles that squeeze the
glands and help to push the milk out into the ductules.  Those ductules will lead to a bigger
duct that widens into a milk pool directly below the areola.

The milk pools will act as resevoirs that hold the milk until your baby sucks it through the tiny
openings in your nipples.

Mother Nature is so smart that your milk duct system will become fully developed around the time
of your second trimester, so you can properly  breast feed your baby even if he or she arrives
earlier than you are anticipating.

Avoiding Foods While Breast Feeding

Many women find that they can eat whatever they may like during breast feeding.  Even though it's true
that some stongly favored foods can change the taste of your milk, many babies seem to enjoy the
varieties of breast milk flavors.  Occasionally, your baby may get cranky at the breast after you
eat certain foods.  If you notice this happening, simply avoid that particular food.

The most common offenders duing breast feeding include chocolate, spices, citrus fruits, garlic,
chili, lime, gassy vegetables, and fruits with laxative type effects, such as prunes and cherries.

You can have a cup or two of coffee a day, although too much caffeine can interfere with your baby's
sleep and even make him or her cranky.  Keep in mind, caffeine is found in many soda's, tea, and
even over the counter type medicine as well.

It's okay to have an alcoholic beverage every now and the, although having more than one drink can
increase your blood alcohol level, putting the alcohol into your breast milk.

If you are planning to have more than one drink at a time, it's best to wait two hours or more
per drink before you resume any type of nursing or breast feeding.  There is no need to pump
and dump unless your breasts are full and its time to feed your baby.  While breast feeding,
any type of heavy drinking should be avoided.

Before you actually omit any foods from your diet, you should talk to your doctor.  If you
avoid certain foods and it causes a nutritional imbalance, you may need to see a nutritionist
for advice on taking other foods or getting nutritional supplements.

Benefits Of Breast Feeding

Once you've given birth, breast feeding is the single most important thing you can do to protect your baby
and help to promote good health. Best of all, breast feeding is free.

Along with saving you money on HMR (Human Milk Replacement), breast feeding can also help you to
keep your medical bills down. Babies that are fed with formula get sicker more often and more seriously
than babies that are breast fed They also have more ear infections, respiratory infections, and other
problems.

This can be even more true if your family has had a history of allergies. When a baby is breast fed, the
antibodies pass on from the mother to the baby, helping to protect against illness and allergies. As
the baby's system matures, his body will begin to make it's own antibodies, and he'll be more equipped
to handle sensitivities of food.

Sucking on the breast will also help with the development or jaw alignment and the development of
the cheekbone. For this very reason, there is less of the need for costly orthodontic work when the
child gets older.

Unlike formula, breast milk is always ready, always available, convenient, and always the right temperature
for feeding. Plus, it contains all of the vitamins and minerals your growing baby needs, saving you a
lot of money.

Breast feeding also offers many benefits for the mom as well. The baby sucking at the breast will cause
contractions right after birth, leading to less bleeding for the mom, and helping her uterus to it's
shape before pregnancy much faster.

Breast feeding will also burn calories, so a mom can lose weight much faster than if she fed her baby with
a bottle. Breast feeding will also create a special bond with the mother and the baby - which is one
thing formula simpy cannot do.

Getting Started With Breast Feeding

When you hold your baby for the first time in the delivery room, you should put his lips to your
breast. Although your mature milk hasn't developed yet, your breasts are still producing a substance known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby from infections.

If your baby has trouble finding or staying on your nipple, you shouldn't panic. Breast feeding is an art that will require a lot of patience and a lot of practice. No one expects you to be an expert when you first start, so you shouldn't hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show you what you need to do.

Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn't be painful. When your baby latches on, pay attention to how your breasts feel. If the latching on hurts, break the suction then try again.

You should nurse quite frequently, as the more you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will
come in and the more milk you'll produce. Breast feeding for 10 - 15 minutes per breast 8 - 10 times every 24 hours is an ideal target. Crying is asign of hunger, which means you should actually feed your baby before he starts crying.

During the first few days, you may have to wake your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end up falling asleep during feeding. To ensure that your baby is eating often enough, you should wake him up if it has been four hours since the last time he has been fed.

Getting comfortable
Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, therefore you'll want a cozy spot. You don't want to be
sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it can make the process very hard.