Breastfeeding for new mums

Breastfeeding can be intimidating for the new mother, especially if there are problems in the beginning. With help from a nurse or lactation consultant, breastfeeding can go much more smoothly. Breast pumps can also help with various milestones along the way as the new baby grows.

Using Breast Pumps to Ease Transitions

Leaving your baby with a member of the family or a sitter for the first time is a major milestone for a new mum. So is returning to work. In both these situations, breast pumps can help with the transition.

Many new mums are concerned about leaving the baby for any amount of time, especially to return to work. Being away from the baby all day might reduce milk production, making it difficult to keep breastfeeding as long as originally planned.

Using a breast pump helps with this conundrum. Pumping throughout the day not only puts in a supply of milk for the baby to eat while mum is away, it also helps stimulate milk production regularly, just as it would be stimulated if the baby were nursing. Breast milk pumped during the day can be stored in the refrigerator for the next day, so that a sitter can feed the baby while mum is at work.

Some fear that using breast pumps and feeding the baby breast milk from a bottle will disrupt the nursing process. Rather, breast pumps help keep the nursing experience intact, ensuring baby gets plenty of healthy breastmilk for as long as mum wishes to provide it.