Is Breast Pumping Right For You

by Melanie Brooks

A breast pump is an automatic device that can be used to bring out milk for later use from a breast feeding woman. The way a breast pump works is a lot like to milking instruments used in commercial dairy companies.

The mile that has been extracted can be stored so that if needed anyone can feed the baby by a bottle. In come cases the mother can produce more milk than the baby can hold. In this situation a breast pump can be helpful when the breasts become engorged which can prevent proper latching by the infant. When a woman uses a breast pump it relieves pressure. A breast pump can come into play when you have a child that cannot properly latch onto the breast. Since breastfeeding helps to speed up the recovery process in a pregnancy, many times woman will continue breast pumping even when they no longer need to breast feed.

There are many types of breast pumps to choose from. The main differences you have are automatic or manual. Which most women prefer the automatic, and that they can just lay back and let the machine do all the work. You also have double and single breast pumps, and if you are all about saving time then you will want to invest in a double breast pump.

You should started breast pumping as soon as the baby is born. A high grade double electric pump can be used to help build up your supply of breast milk.. Many hospitials can supply a breast pump for you while you are still in their care. For the first couple of weeks you will need to use a breast pump 8-10 times in a 24 hrs time frame. The more you pump the better stimulation which establishes a good supply of breast mile. The hospital can provide the instructions on how to store and transport the milk to the bottles. You should follow the guidelines to avoid passing harmful stuff to the baby. Knowing how to sterile bottles and sterilize pump is very important as well

You need to use pump the breast at least 6 to 8 times in a day that the mother is able to start direct breastfeeding. Then, lower the length of pumping by a couple of minutes if the supply becomes very large. Even if the babys intake is down, as in the cases of premie babies, breast pumping needs to continue on as though the baby was born at fullterm.

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Breast Lumps During Pregnancy

The occurrence of breast lumps is absolutely normal during pregnancy period, particularly in the last trimester when the breasts are preparing for lactation. The lumps are soft, movable and occur in both of the breasts.

It is very uncommon to get breast cancer during pregnancy. Every year, approximately 1-2% of breast cancers are diagnosed during pregnancy.
Unsuspicious breast lumps have the following characteristics:

* Lumps are freely movable.
* Painful lumps, which means it is just an inflammation but not a tumor.
* Fluctuations in size i.e. cysts that are related to milk production usually vary in size as the hormones fluctuate. But cancer related tissues remain in the same size or grow bigger.
* Usually the lumps are in round shape. The tumor related lumps are shaped irregularly.
* Lumps appear in small size i.e. less than one centimeter.

Examine yourself and allow the doctor to check if you find a lump or cancer. Based on screening, your doctor will suggests you for mammogram.

During the mammography, make sure to tell your doctor that you are pregnant. There will be a section where they cover your abdomen with a led shield to avoid the radiations from falling into it.

Benefits of Breast-Feeding

Science has proved that breast-fed babies have a healthier start in life. Human milk contains a balance of nutrients that closely matches infant requirements for brain development, growth and a healthy immune system. Human milk also contains immunologic agents and other compounds that act against viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Since an infant's immune system is not fully developed until age 2, human milk provides a distinct advantage over formula.
Because breast milk provides protection against germs that a baby or mother may carry, studies in infant feeding have found lower rates of several chronic childhood diseases, including respiratory infections andear infections, as well as symptoms such as diarrhea, among children who were breast-fed.

Research also suggests that breast-fed infants gain less weight and tend to be leaner at 1 year of age than formula-fed infants. This early indicator may influence later growth patterns, resulting in fewer overweight and obese children.

But infants aren't the only ones who benefit from breast-feeding. Mothers, too, are the recipients of many positive hormonal and physical effects. Breast-feeding releases a hormone in a woman's body that causes her uterus to return to its normal size and shape more quickly and reduces blood loss after delivery. In addition, according to the Blueprint, studies have shown that breast-feeding for longer periods of time (up to 2 years) and among younger mothers may reduce the risk of premenopausal and possibly postmenopausal breast cancer. Also, the risk of ovarian cancer may be lower among women who have breast-fed their children.
Haynes says intriguing new developments indicate that breast milk may even have another role in the battle against cancer. In particular, breast-feeding may reduce the risk of childhood cancer.

Researchers have identified a protein in human milk--human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumors (HAMLET)--that induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in which cells, responding to environmental signals, self-destruct. Apoptosis, a relatively new study in biology, is the natural mechanism the body uses to recycle material that is not needed for functioning. When apoptosis is initiated, the cell's genetic material becomes shredded so that the cell cannot replicate itself. With cancer cells, apoptosis is inhibited, allowing rapid growth of dysfunctional cells. Haynes says that the isolation of HAMLET as a trigger for apoptosis in cancer cells could give further weight to evidence linking breast milk to reduced incidences of some cancers.
From a budget standpoint, breast-feeding can save a family hundreds of dollars a year, even with the added cost of breast pumps, devices regulated by the Food and Drug Administration that allow mothers to express milk when they are away from their babies or when they want to save extra milk to be given to the baby at other times. According to the Blueprint, breast-feeding also saves money for insurers and employers by cutting down on doctor visits and sick days