Breast Pump Comparisons

Breast Pump Glossary
and Breastfeeding Terms   A - C

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2-phase expression(R)

A function on some breast pumps by the Medela brand (Symphony, Pump In Style Advanced, and the Swing), which starts with the a quicker cycling together with a reduced amount of vacuum, then promptly after a couple of minutes changes to not so quick cycling with less suction to mimic the particular drawing patterns of babies. One specialized let-down button can be pushed to go immediately to the subsequent function. The manual breast pump Harmony is also said to feature 2-phase. The first stage is begun by compressing the small aspect of the handle, with the lengthier, stronger strokes of the subsequent cycle coming from transitioning the fingers around to be able to press the long aspect of the handle. Other manufacturers have begun to have a similar attribute, although they must call it by different terminology because this "2-phase expression" is registered by Medela.

areola

The darker rounded location all around the nipple. It is crucial in the course of breast feeding for the infant to attach on with a great deal areola in his oral cavity area as is feasible.

baby scale

For moms anxious regarding lower milk supply a baby scale is a device to confirm a little one's weight gain and also the amount of breast milk obtained in any specified breastfeeding. By weighing the baby before and after breastfeeding and doing a minor subtraction, one can figure out the quantity of ounces the baby nursed from the breast. Since a nursing child is usually more efficient compared to virtually any breast pump, using this method is preferred to breast pumping for finding out how much milk the little one is probably obtaining. It must be kept in mind though that breast milk varies in composition (i.e. hind milk and fore milk), but many mothers have found it helpful to learn that their baby is getting more quantity when nursing than when the mother actually pumps. For these functions a baby scale correct to 15 grams or even less may be leased through numerous breast pump leasing programs.

battery pack, batteries

In a breast pump, batteries give cord-free advantage however vacuum power and cycles per minute may perhaps end up being lesser in comparison to what the customer will certainly discover when making use of the AC adapter. Also pump cycling may well decrease when the battery power wears out. Reduced cycles may cause some discomfort because the vacuum will be kept for a longer time on the breast. If this happens, lower the vacuum and exchange the electric batteries with new ones or recharge at the earliest opportunity.

breast pads

Absorbing materials of fabric or paper placed in the bra between nursings to absorb milk leakages. Pads can be non-reusable or machine washable, however a healthy pad ought to permit beneficial air movement to the nipple. Plastic-type material liners are generally discouraged or limited to special occasion use only.

breast pump

A device that expresses milk from the breasts. A false impression is that the device removes the milk from the breast by vacuum. The milk-ejection response (let-down) must be induced for milk to be successfully collected by the pump. Most pumps do this through utilizing that pulls the nipple into the funnel held against the areaola. Then a cessation of the vacuum releases the nipple, and this tug and release pattern counts as one cycle. Well-reviewed electrip breast pumps can typically produce thirty to sixty cycles per minute with a vacuum strength between 220 to 250 mmHg. The nursing baby is the most efficient breast pump that exists. Many mothers discover their milk quantity diminishing when they replace so many pumpings for actual breastfeeding sessions with their infant. Many moms have chose to "exclusively pump" for various reasons and provide their little ones 100% of the time with expressed breast milk instead of time at the breast.

breast pump reviews

Opinions by real customers of the breast pumps. For good locations on where to obtain a number of critiques from the web, see where can I read breast pump reviews?

breast shells

Curved pieces of plastic material donned inside the bra. Some shells consist of two kinds of backs; the one with the more substantial opening is designed for treatment of tender nipples. The type of back with the smaller opening, which fits close to the nipple area, is designed for treating inverted nipples.

breast shields, flanges, funnels

The part of the breast pump that touches the breast, covering the nipple and areola region.Medela breast shields accommodate almost all their pumps and are available in sizing's 21, 23, 27, 30, 36 millimeters, as well as 40 millimeters. Ameda utilizes various combinations of flanges and inserts to accommodate nipples with dimensions 21, 23, 25, 28.5, and 30.5 millimeters to suit all of their pumps but the Bailey Nurture III. See also SoftFit, Flexishield and Let-Down Massage Cushions. There also exists a universal breast shield for use with most major pumps by Pumpin' Pal. For more information on fit problems, see Breast Shield Fit.

closed system

Breast pumps suitable for numerous end users, for example hospital quality rental pumps. There is no possibility of breast milk getting into the pump motor and disease or mold being conveyed to subsequent users. See this used breast pumps article for more information. Even though the Avent Isis IQ breast pumps are said to be closed system, Avent nonetheless recommends their pumps to be solitary user only.

colostrum

The substance created in the breasts during the closing weeks of being pregnant. This initial milk is extremely pure in nourishment ideal for the newborn. It has been compared to an "antibodies beverage." Colostrum has a healthy laxative effect on the baby, helping him pass his early stools, which aids in the excretion of excess bilirubin and helps prevent jaundice. With frequent nursings of 10 to 12 times a day, a mother's regular breast milk will begin to appear or "come in" around day 3 or 4 after birth.

cycling

The suck and release pattern created by a breast pump to simulate what a nursing baby does.

cpm

cycles per minute.

double (breast) pumping

Pumping the two breasts at the same time. Medical studies have demonstrated that duel pumping can potentially boost the quantity of expressed milk over time and reduce time one spends on the pump as expression occurs more quickly, in some cases reducing the time by better than fifty percent. Investigation has proved that double pumping increases the amount of prolactin produced by the body, which is a hormone that influences the creation of breast milk following delivery.

engorgement

On any occasion a nursing mother's breasts may become uncomfortably filled with milk if the milk has not been taken away on a regular basis by the infant or a breast pump. One common occasion where engorgement happens is when the mother's milk first appears after childbirth. In this case swelling in the tissues independently can be an aggravating factor besides the oversupply of fluid. The best treatment is to remove breast milk by encouraging the infant to nurse. This sometimes presents challenges as the areola area of the breast may be so firm that the infant has trouble drawing it into her mouth. A technique that is attempted to alleviate this problem is Reverse Pressure Softening. If the infant is not able to nurse for some reason, a breast pump can also be applied to remove milk from the breasts and relieve discomfort or to soften the areola to permit latching by the infant.

funnel covers

The covers that click onto the breast shields or flanges of any breast pumps. Not a standard feature in most pumps, it is a desirable component to retain the cleanliness of the interiors of the funnels and milk collection bottles, whether milk is in them at the time or not.

Flexishield Areola Massager

An insert for the Ameda brand flanges (breast shields) that are obtained on their own for use with Ameda breast pumps. It is intended to provide more contact with the areola zone. The Flexishield can promote a better let-down reflex, especially for mothers of smaller breasts who may require the greater pressure the shield provides.

hospital grade breast pumps

This particular class possesses a more robust vacuum pressure than just about any other breast pumps. They are ideal for to developing a supply of milk in a mother immediately after childbirth. They are also helpful in maintaining a milk supply once established. A strong pump may be critical for the infant that is prematurely born or too sick for nursing at the breast for extended amounts of time as he should.

HygieniKit

Ameda's name for their set of interchangeable parts that work with any Ameda breast pump. In addition to the flanges, tubing, and bottles the HygieniKit has a unique silicone diaphragm filter. This distinctive filter operates by a pair of approaches to safeguarding expressed milk: it preserves the pump motor from dust, germs or even milk entering it, and alternately it guards the collection bottles from being contaminated from aspirations from the motor. This additional defense is preferred for the underweight baby or infants in poor health. Many mothers of a healthy infant also wish the further care to safeguard the purity of her milk in the collection process. Even with the extra protection provided by the Hygienikit Ameda recommends that breast pumps be used by only a single consumer. The exception to that rule would be in the rental of hospital class pumps -- the Hygienikit is purchased by each renter of an Ameda breast pump to connect to her rental pump.

lactation consultant

A knowledgeable specialist who has received particularly focused education in how to help mothers and their babies to breastfeed. Even though lactation consultants often have nurse training only, their assistance can be superior to that of physician-trained obstetricians and pediatricians who do not receive this detailed training.

lactation aid

A thing which consists of a compartment of filled typically with infant formula or expressed breast milk along with lengthy yet narrow-diameter tubing. The tubing will be placed directly into a baby's oral cavity along with the breast while the baby breastfeeds. The lactation aid provides additional nourishment to the baby while the breast also concurrently obtains stimulation to promote lactation. The advantage to using an aid is to halt a baby from growing too attached to man-made nipples even while permitting a mother time to embark on strategies to strengthen a lagging milk supply. Should be utilized under the guidance of a lactation specialist as improper use could cause a decline in milk supply.

let-down

This process is another name for the milk ejection response. Let-down takes place when hormones throughout the breast trigger tiny muscles within to squeeze while the ducts enlarge, driving the milk from all areas of the breast toward the nipple. Some mothers sense a pins-and-needles impression while a few may feel practically nothing. Let-down is partially a trained response and may be benefited by participating in regular habits to encourage a Pavlovian reaction. Some examples of these habits can be enjoying a favorite warm or cold beverage, being seated in one particular place or way, thinking of pouring milk, or not thinking of the process at all. Some breast pump kits will include a place to keep a photograph of one's baby handy because looking at one's baby, even in a photo, may also help. Obviously the sooner one can elicit a let-down response the quicker one's pumping session may be over and the more comfortable one may be.

Let-Down Massage Cushions

This is Avent's registered name for a special feature within their pump shields. A significant feature is the five oval bumps that go in and out to provide extra stimulation to the areola. This is a help for let-down.

massaging breast pump

These unique pumps do not stretch out the nipple in order to induce the milk ejection response in the manner that traditional suction-only breast pumps do. The massage is typically placed on the areola, and the nipple itself remains immobile. This variety of pump has received differing reviews.

milk collection bags

These plastic-type material pouches are sold under various brands and names. They are designed for the storing and freezing of breast milk. They have a similarity to non-reusable baby bottle liners but they also have the noteworthy distinction of having a greater thickness and strength. That is the rationale for buying these specialized bags, in addition to the fact the one should use the right kind on the breast pump that permits their attachment. Attaching disposable bottle liners to a breast pump or using milk collection bags on a pump that does not advise their usage will usually result in a significant reduction in pump performance, such as an inadequate vacuum. When using storage bags in the freezer, thought should be given to how to label and organize bags so that milk is not wasted by leaving it in storage beyond the recommended time. See the guidelines at the Centers for Disease Control on Storing Breast Milk.

milk ejection response (MER)

see let-down, above.

mmHg

An abbreviation that means "millimeters of mercury." In breast pumps it means the strength of the vacuum or its sucking power. Sufficient pressure is needed to stimulate the nipples and elicit let-down. Suction is not actually applied to the breasts for the purpose of removing milk from the tissues but to stimulate the milk ejection response within the breast. Typically the highest vacuums can be found in rental hospital breast pumps. As long as a mother is not particularly concerned with establishing a new milk supply, many mothers have found that adjusting to a vacuum lower than the maximum available is sufficient for let-down and comfort. Suction that is too low can also be uncomfortable and may be an indicator that batteries need replacing or recharging. Adjustable mmHg is found on most quality electric breast pumps.

multiple user

If designated so by the manufacturer, this simply means that a breast pump can safely be used by more than one mother, as long as each user has their own accessory kit. An individual accessory kit consists of the components (funnels, tubing, small parts) that actually come in contact with the mother's body or milk. Rental stations will require that every pump renter purchases their own kit, and kits cannot be returned or exchanged.

open system

The open system breast pump is made to be utilized by a single user for the entire life of the pump. The reason for that is because there is a chance of breast milk entering the tubing and the pump motor itself. This can cause diseases to be spread from user to user if the pump were shared. Care should be taken not to overfill the bottles and not to tip the bottles to permit milk to enter the tubing. Milk in the motor can cause unseen molds to form or even damage the pump. See also single user.

parts to assemble

As defined on this website, all the breast pump components that are used to make one's pump ready to use for each pumping period. We do not count the motor, the power adapter, or extra containers and bottle parts.

parts to wash

As defined on this website, these are the breast pump parts that touch the breast or the milk. These parts should receive a good detergent and hot water washing every time the user pumps. We do not count the baby bottles or lids.

piston-type manual breast pump

A non-electric breast pump that operates on the principle of a piston sliding within a cylinder. This action requires two hands. The other type of manual breast is the trigger-type.

rental pumps

See multiple user in this glossary.

single (breast) pumping

This simply means to pump only one breast at a time. The disadvantage is that it will take twice as long to complete both breasts.

single user

The majority of breast pumps are generally designed for only one person to use for the lifetime of the product. Serious pathogens like hepatitis and HIV have been known to occur in breast milk, so sharing a breast pump is not considered safe. See our article on used breast pumps.

SoftFit breast shield

Medela makes this breast shield and it fits all their pumps. It is a comfortable and bendable shield with a nipple tunnel of 25 mm. It helps to give women with smaller nipples a little more contact with the areola and more stimulation to aid let-down. See our article on breast shield fit.

trigger-type manual breast pump

This type of non-electric pump is powered as the user's hand squeezes a trigger. This is an advantage over the piston-style which requires two hands.

VIA

A system of disposable containers that is compatible with all Avent products such as its breast pumps, sippy cup feeding, and baby bottle feeding. The bases are suitable for freezing and can be washed in very hot water up to three times before being thrown away.

warranty

A good electric breast pump can be a significant financial investment for a young family. Pump motors have been known to expire before their warranties, especially with constant, daily use. Be sure to know the terms of your warranty and save your receipt.

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