Yes, we know breast pumping is hard work. We’ve done it. We are
doing it. Likely, we will do it again in the future. It takes time, dedication,
and perseverance. We know.
And we are thankful to have our breast pumps, to best nurture and
feed our precious little ones.
So in the spirit of this Thanksgiving holiday, we’ve compiled a
list of ten reasons we most love our breast pumps (in no particular order).
1. My
Baby’s Sustenance—Perhaps the most obvious and overwhelmingly
impassioned reason came from those of us who are exclusive pumpers. For a
variety of reasons—latching, inverted nipples, thrush, or birth complications
(to name a few)—nursing doesn’t always take. But because of our breast pumps we
still have the option and luxury to offer our babies our breast milk.
2. That
Sweet Relief—Leak, latch, pump, whizzz…ooooohhhh what a relief
it is. When your little one is asleep or you are away, man almighty, is the
bursting relief of a good pump great when you need it.
3. A Weekend
Getaway—Yes this is possible! After you and your little one have
established your groove and you’ve generated a freezer-filled supply of pumped
breast milk, you can go off on a short jaunt sans child, if you wish. Sometimes
the briefest of getaways is all we need to happily rejoin the challenges of
nursing and feeding.
4. The
Meditative Pulse of that Motor—Honestly. Seriously. No
joke. After many hours of pumping—at work, in the passenger seat of the car, in
the dead quiet middle of the night—the whir of the motor becomes a white noise
type of comfort. Like the in-and-out breaths we savor during yoga class or the
constant roll of the ocean’s waves, the steady pulse of our breast pump’s motor
can be calming and comforting.
5. My
Mother-in-Law Can Take the Baby!—So you can go and do
something (anything) for yourself. Enough said.
6. Quantitative
Measurement—One of the most frustrating things about nursing
is that you can’t determine exactly how much milk your little one has expressed
and digested. Alternately, when pumping and bottle-feeding you know precisely
how much nourishment your baby gets at each session and that’s both reassuring
and bolstering.
7. A
Night Out—Although, we’ve basically covered this, it’s worth
another ranked mention. As a new mama your world is dramatically re-oriented
but once in a while you might need to reconnect with the PM (pre-mama) you.
What better way to achieve this than a romantic night out with your partner or
a boisterous dinner with the gals. Because of our pumps we can ensure there’s
food on hand for our precious world-changers as well as relieve any engorgement
that occurs while we’re away. Thank you, thank you, thank you our beloved pumps!
8. Supplemental
Stimulation—Our breast pumps have served as helpful tools to
encourage milk stimulation. We have employed their assistance both at the
beginning of nursing sessions (to coax inverted nipples and encourage letdown)
and after nursing sessions (to stimulate a second letdown after our little ones
are sated).
9. An
Adult Beverage—If you enjoy a libation here and there, it’s
awesome to have a breast pump available to “pump and dump,” as they say. Although
pumping breast milk and dumping it down the drain does nothing to speed the
elimination of alcohol from your milk, you may want to relieve full breasts for
your personal comfort while your body fully processes the alcohol in your
system. [1]
10. My
Identity—Now you are a mom: your child’s nurturing, cuddling, protective
guide. And you are also his or her source of nourishment. But you are still
you! We have found that it does a mama’s
mind good just to remember that you are a separate soul with important needs of
your own. Whether we use it or not, it’s always nice to know that the option of
pumping exists when and if we need a mental and physical break from the
incredibly important yet intensely challenging role of mom.
*This blog is informed by our resident moms-in-the-know and not by medical professionals. This blog is intended to share the wisdom of experienced moms but never to replace the advice and insight of your doctors. Always consult proper and licensed medical professionals when making any decisions about your health and the health of your children.
[1] The American Academy of PediatricsSection on Breastfeeding notes: “ingestion of alcoholic beverages should be minimized and
limited to an occasional intake but no more than 0.5 g alcohol per kg body
weight, which for a 60 kg mother is approximately 2 oz. liquor, 8 oz. wine, or
2 beers. Nursing should take place 2 hours or longer after the alcohol intake
to minimize its concentration in the ingested milk.” Read more here http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full
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