When I had my first child, almost 11 years ago, I couldn't ever dream of having all the gadgets we see nowadays for breastfeeding. There were two or three brands of pumps, and that was it, whether you liked them or not. But today, OMG, every day, I learn something new: pumps, pillows, massagers, and everything you could possibly imagine.
I honestly think that's great, even when it's literally impossible to keep up with so many new brands. That tells me how much our Western society has opened its eyes to the importance of breastfeeding, so I applaud that!
But let's get to business here, sooo Silicone Pumps. What are they, and for what purpose?
Have you heard about them?
Silicone pumps appeared in the market a few years ago, and we can see many brands today. They look like the bottle in the picture. They have a very simple design: a piece of silicone with a bottle shape and a wide open neck that works as a flange. When you place your nipple in the middle of the flange, you squeeze the bottle a few times, creating suction and maintaining the bottle attached to your breast without holding it. The pump will automatically produce suction to draw your milk out.
Contrary to what many people think, this is not a milk catcher. Some brands recommend using the silicone pump on the opposite breast while you nurse so the pump will catch the milk that leaks from that side.
There's something called the 'let-down reflex,' which is the milk that leaks out of the breast when breastfeeding from the opposite side. This is a good sign that milk is flowing from the nursing breast.
When you place a pump on the non-nursing side, it will catch the let-down reflex, but it will also stimulate that breast to produce more, as it does suction.
I had a mom once that came to me worried because she was overproducing, and her baby was choking every time she nursed. It came out that she was using a silicone pump on the opposite side every single time she was breastfeeding her baby. In other words, she was overstimulating her body.
In summary, silicone pumps are not milk catchers. They create suction and stimulate your body to produce more. If that's not what you're looking for, you should stop adding extra unnecessary stimulation to your breasts.
Another issue that I see, which is even more disturbing, is that when moms use the silicone pump while they're nursing their babies, they have very little space to position and latch their babies properly. Babies, especially young ones, can't latch on to the breast alone unless they're positioned in the right place. But they need support and comfort, and most importantly, they need a mother who is present and focused on what they're both doing.
If a mother has her baby on one breast and the silicone pump on the other side, she will probably pay more attention to the pump to prevent it from falling and spilling out the milk. Even using those nice strips that come now with the pump, from every point of view I see, guess who'll be the main character here? Sadly, not the baby.
Don't get me wrong, I still think silicone pumps are a great invention. They're light, easy to clean and use, and pretty effective. However, it is essential to use them correctly and for the right purpose, like pumping in the carpool line, hehe. Kidding. Although, I've done that!
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