Breast milk is a great food source for babies but there are times when it can be difficult for the mother to keep breastfeeding them around the clock. For example, the mother may be working which will take them away from the baby for a time. And you will need to have a supply of breast milk ready so that the caregiver can make sure the baby is fed properly.
An essential item you need to have as a new mother is a breast pump
You can either purchase or hire it. The benefit of a breast pump hire is that you will not need to spend a large amount of money. And you will be able to access a high quality hospital grade breast pump that can be used easily. There are so many expenses you will have as a new mother and renting certain items will help you deal with your finances. A breast pump allows you to express milk as there is a pumping motion that is provided. This is what stimulates production of milk.
This milk can be provided to the baby for days or weeks depending on how much you are pumping and storing. There are also manual and electric breast pumps. Even if you are not going to the office and staying home, you will still have things to do around the house and there may be times when you are not able to feed your baby on your own.
A baby will feed many times a day
And to be present at all these times can be very tiring for a new mother. But when you pump milk, your partner or caregiver will be able to provide the baby with milk giving you a little rest. You may keep your baby with a caregiver for an hour or two and it helps to store some milk to ensure your baby never goes hungry. And it can be a great bonding experience for your partner and baby as well.
You will already be bonding with the baby when you are breastfeeding but your partner may miss out on this. And it doesn’t matter how you feed the baby, it is the closeness that creates the bond between the baby and the parent. The baby will be staring into the eyes of the parent when they are feeding whether it is the mother or the father and this will strengthen the attachment.
Babies need a large quantity of milk and there are even times when milk production is not enough causing mothers to compensate with formula as well. In the first few months, it is important to have a constant supply of milk on hand so that your baby has enough to feed. And there is research that links the use of breast pumps to increased milk production.
The pumping motion mimics suction by a baby and this activates your mammary glands so that they are generating more milk. But you need to keep up your nutrition ensuring that you eat a balanced diet along with a lot of fluids. You will also be able to feed premature babies when you have a breast pump.
