Baby Feeding Options for the Working Mother
Nicky Pilkington
Significant events in the 20th century resulted in changes in
family dynamics. War, technological advances, and shifts in
economics caused women to work outside of the home. Women
traditionally stayed at home to take care of the home and the
needs of the children. While initially many people scoffed at the
idea of a woman leaving her children while she worked, it served
the purpose of additional money coming into the household.
Nowadays, people seldom give the idea of women working outside
the home a second thought. There are, however, some issues that
working mothers still need to handle when they make this choice.
With the addition of labor-related laws, it is now possible for
women to bear children and return to work. However, managing
common bonding activities such as breastfeeding can often take
creative strategies. A woman could easily start her baby on
formula and return to work without any hassles. However, there
are many advantages of breastfeeding. The mother is able to pass
on essential nutrients to her baby, it creates a bond between the
mother and baby, the mother can lose the extra weight she gained
during pregnancy, and it’s inexpensive. When a woman works
outside the home, she has to contemplate how she intends her baby
to be fed. At one time the only choice for working mothers was to
feed the baby formula. The introduction of breast pumps has made
it possible for mothers to experience the benefits associated
with breastfeeding while continuing to work.
There are essentially two types of breast pumps: manual and
electrical/battery-operated. The difference between the two
breast pumps is in how the mother’s milk is extracted. Breast
pumps are designed to extract milk from a mother’s breast using
the same cycle of motion as when the baby is feeding. A manual
breast pump involves the mother using some type of control to
dictate the cycles. A breast pump that operates on electrical or
battery power performs the cycles automatically, however, the
mother is typically able to specify the speed of the suction
cycle. Determining the best breast pump is a matter of the mother
considering her personal situation. It is a good idea to use
factors such as cost, the availability of an electrical outlet,
and portability to determine the best breast pump for your
situation.
When choosing to buy a breast pump, you will discover there are
numerous manufacturers. Medela is by far the most recognized name
in breast pumps. This company, which originates from Switzerland,
brought to the forefront the issue of working mothers being able
to provide milk for their babies when they were away from home.
Like most products, Medela offers a full line of products that
feature product options for different situations. For example,
the Medela classic offers breast pumps for situations when a
mother requires frequent or infrequent pumping. With more than 10
product offerings, you should have no problem finding the breast
pump for your particular situation.
Other reputable companies that provide breast pumps and other
breastfeeding products include Ameda, Whittlestone, Whisper Wear,
and Avent.
More detailed information about breast pumps and the advantages
offered by feeding baby breast milk are available at
http://www.breast-pump.info.
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