Breastfeeding, Wellness

Should You Get a Double Breast Pump? – Breastfeeding

7Shares

Is a double breast pump necessary?

Breastfeeding is not as easy as it seems. Some mothers have it easy. For the rest like me, it was really so much effort at first. We bought a electric double breast pump to help me, upon my husband’s insistence. Do you really need it?

A double breast pump by Avent. Photo from the internet.

Decision to Breastfeed

When you have a baby, you are faced with many choices. One of the decisions you will have to make is whether or not you are going to breastfeed your baby or give them formula milk. Or to pump breast milk and feed your baby using baby bottles.

There are many benefits to breastfeeding. It is free, it is more nutritious for your baby, and many doctors state that there are extra benefits that can contribute to the health and well-being of the child.

Getting a Breast Pump

Once you have made your decision to breastfeed, you will then be faced with even more decisions to make. Then you have to decide, what kind of a breast pump should you get?

breastfeeding - manual breast pump - double breast pump - manually expressed milk
Milk that I expressed using a manual breast pump. Since my milk supply is low, my hand was already numb after expressing just this much breast milk.

There are a number of different types of breast pumps but they all come down in terms of specs and price. From the top of the line hospital-grade pump, electric pump, battery-operated pump, through to the simple manual pump. There are hands-free styles and also a double breast pump.

What exactly is a double breast pump?

Just as the name implies, a double breast pump lets you express milk from both breasts at the same time. There are many advantages to using a double breast pump, especially if you are a busy mom and you have to pump a good deal of milk in a short amount of time. This is especially true if you are a working mom expressing milk at the office.

With the double breast pump drawing milk at the same time, you are already getting twice as much done as you normally would.

If you purchase a double breast pump that is hands-free, you can even get more done, than just sitting there waiting for the pump to deliver enough milk to fill the bottles you need for your baby. You may want to check to see if your insurance pays for breast pumps. Not all do but it is worth checking out if you are worried about the cost of a double breast pump.

What You Can Do With Extra Time

With your double breast pump doing its job, you can spend more time with your little one. You can carry out some simple tasks, like cut your nails or comb your hair. Or just take a well-deserved break. Believe me, these are luxuries when you are a new mom.

These are some of the things you need to consider when using a double breast pump. You might also want to invest in a hands-free nursing bra. This will help you take advantage of this kind of a breast pump quickly and easily.

How to Use Your Double Breast Pump

Find yourself a quiet place where you can relax and not be bothered by interruptions that will interfere with your nursing status. You are already using the double breast pump to get more done at one time. You’ll defeat the purpose if you have to start and stop constantly because of distractions.

Advantages of a Double Breast Pump

When you are using a double breast pump, you may actually be experiencing an increase in your milk output. Studies have been performed that show that most women preferred using the double breast pump than the single pump.

In addition, because the pump is working at a quicker rate of speed, it helps increase the drainage from the breasts. Even if you don’t use a double pump all the time, it’s good to have one around when you want to use it.

double breast pump - breastfeeding portrati
My breastfeeding portrait. So happy that I was able to successfully breastfeed my second daughter. I, too, bought a double breast pump.

A double breast pump is very advantageous and convenient. Most of the time, the only concern about getting one is the price. Do go online and see the different options available for you. You will always find one that will suit your budget. I got mine for about P5,000. You will be a really happy mama when you breast milk starts flowing.

7Shares

1 thought on “Should You Get a Double Breast Pump? – Breastfeeding

  1. Wow..Ang ganda pala pag may breast pump ka..Unli latches lang po kasi si baby sakin kaya most of the time sa kanya po talaga nakatuon..mas magkakaroon nga ko ng time pag ganito..thanks for sharing mommy

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *