Breast milk is known to be the very first vaccine for the baby and is considered mandatory until at least six months of age. This is due to its nutritional richness, essential for the efficient growth and development of the baby.
Children’s organs aren’t fully developed to digest solids and require proper nutrition and care for the satisfactory development of their overall bodily functions.
However, according to a survey, almost 85% of mothers face breastfeeding challenges owing to latching difficulties or incorrect latching, sore or irritated nipples, inadequate milk supply, etc.
This makes the presence of a breast pump a healing sigh of relief for the mothers in the present time.
Breaking the Myth About the Usage of Breast Pumps
Initially, the breast pumps were often neglected, owing to the cultural norms considering breastfeeding as the only option. The persistence of this belief led to the stigmatization of the alternative breastfeeding challenges.
Nonetheless, with the growing technology and demand, many of these myths have been debunked.
Modern breast pumps now offer various adjustable suction levels, quiet motor operation, portability, and hands-free options for enhanced convenience and comfort.
Also, the presence of manual and electric breast pumps offers an effective choice to the mothers, normalizing pumping as a viable option to traditional breastfeeding.
Let us now understand some key differences between both the manual and electric breast pumps, helping you make an informed decision while purchasing one, according to your lifestyle and needs.
1. Understanding the Basics
Many mothers undergo delayed lactogenesis, which has two stages.
- Lactogenesis I: Milk production is delayed beyond 72 hours after childbirth.
- Lactogenesis II: Delay in full transition of mature milk after the initiation of lactation.
This delay causes several challenges, like
- Inadequate infant weight gain.
- Increased risk of formula supplementation, leading to early cessation of breastfeeding.
- Maternal stress and anxiety.
- Reduction in milk supply for the long term.
- Interrupted bonding experience.
This is where the breast pumps come in handy, as they optimize the quantity of milk supply, making it comfortable and fast with natural pumping sensations.
Benefits of Breast Pump
- Ease latching difficulties.
- Helps during the separation from infants in the ICU.
- Relieve engorgement and flat/inverted nipples.
- Plugs milk ducts appropriately.
- Helps in the post-pregnancy recovery.
2. Manual Breast Pumps vs. Electric Breast Pumps
| Feature | Manual Breast Pump | Electric Breast Pump |
| Power Source | Hand-operated | Battery or plugged into an electrical outlet. |
| Ease of use | Requires physical effort to pump. | Automatic suction with minimal effort required. |
| Portability | Lightweight and easy to carry | Heavier, some portable options are available. |
| Noise Level | Silent | Can be noisy, though newer models are quieter. |
| Cost | More affordable | Generally more expensive |
| Speed | Slowe, one breast at a time. | Faster, often pumps both breasts simultaneously. |
| Suction Strength | Controlled manually and may be inconsistent. | Adjustable and consistent suction settings. |
| Best For | Occasional pumping or travel | Frequent pumping is required for maintaining the supply. |
| Maintainance | Fewer parts, easy to clean | More parts, require thorough cleaning. |
| Durability | Simple design, durable | May wear out with frequent use or require part replacement. |
3. Factors to Consider When Choosing
1. Frequent Usage
This depends upon the lifestyle choices, time-saving priorities, and milk supply concerns.
For example, stay-at-home mothers do not usually need to pump often compared to the working mothers with time paucity or the ones with the premature babies who lack the suck, swallow, and breathe mechanism and require breast pumps exclusively.
Also, since the electric breast pumps offer customized massaging and suction modes, they are a great mechanism to increase the milk supply in mothers facing breastfeeding challenges due to various issues like
- Birth complications
- Lack of skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby.
- Obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
- Stress, leading to less mammary gland stimulation.
Tip: Always assess the frequency of usage before purchasing.
2. Budget
Since the manual breast pumps require hand pumping, they are quite feasible compared to the electric ones, which are more expensive due to many more features.
Brownie Point: Electric breast pumps offer a hands-free option, which can be used to multitask like household chores, office work, caressing the baby, etc.
3. Portability Needs
Let us understand some differences between manual and electric breast pumps by their portability.
I. Manual Breast Pump
- It is highly portable, being lightweight, compact, and easily fitted into a handbag or diaper bag, thus making it ideal for travel or on-the-go pumping.
- They do not rely on electricity or batteries, so they can have an “attach and go” mode.
- They are usually quieter, allowing pumping in public restrooms, during car rides, or in shared office spaces.
Drawback: It is slow, and only one breast can be pumped at a time, thus making the process time-consuming.
II. Electric Breast Pumps
- This is designed with multiple parts, tubes, and bottles, making it bulky and, hence, less convenient to carry.
- Some modern electric pumps (like wearables or battery-powered ones) are designed for travel and can fit discreetly into a bag.
- Requires a battery/power outlet or a charged battery, which requires pre-planning when traveling or commuting.
Drawback: Although newer models are quieter, the older models produce a more noticeable sound that could be inconvenient in silent environments.
4. Comfort And Convenience
| Aspect | Manual Breast Pumps | Electric Breast Pumps |
| Control Over Suction | Full manual control | Adjustable suction and speed. |
| Physical Effort Required | Requires continuous hand squeezing, which can cause fatigue during longer sessions. | No manual effort. Just requires proper positioning and relaxation. |
| Comfort Of Use | Some moms find manual pumping to be gentler and more natural feeding. | Soft silicone flanges, massage cushions, and memory settings add comfort. |
| Ease of Setup | Fewer parts, quick to assemble and use. | More parts and setup time ( unless using wearable electric models) |
| Convenience While Pumping | One hand is occupied, limiting the ability to multitask. | Hands-free and double-pumping options allow multitasking or relaxing during sessions. |
| Cleaning and Maintenance | Very few parts, quick to clean and reassemble. | Ideal for longer sessions and frequent daily pumping. |
| Suitability for Long Sessions | Hand fatigue may limit comfort for longer sessions or exclusive pumping. | Ideal for longer sessions and frequent daily pumping. |
4. Tips to Asses Poor Quality Breast Pump
- Triggers ineffective milk expression.
- Leads to damage to breast tissues.
- Causes discomfort or pain.
- Reduces the amount of milk supply.
- Short-lasting breast pump quality.
- Risk of contamination.
- Latching is time-consuming and causes inconvenience.
5. Expert Recommendations
Breast pumps are a great way to enhance breast milk production, help with latching difficulties, and sustain the health of both the mother and the baby.
However, in severe cases, it is always recommended to consult a lactation expert to get personalized advice.
Example: R for Rabbit’s WhatsApp parenting community.
Conclusion
Both manual and electric breast pumps have pros and cons, and the right choice depends on personalized needs, lifestyle, and budget.
Lastly, if you are seeking to purchase a breast pump, do take a peek at R for Rabbit’s collection of exclusive breast pumps to choose from, supporting your breastfeeding journey.
