From doctors and midwives to older experienced relatives everyone will tell you that breast milk is the best food for your new bundle of joy. It is indeed true – breast milk contains all the nutrients that the baby needs to thrive as well as everything necessary to protect her or him from germs. The thing is all the proteins, antibodies, probiotics, etc that make mom’s immune system are transferred to the baby through milk.
However, a lot of women aren’t in the situation to be always available when a baby wants to eat – they have to go to work, see friends, etc. Sometimes moms have difficulties with breastfeeding due to certain medical conditions. In many cases, women opt to combine breast and formula feeding to overcome the problem. But there is a simpler solution that will give continual access to breast milk to your little one and help you organize your life. The only thing you need is a good breast pump.
There are a lot of excellent types on the market, but today we are going to discuss hospital-grade electric breast pump.
What Is a Hospital-Grade Breast Pump?
When reading about breast pumps you probably came across various terms – manual, hands-free, electric, open system, closed system, medical-grade pump, and so on. It is easy to understand what does breast pump do but can you guess what is the hospital grade breast pump
- Hospital Grade/Multi-User: Longer operating hours with stronger suction.
- Closed System with anti-backflow protection.
- Memory Function: The smart memory function automatically remembers the settings you used last time.
- Twin Motor System:Two twin motors allow full suction power without decreasing during double pumping. You can also set a different vacuum power on each side.
- Night Light: Three different illumination levels allow you to pump during day or night.
Talking about hospital grade pump it is critical to say that this is a powerful device mainly used in hospitals. However, it is also possible to rent it for personal use at home. It is a closed system pump – this means that there is a mechanism that prevents milk from entering the engine. However, it is important to say that this is not a regulated term and that it means different things for various manufacturers. These machines are recommended in cases when your baby is born prematurely or is in the NICU, or trouble breastfeeding for some reason.
Hospital-Grade Breast Pump Vs Regular
When comparing hospital grade breast pump vs store-bought the first thing that catches your attention is that hospital-grade can be used by several women that have their accessory kit. This is possible because of the powerful engine it comes with but also because the closed system prevents cross-contamination.
These breast pumps are also bigger, much more expensive usually than regular ones and in general, you can only rent them, in rare cases by it.
Hospital-Grade Breast Pump Benefits
- Hospital-grade breast pumps are way more effective than personal models. Are hospital-grade breast pumps better at imitating the baby’s stimulation of the breast? Sure. This is especially convenient in the first months when you are still establishing a milk supply. You can just rent it in the first month or two after pregnancy and then switch to a standard pump.
- They are also more efficient than regular ones. This is a great option for women who don’t have a lot of time to express milk or need to do it often. It is practical also in cases when you for example need to go on a business trip and have to leave a larger milk supply for the little one.
- These are way more durable than regular pumps. It sort of makes sense though as they are made to be used in hospitals and by several women simultaneously.
- They are an excellent option if you can’t breastfeed at all. Certain medical conditions like breast surgery will prevent women from breastfeeding and they will just be able to express milk. Also, babies may have difficulties with latching and nursing. If you are in any of these situations it is good to learn how to use a breast pump and particularly medical-grade pump.
Hospital-Grade Breast Pump Drawbacks
- These breast pumps are quite large and heavy which means that it would be difficult to move it around. When it is used in the hospital this is not a big issue. However, when you are traveling a lot for business and need a big milk supply because you are going to be absent a lot this is not the best choice.
- It is not cheap to rent a hospital-grade breast pump especially if you are planning to use it for several months. Of course, when you are using it for health reasons they trump the costs. In some cases, insurance will cover the cost, but if it doesn’t you can rent it just for the first month or so.
Conclusion
Now, you can fall back on a lot of facts when choosing a hospital-grade breast pump. For many new mothers, breastfeeding can be challenging at the beginning and this type of pump can help a great deal during these first months. Additionally, as you can see it is a powerful device that can be amazingly useful in several various cases. Let us know on parenthoodroutine.com what do you think about this type of best breast pump.
