Following posts by Susan Burger and Cathy Genna, 

"...Susan Burger mentions one of their studies of mothers pumping with the
research pump (Symphony) that showed a significant proportion of
successfully breastfeeding mothers did not remove 50% of their milk with
that pump. That's NOT a good thing for their future milk production if they
were to rely on that pump. Research is obviously ongoing to try to improve
that performance. In my work with tongue-tied babies, some of them only take
half or less than the milk mom can then immediately pump. ..."

- it would seem that even a top-of-the-range electric pump is only about as
effective as some tongue-tied babies with compromised ability to transfer
milk.  This is an important piece of information.

This suggests to me that we need to be wary of applying research that has
been funded by a manufacturer to the ongoing, long-term care of babies.  So
often practitioners and consumers assume that it can't be the expensive
piece of technology that is inefficient, and that it "must" be better than a
normal baby's suck.

The message?  If use of a pump can be avoided, don't introduce it.  If there
is a sound clinical reason for expressing milk instead of direct
breastfeeding, and the mother can't or won't express by hand, we should be
sure to discuss with her the limitations of pump use.  These should include
what to do if there is growth faltering after a period of time, and a
follow-up call or calls.

Most of us don't have the equipment to measure negative pressure, but a very
basic test of whether a pump is working - any pump - is to try it on the
side of an inflated balloon.  I have seen pumps of several brands which
barely moved the balloon.  One was a brand new well-regarded manual pump
that had just come out of its box, which failed to work at all and had to be
returned to the retailer. This simple test won't show how good a pump is,
but it will pick out the ones that don't work (i.e. not a scientific
measure, but a guide).

These final comments are because of the wonderful messages of love and
concern I received from so many Lactnetters.  Yes, I'm back on Lactnet after
a long absence while finishing writing a history.  Despite beginning the
year confined to bed with fractures, this is proving to be one of my busiest
and most diverse years.  I stopped using a crutch on stairs many weeks ago
(faster without) and have subsequently disgarded the crutch altogether.  I
shall always need to be very careful, but I enjoy my mobility very much.
Thank you to all who sent messages, prayers and positive thoughts.  I
appreciated them very much.

Virginia

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA
Honorary Research Fellow
School of History, Philosophy, Religion & Classics
The University of Queensland, QLD 4072
Australia

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