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Subject:
From:
Pamela Morrison IBCLC <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 12 Feb 1998 00:21:05 +0200
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Anne, we have no double pumps here (sigh).  However, even if we did I would
not and do not suggest using a pump at all until the breasts are producing a
moderate/good quantity of milk.  Why?  Because those tiny precious drops of
colostrum will be "lost" on the insides of the pump, instead of being
conserved to go down the NGT.  If the quantity of colostrum is likely to be
very small (say on the day of birth), then expressing by hand into a spoon
can be a big confidence-booster, especially if all the while you, the LC,
are crooning about the invaluable nature of each precious drop of "liquid
gold". (I find that prem moms just love to hear some of the specific
advantages of "prem" milk).  On day 2, expressing into a small 20 ml or 50
ml medicine cup works well.  By day 3 mom is usually producing enough milk
to make pumping more worthwhile. In addition, during the first couple of
days I think that manual expression is superior to a pump to provide that
valuable stimulation to the breasts.  I imagine it's kinder to the breast
tissue (don't like the thought of that negative pressure on relatively
"empty" breasts), provides more visible (thus confidence-enhancing) results
to see drops of colostrum going into the spoon or cup, and provides
skin-to-skin stimulation in a way that a pump cannot.  Furthermore, if she
becomes good at manual expression she may never need a pump at all.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Zimbabwe

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