Jeanette, Rachel and Cathy have posted on their concerns about "wearable"
breast pumps. (Why don't these issues surprise me?)
I would add to their concerns the mind set that lies behind the development
and marketing of this hands-free technology - that providing
species-specific milk for a baby isn't important, and that all the other
tasks the mother might do in that timeframe are more important. If, as well
as taking on board the above negative ideas, a mother is increasing her risk
of blocked ducts (as Jeanette has reported) or declining supply (as Cathy
has noted), mothers need to know this.
Even sadder would be a situation where a mother with no real, pressing need
to express her milk began pumping unnecessarily with these gadgets and had
negative outcomes she could have avoided.
It is good to know about the limitations of this type of pump.  Like
Jeanette, if a mother is pumping I enquire about the type of pump and
whether it is effective. In recent years I've seen other pumps that have
lacked enough negative pressure, and I've learnt not to assume a pump is
working, without checking. It is not just old pumps used with a previous
baby, but also new ones of reputable brands, fresh out of the box, that
sometimes don't work. Sitting in a shop or warehouse through a long, hot
summer can cause the seals to warp, quite apart from any manufacturing
error.
Time and again mothers blame their bodies when they cannot get much milk
from the pump, because they don't expect expensive machinery to let them
down. They also don't know how to hand-express their milk effectively, and
so don't have this technique to fall back on.
Virginia

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA 
Private Practice Lactation Consultant
Brisbane, Qld, Australia 
E: [log in to unmask] 
 

Date:    Mon, 23 May 2011 17:52:10 -0400
From:    "Catherine Watson Genna BS, IBCLC" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: "wearing" breast pumps and plugged ducts

The wearable pump doesn't seem to drain the breast well either, which 
would increase the risk of plugged ducts. I've seen many moms with 
dwindling milk production from this pump in the past few months.

Catherine Watson Genna BS, IBCLC  NYC  cwgenna.com


On 5/23/2011 12:13 AM, Jeanette Panchula wrote:
> Just had a series of e-mails with a mom with repeated plugged ducts.
> Interesting that she and two of the mothers SHE knows who also have
plugged
> ducts reported using the new pumps that you "wear" with the pump attached
to
> her, so she can move around.
>
> Another mom I just saw today was also showing signs of plugged ducts
> repeatedly in the same area of the breast - for her it was the inner
aspect
> of the left breast - and she also was using this style of pump.
>
> I think that they are putting those shields too tightly against their
> breasts and prevent good milk drainage from some areas.  AND they aren't
> resting - even to pump!
>
> I thought you might want to be aware of this problem - and when asking
that
> questions - what pump are you using - provide information and anticipatory
> guidance.
>
> Jeanette Panchula, BA-SW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
> Vacaville, CA

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