On 12/09/2006, at 1:48, Nikki Lee wrote:
> Dear Friends:
> Hand expressing is the most cost effective. Hand expressing
> frees us from
> worry about availability. I wish every mother knew how to hand
> express; she
> always has her hands with her and they are silent.
> Hand expressing would make the debate about pumping much
> smaller. While
> pumps are easier for mothers that have to build a supply or sustain
> a supply for
> a baby in need, they are not necessary.
Maybe not for all, but they are for some (possibly many, I've no way
of knowing). Speaking for myself: I hand expressed quite a bit in
emergencies, for baby food and so on, but I could never empty that
way - I would get less than a third of what a hospital grade pump
would get out (high quality manual and retail double electric pumps
didn't fully empty me, either). After a single session of hand
expressing more than a few ml, my MCP joints would hurt for days (I
have hypermobile, damaged joints).
And in reality, in my life and my situation: if my hands had been
occupied expressing those multiple times per day, I don't believe
that I would have exclusively expressed for over a year. Sometimes
"easier" really does make the impossible possible, for an individual.
I couldn't (or wouldn't) have hand expressed while working, in
meetings, in cafes, sitting in an aeroplane seat, while feeding and
changing nappies, while chatting in the middle of extended family
gatherings meals and so on - all places and situations I pumped
(handsfree, and covered in company).
I think every mother should know hand expression, _especially_
pumping mums (having ranted on this before!). I'm not convinced that
every mother with a baby unable to breastfeed is able to build and
maintain a good supply in the long term with hand expression alone. I
think that pushing "pumps are unnecessary" in all times and for all
women can fail to meet a mother where she is; and if that doesn't
happen, you are left with no way of continuing the journey together.
Lara
***********************************************
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|