Is Pumping Right for Your New Baby?

Having a new baby is a busy time. There is no manual that tells you the right way or the wrong way to bring up your new little one. Everything that comes along with your baby is a new learning curve that all moms need to figure out for themselves.

One of those learning curves includes what the best way to feed your baby is. Breastfeeding and formula feeding can be difficult decisions to choose from. Both options have their benefits for your little one as well as yourself.

One of the ways you can give your baby breast milk but still maintain your busy life is by pumping. Pumping has become a chosen method for many mothers. If you've been considering pumping for your new baby here are some reasons that will help you decide if the option is the best one for your growing family.

1. Premature Newborn Options

If your baby is born early, pumping may be the best form of sustenance you can give them. Breast milk has been shown to have a number of benefits for growing babies. It is chock-full of the nutrients they need to help them grow, especially in the first few weeks.

Not all ables are able to take the breast. If your baby is born early your best best for being able to breastfeed is by using a breast pump in order to give your new addition the milk they look for. This gives you the ability to still breastfeed even if the baby isn't quite ready to nurse just yet

In those difficult early days, you'll know that your baby is getting the best possible options. This bodes well even if you can't physically feed him or her.

2. Allow Other Caregivers to Bond

Having an electric breast pump means that your partner can take over some of the feeding efforts as well. You enable them to take that precious quiet time with the baby and get to bond too. Your partner will be able to take on some of those late-night feedings.

Experts have said that feeding time is one of the most detrimental moments in a growing baby's life. It would be beneficial to the other parent or caregivers involved to have a little bit of those special moments too.

3. Gives Mom a Deserved Break

Let's face it, being a new mom is hard work, as much as you love your new baby there are moments when you need to step away. It doesn't matter if this is your first child or your fourth. Every new mom deserves a break once and a while.

When you decide to pump, you give yourself the ability to take small breaks and hand your child to another caregiver. Pumping presents you with the opportunity to not always be right in the vicinity when your baby needs to be fed. This may just make your life a little bit easier.

4. Working Convenience

Pumping gives a new mom the option to go back to work without having to be right by their new baby every three to four hours. Instead of needing to be with your baby at all times, there is convenience in being able to use a pump in order to express your milk throughout the day.

A portable breast pump can be taken to work and used at your own convenience. This milk can then be stored for your child to consume later on. There are no worries about how you're going to balance those important meetings while also feeding your new baby.

5. More Comfortable for Some Moms

Using a breast pump is also more convenient for some mothers. If you're one of those mama's who can't breastfeed because it isn't comfortable, pumping can still give you that option to nurse your little one. It's a great alternative that still allows your baby to be nursed, just in a different way than the traditional.

Even if nursing directly isn't working for you, for any reason, being able to pump may give you the chance to still give your baby the breast milk you were hoping to.

6. Donate the Excess

It doesn't matter if you use a double electric breast pump or a manual powered, pumping your milk gives you the option of being able to pump maybe more than your baby can drink. More than your baby's tiny stomach might even be able to handle. This could mean that you have the option to donate the remainder of that unused milk.

For mothers who do not have the ability to produce milk, donated milk is a very big deal. If you have an overabundance, pumping your milk and donating it can be highly beneficial to a mother and baby in need.

7. A Fix for Latching Difficulties

Some new babies have a problem latching on. This can create issues for mom and baby both. The last thing a new mother needs to worry about is if her baby is getting enough milk.

Being able to pump gives the mother an easier time measuring how much their baby has consumed. For those babies who have a difficult time latching onto their mother's breast, a bottle comes in a number of sizes and shapes to prevent those latching difficulties.