There is little research on pumps such that lactating parents’ only recourse is to follow advice from friends, family, lactation specialists and social media influencers/groups. Unfortunately, some social media influencers and lactation specialists are conflicted because they receive financial kickbacks from pump companies.
Pumps vary widely in terms of their cycle wave forms, frequencies and vacuum settings, and we have no evidence as to which pump is best for whom.
The authors for the study this week sought to determine whether a hospital grade pump was more effective than a personal double electric pump in establishing healthy milk production in the first 2 weeks postpartum among 66 mothers of preterm infants at a hospital in China in 2018. All participants gave birth to infants at 28-35 weeks gestation and intended to breastfeed. The mothers were randomized into 3 groups: Group 1 used a hospital grade electric breast pump for days 1-14; group 2 used a hospital grade electric pump for days 1-5 and a personal electric breast pump on days 6-14; group 3 used a personal electric breast pump on days 1-14. The researchers report that all mothers were given evidence-based lactation care and support by NICU nurses, including education on pumping by 1 hour postpartum.
The researchers tracked the volume of expressed milk and measured the sodium level in milk samples twice a day for 14 days, to determine timing of secretory activation. They found that mothers who used the hospital grade pump for 14 days had average milk volumes on day 14 of approximately 825ml/day, similar to those who used the hospital grade pump for the first 5 days only. The group that didn’t use a hospital grade pump had an average volume of approximately 500ml/day on day 14.
The researchers didn’t provide data on pump qualities, such as cycle frequency and vacuum, nor details on flange fitting. They also didn’t report the number of pump sessions per day.
What else? See the question!
Aruna Sangisetty
transition from cholestrum to transitional and meture milk is cause of change in sodium levels
hospital grade pump use by itself is not the primary cause of sodium levels
Ann Seacrest
Dr. E, does the study distinguish what specific pump was used? Hospital grade may refer to a multiple user pump (closed system), or a high-quality (often more expensive) pump. What was the criteria used for this study? Thanks!
IABLE
The authors did not disclose the exact pumps that were used. They didn’t describe the criteria for ‘hospital grade’.
Margaret
It causes confusion that “hospital grade” isn’t a legally binding term — a lot of personal use pumps, if designed to separate air-flow from the milk, will market themselves as “hospital grade.” So it’s hard to persuade someone with a really poor pump, and a medical needed to pump, that what they have isn’t sufficient
P English
It would be also helpful to differentiate between hospital grade vs personal electrical pump
IABLE
Yes!!
Miirne Richey
Hi there! as a former breast-pump company IBCLC I have many questions. What is their operational definition of “hospital-grade” and I agree with the commentary of needing more information on the limitations on how they defined pumping ( double? single? time”)
I typically see confusion between the terms hospital-grade and hospital-strength, and both matter in terms of quantification.
Cecilia De Grate
I understand that higher sodium levels are associated with lower milk production, and vise versa. Usually at the first week of lactation, weaning, and breast inflammation (ie engorgement) can be a cause to these elevated levels. In this case, however, it seems that the use of the hospital grade pumps allowed for an increased milk production. Whether due to vacuum, cycle frequency, etc., there is a notable increase in mLs produced per day.
Very good LactFact, I am new to the lactation and brithing scene and am grateful for the opportunity to learn a variety of subjects from a variety of teachers. Thank you all!
Margaret
I’m looking forward to the upcoming IABLE session on exclusive pumping.
Many people arrive there via difficult paths with failed breastfeeding, and deserve so much support for how hard they work to provide milk. But I’m also seeing on-line discussions that present EP as a more convenient or controllable modern way to breastfeed.
A search at Amazon for “breast pump” brings up hundreds of choices in brands you’ve never heard of, sometimes remarkably cheap — are people depending on some of these for serious pumping?
Viktoryia Kuzmitskaya
Could not agree more about an Amazon search and there are so many different pumps and so hard to keep up with what is good or not. Moms goes for more newer ‘fancier’ not knowing if she would need it just to pump occasionally or have issues with supply.