5 Side Effects of Using an Electric Breast Pump

Breast pumps are very popular among new moms because they have made the breastfeeding task very convenient. You can extract breast milk using the best electric breast pump whenever you are free and store it to feed your baby later. This increases the flexibility of mothers and enables them to go back to work without worrying about the child’s feed. 

Electric Breast Pump

This way, breast pumps are very beneficial for mothers. But there are also some side effects that you need to know. In this article, we have listed five side effects of using an electric breast pump. 

  • Freezing The Breast Milk Can Reduce Essential Nutrients

Babies usually get all the nutrients in the milk if they get it directly from the breast. But when the milk is expressed and stored in a freezer for a longer duration, some nutrients in the milk start to deplete. So, it will not provide the same benefits of feeding milk directly from the breast. 

  • Using Both Methods to Feed Breast Milk Can Cause Confusion in Babies 

If you follow breastfeeding and feeding the baby with a bottle, it can confuse him. There is a huge difference between breastfeeding and feeding on a bottle with a rubber nipper. So, the baby can’t determine how to suck with both methods. 

Also, chances are there the baby can suck harder during breastfeeding as he does with the rubber nipple. It can lead to sore nipples. 

  • It Takes a Lot of Effort for Preparation

In the case of breastfeeding, you don’t have to worry too much about hygiene and privacy. But when you are pumping with an electric breast pump, you need to wash and sterilize the feeding bottle, nipples, and the parts of the pump before and after each pumping session. 

Also, you may not get a private place to use an electric breast pump when you are at work or outside. Another problem is that you need to store the expressed milk safely in a proper place which can be hard for many mothers. This way, you have to put a lot of effort if you plan to feed expressed milk to the baby.

  • Using A Bottle to Feed the Baby Can Decay His Teeth

During breastfeeding, the nipple stays behind the teeth of the baby. As a result, milk doesn’t reach the teeth of the baby. But when feeding with a bottle, milk can cover the baby’s teeth if he falls asleep with the bottle in his mouth. With time, this can degrade the teeth. 

  • Higher Chances of Contamination

Using an electric breast pump is not free from contaminants like bacteria and mould. Although you clean and sterilize every part of the pump, there are some hard-to-reach parts in the pump where bacteria and mould can grow. They can contaminate the breast milk and cause illness to the baby. 

Conclusion 

The best electric breast pump generally increases the flexibility and freedom of mothers. Also, there are some side effects of using a breast pump that you need to be aware of. By understanding both pros and cons of a breast pump, you can decide whether to use a breast pump or not.         

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