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Which breast pump for which mother: an evidence-based approach to individualizing breast pump technology

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 493–499 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

The majority of new mothers in the United States use breast pumps in the first 4 months postbirth in order to achieve their personal human milk feeding goals. Although these mothers seek guidance from health-care professionals with respect to the type and use of breast pumps, there are few evidence-based guidelines to guide this professional advice. This paper reviews the evidence to facilitate professional individualization of breast pump recommendations using three categories of literature: the infant as the gold standard to which the pump is compared; the degree of maternal breast pump dependency (for example, the extent to which the breast pump replaces the infant for milk removal and mammary gland stimulation); and the stage of lactation for which the pump replaces the infant. This review can also serve to inform public and private payers with respect to individualizing breast pump type to mother–infant dyad characteristics.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by NIH grants: NR010009 and NICHD R03HD081412.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    P P Meier, A L Patel & R Hoban

  2. Department of Women, Children and Family Nursing, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    P P Meier, A L Patel, R Hoban & J L Engstrom

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  1. P P Meier
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Correspondence to P P Meier.

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Meier, P., Patel, A., Hoban, R. et al. Which breast pump for which mother: an evidence-based approach to individualizing breast pump technology. J Perinatol 36, 493–499 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.14

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