Pumps That Push More Than Pull
Let’s be real - no one LOVES the classic sensation of a breast pump. That mechanical pull and tug, even if not painful, isn’t lovely, and most pumps are less than what moms would call, well, ideal.
Companies are coming up with new and novel ways to make a breast pump work and are in constant search of that perfect pump moms love more than any other pump.
BUT the problem with new and novel technology is that sometimes it doesn’t work as intended. More than that, we sometimes don’t fully understand the implications of a new technology until we deploy it and start seeing the impacts of it. This doesn’t make the technology inherently good or bad, it just means we need to monitor as we use it, and learn lessons as we go.
This is what’s happening in the case of a new technology we are seeing with wearable pumps.
We first saw this technology with the Motif Aura, then the Momcozy Muse 5, and most recently the Lansinoh wearable. NCVI even has one with this concept with a collapsing diaphragm to stimulate the nipple a touch more.
So what is this technology?
Unfortunately we don’t actually understand what we are seeing here in terms of this technology - we just know these pumps are doing something different.
What users are perceiving and seeing:
Gentle vibration that feels like it’s being really nicely dispersed through the breast.
Limited pulling or tugging at the nipple. It genuinely doesn’t feel like it’s pumping.
The sensation may feel reversed - like the pump is pushing the nipple more than pulling.
Nipple doesn’t appear enlarged or elongated after pumping.
But that doesn’t make sense if the nipple stretching is what releases the oxytocin to trigger the letdown right?
The stretch of the nipple is traditionally how the body registers the need to let-down and it appears to be part of a hormonal trigger for future milk production (i.e.,- the release of prolactin to signal more milk is needed).
And we know from a phenomenon we see with tongue-tied babies, it is extremely possible for the body to bypass the need for nipple stimulation to let-down - typically we are attributing this with a baby to the parental desire to nurture and the oxytocin released naturally with contact. This works for an undefined period of time for many dyads - until the body’s hormones catch up to a lack of necessary stimulation and the body rapidly downregulates the supply to match the signals that have been received. We need stimulation AND milk removal.
This technology appears to be able to bypass the need for nipple stretching and trigger the let-down reflex short term, and it does so very well!
Long-term, however, the signal to the body for ongoing future milk production isn’t there. So like nursing the tongue tied baby, the risk is that at some point your milk supply may suffer.
So clearly this is a technology we need to shun right? Who wants a breast pump that risks the milk supply?
It’s actually nowhere as neat and simple as that. These pumps have produced positive milk production with less undesired side effects in some cases:
They tend to have extremely limited adjustment periods
There is less need to pump regularly to assure response when needed
There is less friction on the nipple as it’s not stretching and pulling
Elastic nipple pumping problems are virtually eliminated
We can achieve comfortable pumping even with damaged nipples
We can achieve milk removal when there is nipple scar tissue or compromised nerve function from previous breast surgery/injury that we have been unable to achieve with other pumps
What we can’t do with this technology is assure that the body is going to get the signal to generate milk in an ongoing manner.
Will everyone who uses this pump technology see their milk supply drop off?
No. Just like some people are able to sustain milk supply despite having a baby with functionally no stimulation applied to the nipple long-term; some people may never have any issues. Some will.
We don’t have a clear way to predict who falls into which category. Not even your previous breastfeeding success can tell us which way the cards will fall for you with this technology.
What can you do with this technology?
Like all technology, you can use it with informed consent and understanding of the risks.
These pumps are high likelihood for causing milk supply concerns if used too frequently, and the frequency of use that will cause a problem is solely determined by your hormones.
The trade off of these risks is these pumps tend to be easy to use and support infrequent use successfully which is an area traditional pump technology falls short in. The lack of stress on the nipple also comes in handy at times.
Have more questions? Schedule a consult to see which pump is best for you!
