Medela Harmony Breastpump
The Harmony breastpump, despite being manually operated, has proved to be quite popular amongst a large section of the breastfeeding mother community. And with reason. Medela has incorporated their latest ground-breaking research results in this handy device, making the lives of mothers very easy.
It was Dr Paul Hartmann who discovered the two-phase cycle that Nature follows when the child nurses at its mother's breast. The child does not get any training from anybody on how to breastfeed; it has an instinctive rooting for the breast's nipple. But the moment the nipple is put in its mouth, Nature takes over. Immediately, the child starts with a rapid cycle of suckle-release-relax, which the scientists call the "Let-Down" phase; and whose objective is to stimulate the breast tissues to begin lactating. The first drops of milk fall in the child's mouth; signalling that the flow of milk has started. Now the child abruptly shifts the cycle to a slower gear - the frequency of the suckle and release drops; and now it concentrates on drawing more and more milk with longer suctions and slow releases.
When Harmony was launched, it was billed as the first and the only breastpump that was manual,"and" had the technology of Natural Expression, as Dr Hartmann's invention was called, embedded in its mechanism. It is the dual-pumping pattern that the pump brought to the mother, without the associated hassle of motors and batteries, and yet gave her a very pleasurable expressing experience.
The research team at Medela did not stop at that. In order to maximize the value for money for their customer, they attached a contoured, ergonomically comfortable handle that could be swivelled quite easily at angles to the breastshield. The mother need no longer have to sit with the pump in hand, in some military fashion, but could move her hands more relaxedly while pumping. The breastshield has a patented design too, which to the mother means a more gentler massage when the vacuum is sucking at the breast tissues.
All these features translate into a very breezy pumping experience. The breastshield is centered over the nipple firmly, but not too firmly; and pumping may be started straightaway. The level of vacuum is controlled by the compression and the speed of the handle stroke. The pumping rhythm should be such that the hands do not tire quickly. There is a Let-Down knob on top of the pump handle, this should be pressed and released quickly for some time. The breast responds by letting down after a few moments. When this happens, the second, "Expression" mode should be switched to, by pressing the bottom of the pump handle. The breast now starts experiencing more relaxed strokes of sucking and release. Copious flow of milk starts to take place, in the same way that it does when the child is nursing at the breast.
In order to maximize the outcome of the pumping activity, it might help to sit down for some time and relax a little, all the while picturing the baby in the mind. This simple posture prepares the body to begin lactating.
Sometimes, there would appear to be little, or no suction at the pump. In such cases, all the parts may be checked for any leakage at the fittings. The valve and membrane mechanism, if not in proper place, may cause this problem, too. If simple troubleshooting does not work, the customer care center of Medela may be contacted for assistance.