Medela Classic
Amongst the rich variety of models sold by Medela, Inc, for breastpumping by nursing mothers, the Classic model is usually chosen for situations where there are long and frequent gaps of time between actual nursings at the breast. When the mother has to stay away from the child for an entire work day, for example, and / or there is a frequent need for expressing in one day; an industrious Classic comes to her aid.
The baby's natural sucking pattern is encapsulated in a technology called the Autocycle technology, and when the Classic starts functioning, this technology creates the exact sensation of the actual child suckling at the breast for the mother. The mother instantly relaxes, and her body begins to get stimulated to produce more milk, resulting in abundant flow.
An interesting feature of the Classic model is a hydrophobic filter that fits on the pump connector, between the pump and the container. This filter inhibits overflow of milk into the Electric pump, while allowing air to flow through. This happens because, the moment any liquid comes in contact with the filter, it becomes impermeable. The filter begins to work again only after it has been washed and dried. This feature singularly prevents any damage to the pump circuitry due to any contact with liquid. The company's brochures are quite specific about the cleaning methods to be used for the filter. Soap is totally prohibited from being used on the filter. Ditto with abrasives. The white fabric part of the filter is not to be touched, at all. Either air drying, which takes two to three hours; or using a hair dryer, which takes ten minutes, is recommended.
Classic has the facility for both single as well as double pumping. It is, however, for the mother to decide whether to go in for double pumping or not. Research tells us that double pumping helps in increasing hormone secretions that stimulate lactation in the mother's body, resulting in copious milk flow when expression starts.
Before switching on the pump, the suction regulator on the kit should be set to minimum. This ensures that there is no pulling at the breast tissues, and consequently no discomfort, when the motor starts. Gradually, the regulator should be increased, which will cause the suction to increase. This suction stimulates the breast tissues near the areola in exactly the same fashion that the child does, when nursing at the breast. When the milk begins to express, the regulator may be kept stable.
In case the baby is born premature or sick, it may not be medically stable enough to nurse directly at the breast. In such a situation, there is always the risk that the mother's milk supply may stop if milk is not continuously expressed. It is strongly advisable to begin pumping with the Classic within the first twentyfour hours after birth. Pumping for minimum six to eight times every twenty fours is ideal, during such times. However, there are cases where the mother is told to delay pumping till such time that she recovers from giving birth. Here, a trade-off between recovery-time and milksupply-availability- time needs to be critically established. There are also instances when the amount of milk being expressed is much more than the present demands of the child. In such cases, the extra milk may be stored in freezers or cooler packs for later use. In all these situations, the Medela Classic assists in all ways, every step of the way.