Congratulations on your pregnancy! As you eagerly anticipate the arrival of your little one, there are many important decisions to be made, including how you will provide them with the best nutrition. There are various options available, from breastfeeding to formula feeding to exclusively pumping.
Deciding which feeding method is best for you and your baby can be a challenging decision. Whatever your decision, it’s essential to consult with your healthcare provider or one of our pharmacists at Calgary Drug Mart to ensure a smooth and successful feeding journey for you and your baby.
Breastfeeding vs. Pumping
Breastfeeding is the most common and natural form of feeding for infants which is made by the mom’s body and is the perfect food for the baby as it contains a lot of antibodies. The milk produced by the mother will be customized according to the baby’s needs when the baby interacts with the mom during this process.
Breast pumping, on the other hand, is done through breast stimulation and then removing milk from the breast which is done through a breast pump. This process will still allow your baby to have breast milk and provide the baby with the nutrition the baby needs. At Calgary Drug Mart, our pharmacy provides a Medela’s Rental Station to rent a breast pump to begin and maintain your breast milk supply for your baby.
Breastfeeding
Pros Of Breastfeeding
- The baby will have a chance to be fed with customized milk, when the baby’s saliva interacts with the mom’s milk, it sends signals to the mom’s brain to change the milk according to the baby’s needs and help with the baby’s immunity.
- It provides you and your baby more bonding time, strengthens the parent-child bond and also releases some happy hormones which will help the mom relax as well.
- It creates much less of a mess because there is nothing to clean up like when you use a breast pump.
- The baby is able to empty your breasts much quicker and easily than any pump can.
Cons Of Breastfeeding
- When breastfeeding, the mom will have to face problems such as lack of freedom, lack of sleep and most importantly lack of time to even do anything for herself because breastfeeding can only be done by the mom, the baby’s feeding times are uncertain and she may not be able to leave the baby alone for longer periods.
- The mom will have sore nipples or even infected nipples when breastfeeding. It can also cause pain in the breasts and discomfort in the first few weeks as the mom starts breastfeeding.
- It may be an uncomfortable situation for some to breastfeed in public.
Breast Pumping
Pros Of Breast Pumping
- The mom is able to have more control over the time she takes to feed the baby.
- The mom is able to check and maintain the food intake of the baby when she uses breast milk pumps.
- The pumping sessions can be increased to have more milk to store and keep for later use.
- Using breast milk pumps causes much less pain and discomfort compared to breastfeeding.
- In some cases, babies are not fed by their biological moms, therefore breast milk pumps are used to provide donor milk.
Cons Of Breast Pumping
- There is a lot of equipment to wash up and sanitize therefore the cleaning-up process may cause quite a hassle.
- Breast milk pumping can expire even if it is frozen and it is hard to keep it in store.
- The mother may encounter difficulties in expressing breast milk since breast pumps may not be as efficient as a baby’s mouth and may not adequately extract the milk.
Deciding Whether To Breastfeed Or Pump?
No matter what choice you ultimately make, our pharmacy and pharmacists at Calgary Drug Mart are always available to provide assistance and information. We understand that it can be challenging to locate high-quality breast pumps, which is why we also offer Medela’s Rental Station as a convenient option.