Breastfeeding is the recommended way to feed an infant. Every mother uses a breast pump for various reasons. It might be because of illness or being away for work-related reasons.
Such mothers expressed milk is a guarantee that the baby will still get the nutrients from the breast milk. What they do not know is that there are side effects that come along with using a breast pump. The cons include:
1. Potential contamination of the milk
If the breast pump is not sterilized or cleaned regularly the expressed milk will get contaminated. This will lead to serious bacteria being ingested by the infant which can be dangerous. Always wash your hands, chill the milk and air dry thoroughly. Avoid using the kitchen sink or towel to handle a breast pump.
2. Nipple confusion
Babies are designed in a way that they know the texture, smell and taste of your nipples. If you introduce the bottle too soon this may cause confusion to the baby. The baby might end up rejecting your breasts which is not a good feeling for any mother.
3. Teeth decay
When a mother is breastfeeding a baby the milk does not reach the baby's teeth. The bottle tends to cover the baby's teeth when asleep causing tooth decay. This might force the dentist to extract the teeth.
4. Painful engorgement
The breast pump causes too much hormonal release because the mother is trying to express as much milk as possible. This hormones will later fill the breasts with too much milk causing the breasts to swell and become painful. This is called engorgement.