Breast pump use at two, five, and seven months postpartum

Breast milk is universally recognized as the best nutrition source for infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics section on breastfeeding recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least one year. Breast pumps may be important tools to aid mothers in reaching their breastfeeding goals. Mothers express their milk for a wide variety of reasons. Those who express milk while separated from their infants or when otherwise not feeding at the breast can maintain their milk supply and store milk for later feedings. Other indications for expressing milk include relieving engorgement or plugged lactiferous ducts and reversion of flat or inverted nipples. As medical devices, breast pumps are regulated by FDA for their effectiveness and safety. Currently, although there are a wide variety of breast pumps available on the market, the scientific literature about breast pump use is scarce. Using data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II, a longitudinal survey of 2,250 mothers, we determined (1) the prevalence of breast pump use; (2) what types of pumps mothers use to express milk; (3) the frequency and volume of milk expression; and (4) the reasons for expressing milk at two, five, and seven months postpartum. We analyze these topics by mother and infant characteristics and the regularity of pump use. This presentation will provide public health professionals with a contemporary perspective on breast pump practices and can be used to inform successful outreach to increase both the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding.