Breast Pump Suction Patterns that Mimic the Human Infant during Breastfeeding: Greater Milk Output in Less Time Spent Pumping For Breast Pump-Dependent Mothers with Premature infants

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effectiveness, efficiency, comfort and convenience of newly designed breast pump suction patterns (BPSPs) that mimic sucking of the breastfeeding human infant during the initiation and maintenance of lactation. METHODS: 105 mothers of premature infants ≤ 34 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups within 24 hours post-birth. Each group tested 2 BPSPs; an initiation BPSP was used until the onset of lactogenesis II (OOL-II) and a maintenance BPSP was used thereafter. RESULTS: Mothers who used the experimental initiation and the standard 2.0 maintenance BPSPs (EXP-STD group) demonstrated significantly greater daily and cumulative milk output, and greater milk output per minute spent pumping. CONCLUSIONS: BPSPs that mimic the unique sucking patterns used by healthy term breastfeeding infants during the initiation and maintenance of lactation are more effective, efficient, comfortable and convenient than other BPSPs.