Finding solutions to breastfeeding woes
BREASTFEEDING is an integral experience of motherhood. Not only does it provide babies with vitamins, minerals, and antibodies essential to their health and growth, it also bonds mother and baby in the process.
As an advocate of breastfeeding, baby care brand Pigeon held the Pigeon Breastfeeding Event to educate moms on breastfeeding and help them deal with its challenges.
Topics in the event included the benefits of breastfeeding and the issues faced by mothers who go through the experience. Providing expert insight on the subject is Certified Lactation Counselor and La Leche League Leader Abbie Yabot who says, “Breastfeeding is a key part of baby’s well-being and mothers should be informed of its many facets, especially those who have difficulty with it. The sooner mothers find solutions to their breastfeeding concerns, the better it is for her health and her baby’s.”
According to Yabot, who is also a founder of the Breastfeeding Club in the Philippines, the most common breastfeeding problems are sore and painful nipples and difficulty producing milk due to sickness or disruption of daily cycles. To address these, moms resort to breast expression, or the act of taking breast milk from mothers’ breasts without babies needing to suckle.
Products called breast pumps are now available to help mothers express milk. However, there are still those who struggle with breast pumps because they do not fit, there is low milk flow, or there is too much suction power, which make the experience distressing.
To address mothers’ need for breast pumps that make breastfeeding an enjoyable activity, Pigeon has come up with a product line designed specially for swift and comfortable breast expression. Among its innovations are the “Gentle Fit Breastshield” and the “pliant ring” which is made of soft silicone. These two allow for adjustment to any breast size and shape while forming an airtight seal that reduces milk spoilage.
Mothers who need more control over the suction power can also rely on Pigeon breast pumps’ different stimulation modes. These varying modes give mothers full control on the suction pressure so they can adjust it to their preferred level while expressing.
Pigeon currently offers three kinds of breast pumps for moms. There’s the quiet, compact and lightweight Manual Breast Pump, which features an ergonomic easy-express handle. Two kinds of Electric Breast Pumps are also available - the Portable and Pro - and these are perfect for on-the-go moms or those who like to customize their breast expression experience.
Pigeon’s Electric Breast Pumps have 2-Phase Technology in the form of Stimulation and Expression Modes. The Stimulation Mode is a low suction mode which triggers the mother’s letdown reflex to produce and collect milk at her milk glands while the Expression Mode expresses the collected milk comfortably and effectively.
According to Maye Yao Co Say, chief operating officer of Richwell Philippines, distributor of Pigeon products in the country, “Breastfeeding is a cornerstone activity for every mother and as an advocate of enriching experiences for both moms and babies, Pigeon has come up with products that make breastfeeding an easy and enjoyable activity. We hope that through our breast pumps’ strategic design and technology, we can make breast expression more manageable for moms as they feed their little ones with the best food possible.”