Breastfeeding, as many people will tell you, is a great thing to do for a new baby. Breast milk contains compounds and essential nutrients that aren't normally available in baby formula bought at the store. Beyond just the simple closeness of baby and mother during breastfeeding, those compounds found in the breast milk are the best for your newborn. But, if you're not always available to breastfeed your baby due to work, how can you be able to provide nutritious breast milk at all times? The answer is a breast pump. In this article I'll describe why you should consider a breast pump, and which breast pumps are the best for you and your baby.

Breastfeeding is a full-time job as many women will tell you. It requires a full-time commitment which may be difficult to give with work or other activities taking up much of your time. Using a breast pump, the mother can provide the baby with real breast milk at all times. The milk is pumped out of the breast and then chilled for future feeding. At feeding time, the milk is warmed up and the child is given the breast milk he/she needs. Without these breast pumps, the mother would have to be available to feed her baby at all times of the day.

Electric breast pumps are by far the most popular choice in today's market. These breast pumps are typically battery powered and don't require much in the way of work for the mother. Many mothers are able to use electric breast pumps while at home while the baby's asleep, or even at work if the privacy is available. More high-tech varieties of electric breast pumps actually "learn" how the mother expresses her milk and copies that rhythm.

Manual breast pumps are another solution that one may be able to look into. These are typically less expensive than the electric variety, however, they do tend to create more work for the mother and take a bit of effort to use. These manual breast pumps can be more gentle to use than the electric types, so this may be a good alternative if you want to be able to use the pump at your own rhythm.

With these breast pump solutions, mothers are able to get out and take some time off to relax or carry on with their lives while their child is breastfeeding. Mothers do not need to put everything on hold until her child is weaned with the breast pumps currently on the market.