title: Randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of 2 electric breast pumps in the NICU.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mothers with preterm infants may need to express milk for considerable periods. Research to improve breast pump design has focused on compression stimuli, frequencies, and vacuums.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of 2 electric pumps: Medela Symphony (pump S) and a novel pump (Philips AVENT Twin electronic pump; pump A). Both offer flexibility of rate and suction; pump A also incorporates petal compression cushions. Primary outcomes were (1) milk weight expressed during 10-day study period and (2) weight of milk expressed in a 15-minute test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one mothers with preterm infants < 34 weeks were randomized. Mothers completed 10-day diaries including weight of milk expressed. Milk weight expressed during a single 15-minute test period and data on pumping mode, skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding at infant discharge, and mothers' opinions of the pump were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in milk expressed during the first 10 days between groups. Pump S mothers expressed significantly more milk during a fixed 15-minute period. Mothers using pump A awarded higher scores for certain characteristics of the pump, notably location of control button and ease of use. Similar proportions of infants received breast milk at discharge, but pump A mothers were more likely to be directly breastfeeding (odds ratio, 4.27 [95% confidence interval, 1.29, 14.1]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The breast pumps showed similar effectiveness in terms of milk expression and maternal opinions. The finding that breast pump design may influence breastfeeding at infant discharge merits further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Jag S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nicholl
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fewtrell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D061186:Breast Milk Expression / Q000295:instrumentation*; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care
keywords: breast pump; breastfeeding; clinical efficacy; mechanical efficacy; milk expression; milk volume; neonatal unit