The Impact of Wearable Breast Pumps on Physicians' Breastfeeding Experience and Success

Supporting Our Physician Parents (SOPPort): A pilot program for parental wellness at the Massachusetts General Hospital

“…Participant feedback specifically highlighted that the program enhanced well-being, promoted productivity, helped avoid "reinventing the wheel," normalized the challenges of early parenting, increased perceptions of institutional support, and supported lactation efforts. This was consistent with previously published programs targeting breastfeeding support, of which one showed that having access to a wearable breast pump was associated with lactating physicians' ability to meet their breastfeeding goals and take shorter lactation breaks [19]. We also supported Endocrine Division clinical trainees, who have even less control over their schedules and are more vulnerable to workrelated pressures than attending physicians [20].…”

Parent Penalty: Parental Leave Experiences of Trainees and Early-Career Faculty in Oncology Subspecialties

“…Physician mothers using wearable pumps take shorter lactation breaks and are more likely to be able to provide breast milk to their infants for their entire intended duration. 24 In our study, we found that women buy wearable pumps to ensure that they can continue breastfeeding. Wearable pumps are expensive and often not covered by insurance.…”

Survey of Lactating Anesthesiologists Using Wearable Breast Milk Pumps While Working in Operating Rooms and Other Clinical Settings

“…8 Specifically, the percentage of lactation sessions ≤10 minutes increased from 7% (16 of 221) to 52% (168 of 321). 8 That interval was too brief for traditional breast pump sessions for nearly all women (7%). 8 The wearable pump has decreased the session duration to that needed to empty the milk and put it into a refrigerator, clean the pump, and either stow or reposition it.…”

“…They found that wearable pumps did not decrease the frequency of lactation sessions ( P = .22). 8 Rather, the lengths of the lactation sessions were less. 8 Specifically, the percentage of lactation sessions ≤10 minutes increased from 7% (16 of 221) to 52% (168 of 321).…”

“…A limitation of our survey is that we ended by inquiring whether the wearable pump substituted for a lactation session, answered yes by 52%. We recommend Colbenson et al’s 8 additional survey findings to motivate future research among lactating anesthesiologists. They found that wearable pumps did not decrease the frequency of lactation sessions ( P = .22).…”