Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

One of the most common breastfeeding questions we get is regarding a mom's breast pump.  What breast shield size will work best?  Choosing the correct breast pump flange is even more essential than choosing the correct nursing bra size , although both are important.  The figure below shows what a correct fitment inside your breast pump flange should look like. It is imperative that there is enough room to draw the nipple into the flange so that the areola is compressed where the lactiferous sinuses are located.  As you can see from the image below, the lactiferous sinuses are located about an inch behind the nipple.   This is where the majority of the milk pools before milk ejection which is why it is essential to compress the sinuses properly when pumping.  If the flange is too small, the nipple is compressed and not the milk sinuses.   If the breast shield you received with your breast pump does not fit properly as in the ...