Get the Most of of Pumping with the Correct Breast Shield Flange Size

 

Every mom wants to get the most out of the time she spending pumping!  One of the best ways to make sure your pump is effective is to ensure your breast shield flange size is optimal.  An optimal fit engages the milk sinuses by compressing the areola the right way without causing nipple pain.

The infographic above shows you what to look for when you are pumping.  Most pumps including the best-selling Spectra breast pumps, include a standard flange size which is often 24mm.  Many moms find that is too large and opt for the 20mm breast flange.  And there are a few who need a larger 28mm or 32mm flange size.  But there are moms who until now had to look for another option if they needed smaller than a 20mm size.  Spectra has finally come out with a Spectra 16mm breast shield just for those moms!

In addition to using the right size flange, making sure your pump is functioning at the optimal suction level is so important.  Use your pump at the highest suction where you feel comfortable. Don't use a suction level that is uncomfortable or it will actually lessen your output because you are not relaxed.  

Opposite of having your suction at too high a level, low suction can cause less milk output as well.  This can often happen when a mother is not changing the breast pump valves and backflow protectors regularly.  These two components greatly affect your breast pump suction and therefore can greatly affect your milk supply.

So here is to comfortable, optimal pumping!

Tanya

16mm 17mm and 19mm Small Breast Shield Size: What To Do When the Smallest Breast Flange is Still too Big!

Recently, several moms have contacted us regarding the smallest flange a manufacturer makes still being too big.  Moms are reporting that too much of the areola is being pulled into the tunnel of the breast flange and they are not emptying their breast well when pumping.  

From what I have seen in my twenty-eight years experience in the lactation field, this problem is occurring more and more today than it did in the past.  

One explanation is that there is currently a culture of over-hydrating.  

How can water be bad?  

Of course water is a good thing, but hyperhydration causes lower milk supply by causing the body to excrete more fluids rather than making more milk and it actually changes your skin turgor aka elasticity. This is why these recommendations can help you when the smallest breast flange is still too big.

1. Reducing water intake to normal “drink to thirst” levels rather than over hydrating with a large number of ounces per day can help reduce the elasticity in your nipples.
2. Do not use lubricants aka nipple cream or pumping spray on your breast while you are pumping if too much of the areola is being drawn in. While these are normally helpful products, they may cause too much of the areola to be drawn in if your breast flange is too big.
3. Re-position the breast shield every 3-5 minutes to be slightly off-center.  This will engage more of your milk ducts to help you drain your milk sinuses more effectively.

What do I watch for when reducing my hyperhydration habits?

    1.  Check your urine color. It will be darker than pre-pregnancy even with normal hydration because of the proteins excreted during lactation but if it gets too dark, you are reducing too much.

    2.  Drink to thirst.  You should not be going around why dry mouth or lips.  If you are thirsty, drink water!

    3.  Your skin turgor should return to normal after 3-5 days of changing your drinking habits.  If this does not help your flange fit better, you may need to go with an aftermarket brand that will fit you better.

How do I find a flange that fits me if my pump manufacturer doesn't make one?

If you have a Medela, Hygeia or Lansinoh Breast Pump, Pumpin' Pal offers an x-small silicone flange which fits 15mm 16mm nipple 17mm and 19mm nipple.

If you have a Spectra breast pump, Ameda Mya breast pump  (not Mya Joy) or Motif Luna breast pump, Pumpin' Pal offers an x-small silicone flange with connector for Spectra, Ameda and Motif.  Pumpin' Pal fits nipple sizes 15mm 16mm 17mm and 19mm and works with those pumps perfectly with the Pumpin' Pal Spectra adapter which also works with Ameda Mya and Motif Luna.  

If you have an Ameda pump such as the Platinum, Elite, Purely Yours, Finesse, or Mya JOY that uses the Ameda Hygieinkit  and the 21mm Ameda Flexishield is still too big, you may have felt like you were out of luck.  You can now use the Pumpin' Pal X-Small Flange and other Pumpin' Pal sizes with an Ameda connector for the Ameda breast pumps that use the Ameda Hygienikit.  The Ameda Hygeinikit connector is unique shape that fits the Ameda diaphragm so if your Ameda flange does not have this diaphragm chamber, this is not going to work with your Ameda pump.  In that case, you probably have the Ameda Mya instead of the Mya Joy and you need the connector Mya Adapter.

Otherwise the Pumpin' Pal X-Small with Ameda adapter may be right for you. 

We love to recommend Pumpin' Pal because their flanges have helped so many moms over the years.  So much so, that they were referred to as "supershields", but as with any product not every mother has the same experience.  To get the most out of your silicone supershields, read the Pumpin' Pal Start Guide so that they adhere to your breast for best performance.

So, how should your breast flange fit?

1. It should be loose enough that the nipple moves back and forth without pain.
2. It should be tight enough that not much if any of the areola is drawn into the tunnel.
3. You should not experience redness or discoloration after of the nipple and areola after pumping.
4. You should not experience blanching (area turning white) where the flange touches.

Another sign that your breast flange aka breast shield is not fitting properly is if you breast do not feel emptied after pumping.  Please note that breast may not feel empty 3-7 days after delivery due to an engorgement period when the breast feel full due to swollen tissue.

Best wishes for a good fit!

Tanya

Managing Working and Pumping: Hands-Free Accessories and Other Helpful Items

The working pumping mama has more to consider than the mother who is able to put her baby to breast for each feeding.  After all, have milk will travel is a great lifestyle.  But for those who must or choose to work outside the home, managing their breast milk expression and storage is something that must be considered.  Here are some helpful tips and accessories to make this journey a little easier.

1.  Obtain an effective breast pump.  The first consideration is an effective breast pump.  Don't settle for a manual, single breast pump or a used breast pump.  These types of pumps can actually sabotage your results before you start.  Double pumping increases prolactin levels and since working mothers do not get as much non-nutritive suckling to assist milk supply, this feature is a must.  What about a used pump.  Non-hospital grade pumps meaning professional pumps that are under $800 are meant to last a certain number of pumping hours which for one working mother is about a year.  Their efficacy is reduced by using them too long and not replacing parts frequently.  You want a pump that works at full strength.  Not to mention some open system pumps like Medela's can actually cause your to transfer a yeast infection even when you buy new pump parts.

2.  Replacing breast pump parts is a must.  Certain parts affect suction and therefore milk supply.  If you are a pumping three days a week or more, you should replace duckbill valves or valve membranes every 6-8 weeks and diaphragms or filters every 8-12 weeks so a good rule of thumb is to replace the two parts that most effect your breast pump function every 2 months like clockwork.

3.  Size matters.  You may be reducing your milk supply if your breast flange AKA breast shield is not the right size.  If the size of your breast flange is too big, too much of the areola is being drawn in and not compressing the milk sinuses correctly.  The same goes for if your flange is too small.  Then not enough tissue is being drawn in to compress the milk sinuses correctly.  If the correct compression does not occur, milk is left in the breasts and your body responds by reducing the amount of milk produced.  A good rule of thum is that if your nipple is the size of your pinky, then 24-25 mm should work.  If your nipple is larger such as the diameter of your ring finger, then try a 28-29 mm flange.  If even larger such as your thumb, then choose a 31-32 mm.  These are just rules of thumb (pun intented), but a great place to start.  Even smaller sizes such as 20 mm breast shield are available in Spectra.

4.  Relax!  Just as a watch pot doesn't want to boil.  Milk doesn't want to let down when you are stressing out and watching the bottle fill or not fill.  Put a used receiving blanket around your neck to mask the bottles and to smell which will aid in let-down.  A hands-free pumping bra is also very helpful because you can read, breathe and relax your shoulders and wrists while pumping. 

Here is to all our mamas! 
Tanya

Pumpin' Pal - Getting the Most out of an Angled Breast Pump Flange Size

Finding the right breast pump flange size is your first concern when starting to pump, but as you continue to pump exclusively or for working and breastfeeding, investing in a more comfortable flange can help not only your body, but your baby's milk supply.  Pumpin' Pal Super Shields offer a multitude of benefits including:

• Eliminating constriction of milk ducts that can be cause by traditional flanges 
• Promoting better milk flow
• Helping prevent plugged milk ducts and mastitis
• Reducing nipple irritation
• Saving mom from back aches caused by leading forward

While Pumpin' Pal Super Shields are effective in most cases, you will want to know if and how they fit with your breast pump before you invest in these breast flanges.  Pumpin' Pal M-XL work best with breast pump brands that have two piece breast shields such as Medela, Lansinoh and Hygeia.

Pumpin' Pal Small and X-Small include an adapter to work with two piece breast shields.

Again, start with finding your correct breast flange size.  Then work with making pumping the most comfortable experience possible because not only does flange size matter, but tension from pumping in an uncomfortable position can reduce oxytocin and therefore reduce milk supply.

On a coincidental note, getting a discount actually increases oxytocin in most people including nursing mothers, so you never pay MSRP at Lactation Connection!  And check out our breastfeeding coupon code or breastfeeding sale page for another boost of oxytocin...lol!

Here is to more comfortable pumping!
Tanya

UPDATE!  Connectors are now available so that you can easily use Pumpin' Pal with Ameda and Spectra Breast pumps.  The Pumpin' Pal Connector for Ameda and Pumpin' Pal Connector for Spectra can be purchased separately for use with your Pumpin' Pal breast shields.

If your Breast Flange Size Reducing Your Milk Supply?

If you have the wrong breast flange size, it can greatly reduce your output when your are pumping and decreasing the amount of milk extracted signals your body to produce less milk!
There are a lot of things you can save money on when you are breastfeeding, but getting the right size flanges and replacing essentials like valve and filters is not the place to scrimp as both those things can greatly reduce your milk supply.  I have created an image to help you determine your nipple size.  Use this as a guide to buying the correct breast flange size no matter what brand you have.  Some brands don't have a full range of sizes, which is why Pumpin' Pal is perfect!  Not only do their Super Shields help you lean back and save your back while you are pumping, their breast flanges now come in sizes from x-small 15mm to x-large that fit up to 40mm nipple diameter.  Remember the nipple diameter does not include the areola, just the nipple itself and it is easy to see when you have just finished nursing or pumping.

To find larger or smaller breast shields from Ameda, Spectra, Hygeia and ARDO, shop http://www.lactationconnection.com  

Here's is to happy pumping and more milk!

Tanya