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

Breast Flange Size - How Your Breast Pump Flange Affects Your Milk Supply

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 first image, you need to seek out the correct size as soon as possible.  When the nipple is drawn into the flange, there should be adequate room on one or both sides of the nipple.  If not, examine your nipple at rest prior to pumping.  What is the diameter of the nipple?  Using an everyday object like a coin can help you determine diameter.  The image below will offer coin size comparison and tips on how to measure.

If you nipple is the size of a penny or even a nickel, the standard breast shield size that came with your electric breast pump may work for you.  This is because some of the brands offer a slightly larger flange than the most common breast shield size that were included with your Medela or  Spectra breast pumps which is a 24mm breast shield. For example, most Ameda breast pumps include an Ameda 25 mm breast pump flange. Hygeia breast pumps include a Hygeia 27 mm breast pump flange.  ARDO includes a 26mm flange.

But if your nipple fitment looks or feels too tight or if you can visually see that your nipple diameter is larger than a nickel, you will need to purchase a larger breast flange right away.  The following manufacturer's offer custom breast pump flange sizes for your convenience:

Ameda Custom Fit Breast Flanges replace ones in the Hygeinikit, Purely Yours, Ultra, Finesse and Ameda Mya Joy breast pumps have 28.5mm flanges and 30.5mm flanges available as well as 32.5 and 36 mm.
Ameda also offers a 21mm breast flange for Ameda Mya  and Ameda Mya Pro (does not fit Mya Joy),  24mm and 28mm Ameda Mya flanges as well as a 30mm flange.

Hygeia Large 29 mm breast flange and Hygeia X-Large 31 mm breast pump flange

Spectra 28 mm breast shields and Spectra 32 mm breast shields

ARDO 26 mm breast shells and 28-31 mm breast shells (AKA breast shields or breast flanges) and even an XXL ARDO 36 mm breast shell

For brands like Medela or Rumble Tuff, we recommend using Pumpin' Pal Super Shields so that you get the benefit of a better fitment and can avoid back strain due to leaning forward while pumping without an angled breast shield.

What if your breast shield is too large?  Some manufacturers are now offering a smaller flange such as the Spectra 20mm breast shield.  Inserts are also available from several manufacturers to make your breast flange smaller.  If your nipple diameter is the size of a dime or if too much of the areola is being drawn into the breast shield, try an insert.  Ameda offers the Ameda Flexishield which is a 21 mm massaging insert that will fit both Ameda and Medela breast shields.   This silicone massaging insert which actually helps with milk let down. I have seen moms pump an extra ounce of breast milk when using a Flexishield massaging insert.  This is due in part to the correct size for better milk sinus compression, but also because silicone massaging inserts like the Ameda Flexishield massage the areola much like the peristaltic wave of the infant's tongue when the baby is at the breast.  This action tends to assist the let down reflex.  Other breast pump manufacturers such as Hygeia, Rumble Tuff, Medela, and Bailey can be used with the Pumpin' Pal Small and Pumpin' Pal X-Small Super Shields.  The Pumpin' Pal small and x-small Super Shields yield some let down assistance as well due the movement of a flexible silicone breast shield.  

If the manufacturer of your breast pump doesn't offer the size you need, standard breast flange inserts are also an option.

Buying the correct size breast flange is as essential for milk supply as changing your valves, diaphragms or filters on your breast pump to maintain proper suction.  In addition, if the breast flange is uncomfortable, moms tend to pump less and wean sooner.  Here's to hoping this information impowers you to keep on breastfeeding and pumping!

Happy Pumping!

Tanya

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