Troubleshooting: Breast Pump Replacement Parts for the Hygeia Breast Pump

If your Hygeia Breast Pump is not suctioning the way it used to, the culprit is usually one of two parts, the duckbill valve or the bacteriostatic filter.

The number one cause of low suction is a torn or worn out valve. The tip of the Hygeia duckbill valve must be able to close completely.  If it remains open, the amount of pressure your pump can provide is decreased.  As a rule, if you are pumping three times per day or more, replace duckbill valves every six to eight weeks at minimum.  If you are like most moms and you have multiple valves that you interchange and you notice a decrease in suction and want to determine which part needs to be discarded, switch to single pumping.  To do this, you will remove the tubing from one side and cover the opening with the port cover attached to the bacteriostatic filter.  Place the remaining breatshield still attached to the pump on one breast and test the suction.  If the nipple is being drawn in normally, remove the breast shield from your breast and remove the bottle from the breast shield.  Then remove and replace the duckbill valve to test the next one.  Continue to do this which each valve you have in your stash and discard any valves that are not performing well.  This way you don't use valves that may compromise your milk supply with inferior suction.

It is harder to visually determine when the Hygeia bacteriostatic filter needs to be replaced, but the rule of thumb is that whenever you replace a valve, replace the filter.  At the very least, if you are a working mother or an exclusively pumping mama, replace the filter every 2-3 months whichever comes first.  

Buying replacement parts is a small price to pay when the reward is a healthier milk supply.  Lactation Connection makes this easier with their subscription service.  With the Hygeia Replacement Parts Program, moms can choose to get parts delivered to you every 3 months for 2 shipments, 3 shipment or 4 shipments.  Each shipment arrives with free shipping and an option to add additional items that ship free along with your subscription in case you need more bottles, milk bags or any other breastfeeding supplies.  The subscription service takes the guesswork out of  replacing breast pump parts.  

During the month of March 2018 in honor of our 25th year in business, Lactation Connection has partnered with Hygeia to offer moms some exclusive deals.  We are really excited about the March Hygeia sale!  All Hygeia breast pumps and accessories products are 25% off, all month long with no coupon code needed.  Every order that includes Hygeia products during the month, will receive a free gift of a breastmilk storage guide magnet, samples of milk bags and nursing pads and a coupon for a future Hygeia order.  In addition, every mother who places any order at Lactation Connection during March 2018 has a chance to win a Hygeia Nursing Stool.  It is so simple!  If your order number ends in the number 25, you win and your stool will be shipped with your order.  That is a 1 in 100 chance of winning, so the odds are pretty great!

Best wishes for a healthy milk supply and good luck on winning a nursing stool!

Tanya

Milk Supply: How Do I Know if My Newborn Baby is Getting Enough Breast Milk?

Once your newborn is at least 6 days old, there are some guidelines to help you be sure of your milk supply.  Note that insufficient milk supply is rare.  What is more common are practices that can hinder your milk supply or baby's feeding which I will detail at the end of this post.

To assess good milk transfer, answer the following:

1. Is the baby wetting 6-8 diapers in 24 hours? (Disposable diapers are so absorbent, that it might be hard to tell.  If you are unsure, take a clean diaper in one hand and the removed diaper in the other and you should be able to tell by the slight weight difference.)
   Yes  |  No
2. Is the baby having 3-4 bowel movements in 24 hours that are mustard yellow with curds in them? (These shold be silver dollar size or larger, not just a stain.)
   Yes  |  No
3. Do the breasts feel full before feeding and softer after feeding? 
4. Yes  |  No
5. Do you hear swallowing when the baby is breastfeeding?
   Yes  |  No
6. Is the baby eating at least 8 times in 24 hours?
   Yes  |  No
7. Does the baby seem satisfied after a feeding?
   Yes  |  No
8. After the initial weight drop, has your baby started gaining 3/4 - 1 ounce per day?
   Yes  |  No                                                               
9. If tyou had some nipple soreness, is gone?                                                                                    Yes  |  No

Practices that hinder milk supply include "scheduling".  Making an infant wait for feedings, lowers milk supply and slows weight gain.  Infants may need to eat at 1-3 hours apart during the day, especially between day 10 and three weeks when the first grown spurt occurs.  The only scheduling that should occur is if the infant has not asked to be fed at the 3 hour mark from the beginning of the last feeding, it is time to nurse.  A mininum of eight times a day is normal for a newborn.  The longest stretch you could hope for is one 5 hour stretch.  It is common for newborns to feed up to 12 times per day during a grown spurt.  This practice ensure a healthy milk supply for a growing baby as milk supply follows a demand and supply principle.

Other practices that can hinder milk supply are the use of a nipple shield.  While they have a time and place to assist in latch.  They are not a cure for sore nipples and should not be used unless necessary and discontinued as soon as possible.  When using a nipple shield, a cut out ultra thin silicone nipple shield is best.  Place the cut out at the baby's chin so that the skin to skin can elevate your hormone response which increases milk supply.

Another practice than can reduce milk supply is unresolved engorment.  When the milk first comes in 3-5 days postpartum, softening the breasts with warm moist heat from a compress or disposable diaper doused with hot water and warmed in the microwave is essential before nursing or pumping so that milk is more effectively extracted.  Milk that is not extracted actually reduces milk supply as your body is being signaled that you do not need the milk.  That is why the practice of waiting for an insurance pump is not the best idea.  If your insurance company will not allow you to get a pump until after the birth, go with a private pay DME.  That way, you can order the breast pump on the day of the baby's birth and it will be at your doorstep between 3-5 days when you need it most.  You then have to file for reimbursement with your insurance company, but it beats waiting around for a company to bill your insurance and you may not have your pump when you need it most. 

Here is to a Healthy Milk Supply, Mamas!
Tanya

Breast Shield Size - Do You Need a Small 15 mm or 19 mm Breast Flange?

Recently, we have been researching the effectiveness of small breast flanges for moms who are trying aftermarket brands in 15mm.  Most manufacturer's do not offer flanges that small.  This mom in particular was having difficulty because even a 15mm was too large.  A smaller flange can often be too large if too much of the areola is being pulled in and the milk sinuses are not being compressed properly at the breast shield.
This problem can ofte be solved with a silicone insert or silicone breast shield.  So where a 15mm plastic flange may be too large, a 15-19 mm silicone breast shield such as the x-small and small super shields by Pumpin' Pal will work very well.  The reason is the material.  Silicone helps hold the breast tissue in place whereas the hard plastic flange will allo the tissue to be draw in too far.
If you have tried a silicone shield, and still need to the areola to be held in place more efficiently, rolling the silicone so that it suctions to the breast is often the answer.  See the image below which is from Pumpin' Pal's 2018 Quick Start Instruction Guide.

Not only are the SuperShields angled for a more comfortable pumping position, they are available in x-small 15-19 mm breast shields and small 20-23 mm breast shields in silicone for better adhesion to your breast.

These are now also available for use with popular Spectra breast pump when using the Spectra flange adapter.

Here is to better pumping!

Tanya

Troubleshooting: When to Replace Breast Pump Parts & Accessories

If your breast pump is not suctioning the way it used to, the problem often lies in one of two breast pump parts.  Most breast pumps have a valve plus a diaphragm, filter or backflow protector.  The number one cause of low suction is a dirty, torn or worn out valve.  If you valve is the type that has a valve head and membrane shown here, it is imperative that you remove these parts when cleaning.  The valve membrane will retain a build up that decreases the suction.  Taking the membrane apart from the head is essential to remove this build-up.  If you see that the membrane will no longer close completely with the head or if it has a tear, replace it as soon as possible.

If your breast pump has a duckbill valve (shown below) which in most cases is a clear or white valve, the tip of the duckbill must be able to close completely.  If it remains open, the amount of pressure your pump can provide is decreased.  As a rule, if you are pumping three times per day or more, replace duckbill valves every six to eight weeks at minimum.  This is a small maintenance expense that will reward you in the dividend of a healthier milk supply.

One example of essential breast pump parts that need replacement are the Spectra S2 parts that include the white duckbill valve and the backflow protector.  These two parts are the most commonly replaced parts for Spectra breast pumps and if either of these parts is used for longer that eight weeks, the amount of pressure your breast pump has can be decreased.  The longer you use a breast pump with parts that are not functioning at capacity, the greater the chance of decreasing milk supply.

The most commonly replaced parts for each brand are listed below:

Spectra - duckbill valve, backflow protector
Ameda - duckbill valve, diaphragms

Motif - duckbill valve, diaphragms 
Hygiea - duckbill valve, bacteriostatic filter
ARDO - duckbill valve, membrane pot
PJ's Limerick - micron filter, silicone gasket
Bailey Nurture III - filter

Breast pumps that do not have closed systems such as Medela do not need parts replaced as often, but open system can lead to exposure of bacteria to breast milk so we do not recommend these pumps.

Lactation Connection offers subscription services for replacement parts on our most popular brands so that you don't forget to replace them on a regular basis.  We only sell authentic manufacturers parts for Spectra, Ameda, Hygeia, ARDO, Limerick, Bailey, Rumble Tuff and BelleMa to ensure quality of performance in your breast pump.

Salud! Here is to a healthy milk supply!
Tanya

Get Breastfeeding Help - Lactation Connection Celebrates 25 Years Serving Nursing Mothers since 1993!

Happy New Year!  Lactation Connection has been serving nursing mothers since 1993 so we are celebrating our 27th year in business in 2018.  In honor of this event, we are launching a new program to answer your breastfeeding questions.  You will be able to email me directly and have
25 years of breastfeeding experience tailored to your situation.

Just copy and paste the following into an email and fill out the information so that I can assist you
in the best way possible!

What is your baby’s birth date and birth weight?

What was your baby’s age and weight at last weigh-in?

How often (include specifics on number of times per day and how long)
are you putting the baby to the breast?

How often (include time of day and number of minutes) are you pumping?

How many wet and dirty diapers does your baby have in 24 hours?

What color are the stools?

What specific breast pump do you have?

If you are exclusively pumping, how many ounces are you getting per day?

If you are supplementing, how many ounces and at what age did you start
to supplement?

What breastfeeding concerns do you have?

Are there any health concerns with you or your baby? (ie infant tounge tie,
maternal diabetes, etc.)

Have you taken any herbal supplements or lactation cookies? If so, be specific
on brand and dosage.

Happy Nurturing!
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