Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

How do you know when you need a different breast flange size? Spectra breast pumps include the most commonly fitted flange size, 24mm breastshields . Although this is the most common size, many women will fit better in other sizes. A properly sized breast shield aka breast flange is important to ensure the best performance of your pump and the most milk output. An improperly fitted breast shield can hinder milk supply and cause discomfort. To determine the shield size you need, pump for five minutes using the standard size provided with your breast pump. Your nipple will expand while milk is being expressed, therefore it is important to measure after five minutes of pumping so that the size you select will provide adequate room. After five minutes, measure the diameter of the nipples at the base with a tape measure that uses millimeters. Click the link to access a printable tape measure . Ideally, you should select a shield size that is 2-3mm larger than this measurement, but up to...

Moms often ask - "Of the pumps that are offered free with my insurance plan, which pump is my best choice?"  This is a great question because there are several factors to consider when choosing a breast pump. Most importantly, hygiene needs to be considered when choosing a breast pump.  Is this a pump that won't contaminate my breast milk?  The answer is in whether it has an open or closed system.  Closed system pumps protect your milk from having dust or bacteria blown into the bottles while you are pumping.  The biggest offender in this area are the Medela pumps.  They do not offer a closed system and the Medela company does not comply with the codes set up by the World Health Organization so it is easy to rule this brand out. The next consideration is the function.  Is it a double electric auto-cycling breast pump with at least 250mmHG which is milligrams of mercury, a measurement commonly used in measuring strength of suction. Most commonly inf...

Moms often ask, how much water should I be drinking while breastfeeding?  What they are really asking is how much water do I need to make more milk.  The answer:  water does not make milk .  Breastmilk is made from blood and while your body does not function well at any task if dehydrated, drinking too much water can have several negative effects on breastfeeding. The first was over-hydration can negatively effect breastfeeding is actually reducing milk supply.  Not only is there no data to support the assumption that increasing water intake significantly increases milk supply, there are actually studies showing the opposite. One significant study by Illingworth and Kilpatrick tested 210 postpartum mothers.  Half of which drank an average of 69 oz daily and the other half exceeded 100 oz daily.  The mothers forced to drink beyond normal amounts produced less milk and their babies gained less weight.   Another disadvantage to too...

Are your bags packed for the hospital?  Moms tend to read extensively about what they need for labor and delivery, but let's not forget about after the birth.  Breastfeeding can be easier if you have a few essentials to help a mama out.  So what should you take to the hospital for breastfeeding? 1.  Breast Pump    It is not an uncommon occurrence for moms to want or need to pump in the hospital.  Perhaps you have an exceptionally sleepy baby, are separated from your baby for health reasons, or have noticed you have flat or inverted nipples and need a little assistance.  Taking your breast pump to the hospital is a great way to ensure you have one if you need one.  There are limited "floor pumps" and since insurance may not cover the extras, you won't be billed for a personal collection kit if you have your own pump at hand.  Make sure you choose a good quality pump such as the Spectra S2 Breast Pump or Spectra Synergy Gold Br...

Although we love Pumpin' Pal Super Shields , some brands were just not working well with them.  The reason is that when you have a one piece breast shield that does not come apart, you had to insert the Super Shield into the primary breast shield to get the angled comfort of the Pumpin Pal breast shields . Not any more!  Pumpin' Pal now makes an adapter for Spectra so that you can use this system with your current Spectra parts avoiding any reduction of the suction on your breast pump when using the Pumpin' Pal Spectra Super Shields . These  Pumpin' Pal Spectra Super Shields  are offered a wide variety of sizes from x-small 15-22mm to x-large 35-40mm.  So now you can have the size that fits perfectly to properly compress the milk sinuses in a comfortable angled breast shield that allows you to sit back and pump instead of leaning forward which can cause back pain and fatigue.  The proper compression of the areola in this angle offers better milk ...

Need to troubleshoot your Ameda Breast Pump?  When you rely on your breast pump for exclusive pumping or working and breastfeeding, you need to know how to start with the correct flange size, maintain and troubleshoot any issues that may come up while you are using your breast pump. These issues can often be solved with maintaining your breast pump with genuine replacement parts. Let's start with breast flange size .  First you need to assess your nipple size at rest.  Most women fall between the XS and XL size for their breast flange so although there is no way to know for sure without trying out the flange while you are pumping, the rule of thumb (pun intended) is to compare your nipple size to the size of your fingers.  This works particularly well if you wear the average size 6 ring finger for a woman.  If you nipple is the diameter of your pinky, start with a smaller 21-22 mm flange.  If your nipple is the diameter of your ring finger then the Am...

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 ...