BREAST PUMP SIZING
Have you been sized for your breast pump flanges? Did you even know that there were different sizes? If not, you are not alone. The vast majority of women are pumping with the incorrect flange size! This can create pain in the nipple and breast, and can also cause ineffective milk drainage. Meaning, your pumping isn't working as well as it could and this can directly impact how much milk you are able to collect. If you're that woman who's tried to pump but has only been able to get a couple of drops out, yet breastfeeding your baby beautifully, with plenty of abundant milk supply, then you may be using the wrong size flange.
We have seen well meaning nurses and midwives who don’t know about this and are handing out the wrong sized equipment to patients in the hospital. Unless you have been measured and fitted it may be the wrong size for you.
In order to size your body for your breast pump, you will need to measure the diameter of the face of your nipple. That's just simply measuring it yourself from side to side in millimeters.
If you were sized at one point, but much earlier in your feeding journey, it’s a good idea to recheck your size. Nipples can change quite a lot when you breastfeed. Your nipples may have been one size during pregnancy, or right after the birth, and could have changed to a different size over the last few weeks or months of breastfeeding.
Whatever your true measurement is in millimeters, add 2 to the total and that is the size flange that you will require. When fitted correctly, the flange should sit against the areola with only the nipple inside the channel. We want just a little bit of clearance around either side, so that the nipple can move freely within the channel. Check out the picture below to see what the proper fit should look like.
If your flange is too small, the plastic will be flush against your nipple, and this can cause friction and pain when pumping. If your flange is too big, you'll pull areola into the channel which again can be inefficient and painful.
The vast majority of commercial breast pumps that are available will automatically come with a size 24 flange or larger. To use this size, that would mean your nipple would be 22 mm across. Now we've seen all kinds of nipples in our experience, and there are definitely women who have nipples this size or bigger. However, the vast majority of women will have much smaller nipple diameters than this, so a size 24 rarely fits the average mother. The lesson from this is don't use the flange straight out of the box. Measure yourself properly and get the right fit.
You can use any tape measure or ruler that you have around. You can get a measuring tool, which can be helpful for you, or you can even use a penny in a pinch to get a rough estimate. A penny is 19mm in diameter and you can place it against your breast to see if you are bigger or smaller than the penny to give you a general idea of where you should be.
But if you want a no hassle easy peasy way to measure them we recommend this Momcozy Measuring Ruler. Click the box below and grab it off Amazon. Measure those nipples!
You can contact your pump manufacturer or look online for replacement flanges. There are lots of different sizes that you can buy, however this can become expensive. A cheaper alternative is to purchase a set of flange inserts which will provide you with a variety of different sized diameters that you can experiment with to get the right fit. You can also use this kit again later if your nipple size changes throughout your feeding journey and you find that you are requiring a different size. These flange inserts are designed to fit straight into a 24 standard flange and work with most breast pumps!
If you have tried the correct size insert and you are still experiencing soreness when pumping you can also try a silicone flange cushion. This works in much the same way by decreasing the diameter of the channel, but this insert will cushion the whole breast and not just the nipple.
Recent evidence has found that using a spritz of coconut oil spray to lubricate your pump flanges helps to decrease pain as well as improving fit and efficiency. As an added bonus coconut oil is a natural anti microbial and was found to help nipple damage to heal faster than with nipple cream.
Whether you’re pumping because you have to, because you’re back to work, or because you want to share the load of feeding with the occasional bottle, having the right size flanges and a comfortable pumping session is the best key to success. No matter what your reason, rest assured that even with expressed breast milk you and your baby are still getting the health benefits from that good stuff. Keep up the great work!
Please reach out to us if you have any questions! info@pacificnorthbreast.com
Happy Pumping,
The Breasties!
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