4 Advice to Choose a Proper Fitting Flange For Breast Pump

When you&#;re pregnant, there are a ton of things to think about and decisions to make. When you&#;re also preparing to breastfeed, there are even more decisions to make ­&#; which breast pump are you going to use? Which accessories do you need to buy?

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One that might not have crossed your mind is what flange size you need to select for your breast pump. Choosing the correct flange size will help you increase your milk supply and have a comfortable experience. Here are some tips to help you choose the right flange size.

Why is Flange Size so Important?

Choosing the correct fitting flange will not only be more comfortable for you, but will empty your milk more thoroughly, protecting your growing milk supply. Thoroughly draining your breast milk will help increase your milk supply and assist in preventing clogged ducts and engorgement, which can lead to infections like mastitis.

You may have to use a different flange size on each breast and your size may change throughout your pumping journey.

Factors to Consider

Proper flange fit will be determined by the size of your nipple diameter (measured at the base of your nipple prior to pumping or breastfeeding) as well as the length and elasticity of your nipple. It is important to observe your nipple while you&#;re pumping to ensure it is moving freely within the flange tunnel.

How to Determine the Best Fit

Center your nipple inside the breast shield and hold with gentle pressure deep into the breast tissue. Do not press the breast shield too hard when you pump, as it could block the milk ducts. Set the suction level of the pump to the most effective and comfortable setting. Your nipple should move freely inside the breast shield tunnel.

Directions to measure:

1. Cut outer rectangle.
2. Cut out the internal 'H'.
3. Fold at arrow edge on &#;B&#; side.
4. Slide folded side &#;B&#; toward side &#;A&#; to measure the base of the nipple.
5. Measure before pumping or breastfeeding for accuracy (at rest).
6. Choose a flange that is 4 - 6mm larger than your nipple at rest to allow for length and stretch of nipple while pumping.

When you&#;re finished, your tool should look like this:

Suggested Guide

Ongoing support is important for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. If you need assistance, our TMH lactation team is here for you. Whether you need a little help getting started breastfeeding or run into difficulties along the way, we&#;ve got you covered. We have the largest and most highly trained breastfeeding support team in the region. You can reach us at 850-431- Monday - Friday, 9 am - 3 pm ET to schedule an outpatient lactation consultation. In-person and virtual appointments are available.

You can also attend our free weekly Breastfeeding Support Group led by one of our lactation consultants. The group is open to anyone in the community and offers a social outlet for moms and babies during their transition after delivery. Support group is free and open to all moms and babies. Registration is not required.

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Brenda Yoshikawa, RN, BSN, IBCLC

Choosing the right pump, learning its ins and outs and figuring out how to safely store your milk are things you&#;ve likely thought through if you&#;re pumping breast milk for your baby. But there&#;s something that many pumpers don&#;t give much thought to at all: flange size.

For more information, please visit Proper Fitting Flange For Breast Pump.

Also called a breast shield, the flange is the part of your pump that sits around your areola and nipple and cups your breast while you&#;re pumping. Using the proper size is key to an efficient and comfortable pumping session. But it&#;s not always obvious to check for a correct fit&#;and many pumpers are using the wrong size flange without even realizing it.

Here&#;s what you need to know about finding the right size breast pump flange: why it&#;s important, how to measure (and the tools you&#;ll need to do it) and how to be sure you&#;ve got the proper fit.

What Is a Flange?

A flange, also called a breast shield, is an important part of any breast pump. Shaped like a funnel, the flange goes around the nipple and areola and surrounds the breast during pumping. Flanges are most commonly made from plastic or silicone and come in various sizes. Some pumps come with multiple flanges in different sizes, while other pumps require you to purchase them separately.

Plastic versus silicone flanges

The type of flange you choose is a matter of personal preference. Many pumpers find silicone flanges more comfortable than traditional plastic ones, but not all. If you&#;re a frequent or exclusive pumper, you may want to consider giving silicone a try as they are soft, moldable and tend to create less friction as compared to plastic flanges. But many pumping people do just fine with (or even prefer) plastic options.

Why Does Flange Size Matter?

There are many reasons why pumping with a properly sized flange is important, but two rise to the top according to Rebekah Kimminau, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and owner of The Baby Gear Consultant: comfort and efficiency.

&#;Pumping with a properly sized flange will reduce any nipple damage and pain. You&#;ll also see the best output and be most likely to empty your breasts at each pumping session,&#; she explains. Both of these factors are a pretty big deal, especially if you&#;re someone who pumps exclusively or even regularly. &#;No one wants to be in pain while pumping, and being in pain can actually cause a decrease in milk supply. And when you empty your breast, your body gets the signal to continue making milk, which allows you to continue the positive cycle of milk-making.&#;

All flange sizes within the US and Canada are standard and use measurements in millimeters (mm), according to Kimminau. Some companies may size their flanges in small/medium/large, but will also correlate the size with a millimeter measurement. Most pumps come with two standard sizes, a 24-millimeter flange set and a 27-millimeter one.

Whether you&#;re exclusively pumping or only pumping occasionally, flanges can wear down over time. You may be able to get flanges and other breast pump-related parts free (depending on your insurance coverage) through Babylist Health&#;so be sure to check!

How to Measure Flange Size

Many pumpers assume that the size of your flange should correlate with the size of your breast&#;but that&#;s actually not the case. More important than breast size is the size of your nipples and your areolas, Kimminau points out. &#;Many people with large breasts have small nipples and will need a small flange, while many people with smaller breasts may have larger nipples and need larger flanges,&#; she explains. That&#;s why measuring your nipples is such an important step when you&#;re trying to figure out the best flange size for you. Follow these three steps.

1. Learn where to measure.

Before you jump into measuring, you&#;ll need to know what you&#;re measuring. To find the correct flange size, you want to focus on your nipple, not your areola.

2. Measure your nipple size.

Next, you&#;ll need to measure the size of your nipples. One easy way to do this is by using Babylist&#;s Breast Pump Flange Sizing Guide. Print the sizing guide at 100 percent scale and follow the directions for using the ruler. Be sure to measure your nipples prior to pumping and gently stimulate them before you begin. You&#;ll also need to measure both nipples, as they may be different sizes.

To find your flange size, take this measurement (the diameter of your nipple) and add two to three millimeters, then round up to the nearest flange size. So, for example, if you measure your nipple at 21 millimeters, your flange size would be 24 millimeters.

You can also refer to this flange size chart:

Up to 17 mm 20-21 mm flange size 17 to 21 mm 24 mm flange size 21 to 25 mm 27 -28 mm flange size 25 to 29 mm 30-32 mm flange size 29 to 32 mm 36 mm flange size

Don&#;t have access to a printer or simply don&#;t want to deal with printing and cutting? You can use a special nipple measurement tool, like this nipple ruler that Kimminau recommends. You can also use a standard ruler or measuring tape; just know it can be trickier to get an accurate measurement this way since you&#;re dealing in fairly tiny units of measure. Be sure to measure your nipple from base to top and don&#;t include your areola. (Quick math: One centimeter equals 10 millimeters.)

3. Confirm the correct fit.

Once you&#;ve selected the correct size, you need to check for a proper flange fit. The flange should fit over your nipple. When the pump is on, it&#;s okay if a small amount of areola is pulled into the flange as long as your nipple fits well and you don&#;t experience any pain. Your nipple should not rub against the sides of the pump (that would mean the flange is too small), but you shouldn&#;t see too much of your areola getting pulled into the tunnel of the flange, either (which would mean your flange is too big).

Remember, it can take a bit of trial and error to find the proper flange size. If you&#;re noticing things like friction, pain, swelling, pinching or decreased milk supply, those are likely signals that you&#;re using the wrong size flange. Don&#;t be afraid to try a few different sizes and possibly even test out both plastic and silicone flanges. And always reach out to a lactation consultant with any questions or ongoing issues.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Flange Size Too Big. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.