How Do You Know What Size Flange to Use for Breast Pump

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A breast pump tin can exist very useful if you're breastfeeding. The device allows you to express breast milk and store it to ensure your infant is fed when you're apart. When choosing a pump, it'south important that the flange (also called a chest shield) fits you properly. A flange that doesn't fit can breast soreness and injury also every bit reduce the amount of milk you produce.

The Standard Chest Pump Flange

The breast pump flange is the role that connects your breast to the pump. Milk will travel down the chest shield tunnel to the bottle or another drove device.

It's a expert idea to cheque the fit of the pump flange from time to time. All breast pumps come with at least one average-sized chest pump flange. The average flange is between 24 and 27 millimeters (mm)—which corresponds to the size of your nipple—but not anybody who breastfeeds will fit these sizes.

You tin get smaller or larger flanges depending on the material: plastic flanges range from 21 mm to 36 mm and there is a xl mm glass flange available.

Why Size Matters

Not having the right size chest pump flange can cause problems. For case, you might non exist getting the about amount of breast milk possible which can lead to blocked milk ducts. A poor fit can also cause nipple impairment, like rub marks and cuts on the nipple.

Many people notice a departure almost immediately after finding the right sized flange. Using the chest pump is more comfy and the amount of breast milk that they are able to pump begins to increase.

How to Tell If Yours Is a Expert Fit

Nearly every chest pump manufacturer volition offer a size guide for breast shields. Brand certain you review them before ownership a breast pump. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends researching the manufacturer'due south flange size options. You should likewise find out whether you'll be able to society a different size if you detect that y'all need i.

The size of the flange you demand is the size of your nipple. You can measure yours using a ruler or measuring tape. Exist certain to measure the diameter of the nipple alone—do not include the areola.

When yous get your pump, you tin can tell that the flange is a proper fit if:

• Y'all are non experiencing pain in your nipple.
• Your areola should have little or no tissue within the tunnel of the breast pump.
• You do not feel areas of the breast that even so have milk within (which indicates the uneven removal of milk).
• You exercise not meet a white circle at the base of the nipple, nor should your nipple blanch.
• Your nipple is centered in the flange and moves freely in the tunnel of the chest pump.

When Y'all Need a Unlike Size

If y'all don't have the right size, you lot will want to run across if your breast pump came with other flanges or if you will need to order new flanges.

If yous become up in size, y'all might exist restricted from using some of the softer plastic flanges. Some breast pump manufacturers take smaller flanges that tin fit inside the boilerplate-sized flange.

Most breast pumps merely come up with a 24 mm size flange and manufacturers frequently only offer the more common sizes (24 mm to 29 mm). The other sizes might also be available, and they are sometimes sold as function of a set of diverse sizes.

People with other size needs might have to buy from a source other than the one that produced the pump they use. People are often worried that the new flanges they buy from one manufacturer or visitor won't fit the pump they have from another. While it can be a bit wearisome to "mix and friction match," most pump and flange combinations will work fine.

Finding Help

A lactation consultant can be of great assistance if you're not certain what size flange you need, or if you lot think you might demand a different flange. If you do not already take a relationship established with a lactation consultant, at that place are several places you tin can look for one.

First by calling the infirmary where you gave birth. It's typical that they will have someone who is registered with the International Lath of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLC) that can help yous decide the event with sizing.

Yous can also try a local store that specializes in breastfeeding products or ask your friends, family members, or parents that are office of your play or daycare grouping who breastfeed if they have recommendations.

A Discussion From Verywell

Finding the right flange for your chest pump can make your experience less painful and more productive. It can be frustrating to find the correct size for you, but there are resources that tin help—and getting the perfect fit will exist well worth information technology.

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Verywell Family uses only loftier-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to back up the facts inside our articles. Read our editorial procedure to larn more about how we fact-bank check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Becker GE, Smith HA, Cooney F. Methods of milk expression for lactating women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;9:CD006170. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006170.pub5

2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Choosing a Breast Pump.

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Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/ways-to-tell-if-your-breast-pump-flanges-fit-2758354#:~:text=The%20size%20of%20the%20flange,do%20not%20include%20the%20areola.