Pumping question

jennp1979

Looks like I will start pumping earlier expected....I tried Pumpkng last night and only got 1.5 oz total from both ...I think my flange might be the wrong size because when I was finished my nipple was huge and a white lump around the bottom ....it took about 2 hours for it to go back to normal...fight when if was time to feed again....how can you tell what the right size flange is?

ghostof5letters

Per Medela

https://www.medela.com/UK/en/breastfeeding/good-to-know/right-size-of-breastshield.html

In my experience, unless you have super tiny nipples, the horns that come with the pump are too small. 

INmommy871278

I had to get a bigger size with DS because the one that came with it was too small. The lactation office had some that you could try out before buying them, so if you have lactation specialists at your hospital you might give them a call and see if they have any you can try. Our office also sold the different sizes for medela since that is the pump they recommend, so you might be able to try them out and buy them without having to wait on some to ship or trying to find some locally.

lks18

My LC gave me a variety of sizes of flanges and we experimented with them. I ended up most comfortable in the larger, 30.5 size. I wouldn't have guessed that I had particularly large nipples so you never know. I also lubed them with mother love nipple cream, which has olive oil as the 1st ingredient. These things made pumping more comfortable for me.

The white spot may be a bleb. I got one of those starting like 2 months before my DDs were born. It's like congealed milk or something. The LC lanced it and I had to kind of milk it out in the shower. The next time I pumped the milk was pink from blood but the LC said it's safe for consumption still. But I'd ask an LC before I started lancing anything on my own. Good luck!

ETA: I would have lost my mind by now were it not for my pumping bra. I have one from simple wishes and it has saved my sanity and my carpal tunnel afflicted hands. Looks ridiculous, but it had made frequent pumping possible for me.