Madela Flanges/Breastshield Sizing ?'s

Phoebe623

I have been using the 24mm standard sizing that comes with my PIS breast pump, and I don't get a lot of expressed milk. 

Even though I know LO is getting 2 ounces at each breast (based on LC pre/post weight check), I only get about .25 of an ounce from each breast when pumping.

For awhile, I believed I just was one of those that don't respond well to pumping,  but now I am wondering if the sizing of the shields aren't correct for me.

I looked at the diagrams on Medela's website, but I can't tell the nipple versus areola in their black/white pictures, so how much of the areola should be pulled into the tunnel versus just the nipple?  It seems like I get a lot of areola soreness, so I *think* too much of mine is sucked in, so that would lead me to think the ones I am using are too big.

I have to lean forward otherwise milk collects in the breast shield and will leak backwards instead of into the bottle.  Is this normal, or another sign of too big?

Anyone have troubles expressing with a pump and then successfully express with different sized shield/flanges?

 

 

ColoGirl+25

I'm curious to hear others' experience with this.  I too have to lean forward when I pump, and it's such a pain!  I also think the standard shield may be too big for me--which is surprising since I was an F cup before pregnancy, I never would have thought I'd need a small shield!

eiriene

Also, sometimes your nipples react differently to pumping and nursing.  I can easily use the 24 mm nipple shield from Medela, when we nurse (she has trouble remembering latching sometimes), but I can't use that when I pump at all.  I'm totally stuck using the XL shields from Pumpin Pal because nothing else fits, and my nipples swell up a ton.

Brook15

I've had the same issues. Started out with the standard 24mm but pumping hurt and my nipples were getting in such bad shape (my entire areola was being sucked into the tunnel) I did some research about it and ended up buying the 21mm, which is the smallest size for Medela. Pumping hurt less but by the middle of a pumping session, my entire areola was still being sucked in and I wasn't expressing as much milk. When I saw the LC she told me that the issue was that I had very small areolae and that going with a larger flange might actually help with the abrasion. I have switched to the 27mm and and getting more milk but still abraded. LC actually suggested to go with the 30mm and just let the areola move into the tunnel with some allowance to prevent the chaffing. She also suggested rubbing a little olive oil or coconut oil at the base of the tunnel to help lubricate. I think this helps a little but not a whole lot so I might give the 30mm a go.

 I think one of the key things to look out for is movement in your breast when you pump (which I was not getting with the 21mm).

 There are too many variables to just go by Medela's guideline. For example, how swollen your nipple/areola gets when pumping, nipple size vs areola size, etc. As far as I'm concerned, pumping shouldn't hurt any more than BF and it shouldn't hurt your supply. If any of these are affecting you, try different options to find a solution that works for you. Hope this helps!