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Breastfeeding
bahamama
member
Areola getting sucked into narrow part of flange
bahamama
member
Hi everyone - this is my first post to this board, but I will probably be a frequent visitor... LO was born a couple of weeks ago and we've had a rough time with breastfeeding. I've bought a lot of supplies to help with pain (lanolin, shields, guards, etc), hired a lactation to help with latch (we still don't have it right), and both bought and rented breast pumps. We're supplementing with formula since my supply appears to still be insufficient despite taking fenugreek. LO had been losing instead of gaining weight. Thankfully, LO is now above her birth weight and I can get back to figuring out what I'm doing wrong.
For anyone pumping, I had a question that I was hoping someone may be able to help answer. I had been using the 24 mm flanges that came with the pumps, and after some skin on my areola (on the side, not nipple) started to peel, I went up to the 27 mm size. I'm still really low on supply and noticed that a good portion of my areola is getting sucked into the flange. The pump extracts my milk only during the stimulation phase. I'm trying to figure this out and was wondering if perhaps I should have gone down a size instead of up.
Can someone tell me - is any part of your areola getting sucked into the narrow part of the flange? Or should it just be only the nipple? If you had the sizing wrong, did it impact your production? Or would anyone know why I'm only producing during stimulation? My lactation consultant wasn't able to answer this last question, and I won't be able to see her again until Tuesday to ask the other questions.
TIA! [:)
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Areola getting sucked into narrow part of flange
I've heard of other girls on here who also only have milk come out during the stimulation phase. I don't know what causes that. I'd play around with the speed on your pump. Of course, be careful not to go too high so that it's painful. www.kellymom.com is a great resource about all things bf'ing. It has info about pumping too. I'm not sure if it addresses that particular issue, but you might find it helpful.
DD1: allergic to eggs & dairy
c/p 4/1/11
DD2: milk and soy protein intolerant, allergic to eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, bananas
MSPI Moms Check-In Blog
I've had a rough go of it too but stuck with it and now things are beautiful, so stick with it mama!
1. If your LC can't answer you, get a second opinion and someone that you can call if you're having problems any time for consistent help. That was my biggest lesson after going through several to find one who would really stick with me and support me till we figured stuff out. You can't wait till next Tues to feed your baby properly so you shouldn't have to wait to see an LC either.
2. Ask about domperidone if your supply is low. That with fenugreek and mother's milk or goat's rue made my supply sufficient and we didn't have to supplement with formula anymore.
3. Your LC should be able to tell what size flange you need based on the diameter of your nipple. You can also try to measure if you want, but you just want the nipple, not the areola. The smaller the flange the more you will get out (if it fits properly) and it sounds like you should go back to 24. I'm not sure they go smaller than that. It's not so much part of my areola that gets into the flange (although it looks like it I guess and maybe it is) but it's that the nipple lengthens in there. My guess is to stick with the 24 unless you're in pain. Yes, the sizing will impact how much you can pump - too big and it's not squeezing the part that squeezes the milk out.
4. have your LC check for tongue tie, etc. Causes for the latch pain if you still don't have it right. Try latching in cross cradle position (this helps you see your latch really well). Point your nipple to LO's nose (like going up it), wait for a big mouth and then using your thumb on the top of your nipple, shove it in (it'll look like there's no room for it but you're mashing it into LO's mouth if you're doing it right) so that the nipple is deep and pointing up toward the roof of his mouth and a little back. If your latch is correct the angle of LO's open mouth should look like lips (if that makes any sense at all). If not, let me know I'll try to explain. (i.e. not at a 90 degree angle, but at a little less than 180).
Keep it up, find an LC who will help you through EACH issue consistently and good luck! It's worth it!
first this website helped my a ton to up my supply https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html and theearlier you start the better (massage/compressions while pumping) - at first i held the flanges and made DH compress.Now i can balance bottles on my knees
- during BF its not uncommon for your nipples to change size. I pumped a lot at first (had major supply issues and had to nurse then pump every 2 hours) and b/c of that my nipples became swollen and raw. So i kept going up a size in flanges, it helped for a few days and then had to go up another size. Eventually it hurt so bad, (and more and more of the areola was being pulled in) that i started to force my way back down. until now i pump 1/day and am in the 4mm no problem. When i was hurting though i coated the flanges completely in 100% pure olive oil. It helps reduce the friction- and there for the pain (olive oil is safe to put on your sore/dry nipples and then had LO eat without needing to wipe it off)
-At first I only got milk out (and then it was drips never sprays) during the stimulation phase. This went on for wks but as my supply came up i got more and more in the active phase. I would pump with concentrated massage on the right, and go through 2 stimulations but you also need to have some on active even if you dont get anything out, and the more you do then the more you're telling your body to make. And then repeat on the left (so the other boob is being stimulated but no compressions)
Also you may want to look into medical reasons why your supply isnt good. If you start having some odd bleeding around 4-6 wks (clots, bright red blood - ihad gushes, and your uterus goes down some but not all the way) then you may have retained placenta that is starting to calcify, and needs to be removed- and your supply would improve after that.