A week with my Pumpin' Pals

momtolenny · April 2012

Well, it hasn't been quite a week, but I have come to the conclusion that these flanges are GREAT! If you have any issues with the old style flanges from Medela, these might be your ticket to pain free pumping.

I got them last Saturday, and my nipples were swollen, sore, cracked, and rubbed raw. I put the pumpin pals directly in my medela connector and the moment I turned on the pump, I felt relief. I had read that it can take your breasts a little while to adjust to the way the work, and it is quite different than the regular flanges in that A LOT more of my breast is pulled into the tube, but it didn't hurt like just the nipple being pulled. AHHHHH! I had also read that it can take up to a week for your output to get back to where it was, but it only took me about 3 days, and I was back to normal, and today I have actually pumped a little more. Smile

My nipples are already looking better as the cracks have almost healed completely and aren't as swollen when I finish pumping. I have used both the large and medium with pretty much equal results, but the XL are just too big - OMG they are huge! I guess if you can't find a big enough medela flange, these would be fantastic. It seems weird, but I have actually turned my suction down some and getting a better flow, even though so much more areola is getting sucked on. I was playing around and turned it way up and it still didn't hurt, but my nipple was getting pulled too far into the tube and didn't really get that much more milk. They also work perfectly with my simple wishes bra and I don't need to lean forward at all.

Anyway, I am just giddy and I couldn't wait to share. I was literally ready to throw in the towel, but now I can see myself going a full year.

MsCrispy · April 2012

I have them too. I've been using them for months and find them much more comfortable to pump with. I was hoping that they would boost my supply as well, but I think I pump about the same amount, maybe a little more because I can pump for longer.

I've still had some problems with discomfort, I recently stepped up a size on my right side which helped, but they are so much better than the flanges that come with. I use the hand free bar thing too, it work ok.

OregonPachey · April 2012

I just looked these up and I am going to order them! Thank you so much. I have severe pain when pumping even when using the XXL flanges from Medela and lanolin.

AmyRI · April 2012

so glad they helped you, too!

alliapistor · April 2012

Where did you buy them? I'm curious if they would help with my repeated clogged ducts.

momtolenny · April 2012

I bought mine directly from the company at www.pumpinpal.com. They even have a money back guarantee if you don't like them, which is NOT the case with medela flanges. I went through 4 pairs of those things without any relief.

LollerCopter · April 2012

I don't know if they will specifically help with clogged ducts, but I can say that I haven't experienced any clogs since I started using them. I do pump longer with them than I did with the medela flanges, and maybe that helps avoid clogs. You may also want to look into Lecithin supplements if you have an issue with clogs. It helps thin the milk a little.

momtolenny · April 2012

Well, another week has gone by and I am happy to report that my nipples are COMPLETELY healed and my supply has steadily increased. I'm not sure if the increase is because of the design of the pumpin pals, or just due to the fact that I can finally relax and pump without pain. Either way, I'll take it!

Anyone else have any pumpin pal stories? I'm just so happy I found them.

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A week with my Pumpin' Pals

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