Your Complete Breast Pump Flange Size Guide

Did you know that a crucial part of breast pumping is getting a breast pump flange that fits correctly? Comfort and fit are important in pumping because they facilitate ease of milk flow. Breast pumping should never be painful, and an ill-fitting flange can lead to loss of milk or skin irritability. At Pumps for Mom, we know how critical it is to find your perfect pump. You&#;ll likely be using your pump for a while, and you want to get the most breast milk you can to feed your little one. Below, we break down everything you need to know about breast pump flanges and their sizing. 

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What is a Breast Pump Flange?

A breast pump flange, also known as a breast shield, sits on the nipple while you use a pump to breastfeed. It&#;s shaped like a funnel, forming a vacuum seal around the nipple. This helps create the suction necessary to extract milk from the breast during pumping. Flanges typically range from 15 to 36mm, and most generic pump kits will come with a 24mm flange. If you need help measuring, a lactation specialist can assist you in finding your correct flange size. 

Why Does Flange Size Matter?

Breasts are not all the same size, and it&#;s important to make sure you&#;re using the flange size that&#;s best for you. If your flange isn&#;t the right size, it may rub your skin and make pumping painful. Using the wrong size may also lead to clogged milk ducts that block flow. A loose flange won&#;t provide enough suction and can lead to lower milk production.  

How to Measure Your Flange Size

Measure your nipple with a tape measure or ruler to accurately determine your flange size. One of your best options is using the metric side of a fabric measuring tape. Measure the base of your nipple, and do not include the areola. As your body changes after pregnancy, you may find that your flange size changes over time. That&#;s fine, as most pump kits come with different flange sizes or you can order more. 

Flange size depends on your measurement, typically adding on 4mm as follows:

• If your measurement is 17mm, use a 21mm flange.

• If your measurement is 20mm, use a 24mm flange. 

• If your measurement is 23mm, use a 27mm flange.

• If your measurement is 26mm, use a 30mm flange.

• If your measurement is 32mm, use a 36mm flange.

How to Determine if You Have the Right Flange Size

If you have the correct flange size, it should feel comfortable, and only your nipple should enter the pumping tube. Your nipple should not rub against the side of the tube, and you shouldn&#;t feel any pain when you&#;re done pumping. 

If your flange doesn&#;t fit correctly, you might notice nipple rubbing, pain, or your areola entering the tube. You may also notice skin irritation, blood circulation issues, or full breasts even after pumping. A too-small flange means your nipple won&#;t be able to move freely in the tunnel and milk flow may be slow. A too-big flange means you won&#;t get a good air seal and you&#;ll feel discomfort. 

If your flange is just right, your nipple will be centered and be able to move in the tunnel. You shouldn&#;t feel any pain, and your breast should be drained to your complete satisfaction after pumping. Many lactation specialists recommend the &#;COMFY&#; test to make sure you have the correct sizing. 

C &#; Center Nipples Move Freely

Your nipple shouldn&#;t touch the sides of the tunnel. If it rubs too much, this may cause redness or pain. 

O &#; Only a Little Areola Tissues Should be Pulled Into the Tunnel

Most of your areola should remain outside of the suctioned area in the tunnel. If too much of your areola is getting inside the tunnel, your flange is likely too big. 

M &#; Motion of Your Breast is Gentle and Rhythmic

Your breast should gently move back and forth with the pump&#;s movement. 

F &#; Feels Comfortable Breast Pumping

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Pumping should not cause pain or tenderness. If you&#;re feeling discomfort, readjust or try a different flange size. 

Y &#; Yields Well-Drained Breasts

Your breasts should feel lighter and emptied out after you pump. If not, your flange might not be facilitating milk flow as it should. 

Branded Flanges

Many of the breast pump brands at Pumps for Mom offer their own breast pump flanges that feature special qualities such as comfort and flexibility. Below are some of the best flanges from the top breast pump brands. 

Ameda CustomFit Flanges

Ameda&#;s CustomFit Breast Pump Flanges make breast pumping more comfortable with funnel-shaped pieces. These flanges come with an angled design and various size options for a better pumping experience. Five different flange sizes are available for your specific needs. Try the Ameda Mya Joy to experience CustomFit flanges.  

Lansinoh ComfortFit® Flanges 

Lansinoh&#;s ComfortFit® flanges feature a soft, comfortable rim that helps maximize pumping efficiency. ComfortFit® flanges are compatible with Lansinoh® pumps and are BPA- and BPS-free. Customers love their flexible edges and secure seal that allows for better milk flow. Try ComfortFit® flanges with the Lansinoh Smartpump 2.0 Deluxe. 

Medela PersonalFit Flex&#; Breast Shields 

Medela&#;s PersonalFit Flex&#; breast shields offer pumping comfort and efficiency with special technology that allows easy adjustment. New Flex&#; Technology shapes specifically for your body with a 105° opening angle that reduces pressure on the breast. Personalized fit and an oval shape offer comfortable, flexible positioning and personalized adaptability. The Medela Freestyle Flex offers PersonalFit Flex&#; Breast Shields that adapt to your breast shape and enable 11.8% faster milk flow.  

As you&#;re measuring your flange size, keep in mind that it may change and that it&#;s ok to try out different pieces until you find your perfect fit. The team at Pumps for Mom is here to help with any questions you have and any of your flange needs. If you want to know more about how to measure or how to get a free breast pump through insurance, reach out today to start the process! 

There are a lot of options for breast pumps these days. They include heavy-duty pumps that are ideal for people who are exclusively breastfeeding or pumping and those that you can wear even on a plane. You&#;re bound to find something that works best for your needs.

The type of breast pump&#;or breast pumps&#;you&#;ll need depends on when, where, and how often you&#;ll be using it. &#;The first thing to think about is how the parent will use the pump. So a regular separation, for example, versus going back to work or school, where you&#;re going to be separated from your baby every day for several hours,&#; says Jacque Ordner, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and breastfeeding educator at Aeroflow Breastpumps. &#;Versus the occasional, &#;I just need to go out on a date&#; or to a doctor&#;s appointment kind of thing.&#; In those cases, having two types of pumps may prove useful. 

If you&#;re planning to exclusively pump right out the gate, you might want a device that&#;s strong enough to get your supply flowing when you&#;re still in the hospital or just recently home. In this situation, you may want to use a multi-user pump, sometimes called a &#;hospital-grade pump.&#; These pumps are typically rented, either from a hospital or a medical supply company. Although most breast pumps available on the market will suffice for a majority of new parents, there are circumstances in which you may want a multi-user pump available from the hospital. &#;For mothers and babies who have particular challenges, such as a long NICU stay or other type of separation, a hospital grade rental can be beneficial,&#; Ordner says. &#;While some hospital grade rentals vary little from personal-use pumps, others offer features like pre-programmed pumping patterns designed to closely mimic the nursing pattern of a newborn.&#; 

Typically, you&#;ll be able to obtain for free or buy your own breast pump through your insurance&#;and even in cases where you&#;re relying on your breast pump, you likely won&#;t even need the so-called &#;hospital grade pump&#; (a term that isn&#;t regulated, FYI). According to Lora Luczywo, IBCLC, there&#;s not much of a need for rental pumps these days, though that wasn&#;t always the case. &#;Insurance companies cover a lot of pumps nowadays,&#; she says. &#;And many folks use their insurance to pay for their pump. And sometimes for a small additional fee, they&#;ll let you upgrade to a different pump.&#;

For most people who will be using a pump regularly, a double electric or battery-powered pump will work. It works on both breasts at once to allow for maximum efficiency. Ordner calls these &#;traditional workhorse pumps.&#; They&#;re ideal if you need to pump three times a day, and/or you&#;re away from home for 8 or more hours per day&#;e.g., you&#;re a working parent. Their suckling action is designed to mimic the way a baby feeds, according to La Leche League International. They can be hefty, so they aren&#;t ideal for carting around on your commute, though they may come with their own carrying cases. Some plug directly into a wall outlet and others use battery power. A pump like this &#;is going to give you a lot of options, like customizing the cycle or how fast the pump is suctioning on and off,&#; Ordner says. &#;So that could be somebody with multiples; it could be somebody who&#;s exclusively pumping. If they&#;re using that pump on a regular basis&#;we&#;re looking for, you know, guiding them in the direction of finding the pump that has a lot of options to customize so that they can get the most out of the pumping experience.&#; 

These pumps are not typically super-loud, though they do produce noise that may bother some parents. 

You&#;ll want to take a look at the features and power capabilities of the particular pumps you&#;re considering (and you can read more about specific pump features below). 

You might also want to take a look at wearable or hands-free breast pumps. These can be great, says Ordner, but &#;they&#;re not going to be quite as efficient and helpful for establishing a milk supply or growing a milk supply.&#; You may want one anyway, though, because it allows for some flexibility on where and when you can pump. A wearable pump is a good option for traveling, for instance, or if you plan to be away from home for the day only on occasion. Wearable pumps are battery-powered, don&#;t come with suction tubing, and are often quite light. They may even sound quieter to some people because they&#;re fitted beneath clothing that muffles the noise, says Ordner. Some battery-powered pumps can be made into hands-free pumps by using a pumping bra.

&#;There are lots of moms who pump and have their traditional pump, and then have a wearable or portable pump as a complementary pump,&#; Ordner says. &#;There are families that use the wearable pump almost exclusively, but most of them have used the more traditional pump to at least get their supply established and stable before they&#;ve gone to using more of a wearable pump.&#;

Finally, there are manual-style breast pumps, sometimes called &#;hand-operated pumps.&#; These require no power (except for what your own hands provide) and can be great for traveling, reducing engorgement, catching letdown, or using as a backup pump, but because they take so much effort on your part, they&#;re not convenient for regular use. Because they don&#;t have a motor, Ordner says they can be quieter than other types of pumps.

There are two main types of manual breast pumps: passive and active manual pumps. Active manual pumps have a lever that you pump to stimulate milk flow. Passive breast pumps are bulb-shaped and suction to one breast to passively collect letdown during a pumping or feeding session on the other breast. These pumps are &#;very, very portable, easy to clean, and inexpensive,&#; says Luczywo. The Haakaa is a manual silicone breast pump that both Luczywo and Ordner find helpful for new breastfeeding parents. &#;It&#;s fantastic,&#; Luczywo says.

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