Women's Health

Types of Flanges in Breast Pumps

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Different types of flanges are available in the market for breastfeeding mothers to feed their infants.

Written byDr. Akanksha Singh

Medically reviewed byDr. Richa Agarwal

Published At September 7, 2022
Reviewed AtJuly 24, 2024

Introduction:

There are certain situations when direct breastfeeding is unavailable for the infants. In cases such as premature birth, some congenital abnormalities like tongue-tie (the condition in which the tongue frenulum is attached to the base of the mouth causing difficulty in speaking and eating), some breastfeeding problems with mothers like sore nipples, low milk supply, or death of mother at the time of delivery. Human breast milk fulfills nutritional needs and protects babies against infections. Despite many advances and research in formula milk, human milk remains the best nutritional supplement for the baby for the initial six months of their life. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), stored breast milk is the best alternative when direct breastfeeding becomes impossible. Breast pumps play a significant role in overcoming these unavoidable circumstances by helping the mother extract milk.

What Is a Breast Pump?

A breast pump is a device that is used by lactating mothers to extract milk from their breasts which can be used later for feeding the infants. Various advancements have been made to imitate the mother's breast by making a breast pump. Breast pumps can be manual, where milk extraction is done by manual pulling, or maybe electric, where the entire process of extracting milk is automatic.

What Are the Parts of Breast Pumps?

Beast pumps are made up of a few essential components:

The components are:

  • Breast Shield: A breast shield is a cone-shaped cup covering the nipples and areola (the darker area surrounding the nipple).

  • Pump: The pump can be either attached to the breast shield or may have a plastic tube that is connected to the breast shield. It creates a vacuum that helps to express milk from the breast.

  • Milk Container: A milk container is a detachable container that fits below the breast shield. It collects and stores the breast milk when pumped. The container can be a reusable bottle or disposable bag.

What Does an Individual Understand by Breast Pump Flange?

A breast pump flange is a plastic material that is formed in a funnel shape and made to fit over the nipple. It creates a vacuum seal around the areolar area around the nipple. The nipples lie inside the funnel, which helps extract human breast milk. The size of most of the pumps comes with a standard 24-millimeter (mm) flange dimension. However, the availability of these flanges is variable and is distributed in wide ranges, starting from 21 mm to 36 mm. The size describes the diameter of the small tube on the flange's narrow edge.

How to Measure Breast Pump Flange Size?

Measuring the correct breast pump flange size is essential to ensure effective milk extraction. Measure the nipple diameter without including the areola by using measuring tape or a ruler. To accommodate for the movement of the nipple during pumping, add about two to five millimeters to the nipple diameter measurement. This will prevent friction and discomfort. Using the right size flange is crucial for preventing discomfort and ensuring efficient milk extraction.

Why Is Flange Size Considerable for Breastfeeding Mothers?

There are variable sizes available for breastfeeding mothers. It is a difficult decision for all breastfeeding mothers. Selecting the right flanges can help the mothers express the maximum amount of breast milk. The right flange makes the process efficient for breastfeeding mothers.

The dependent factors in the selection of the flanges are breast tissue and skin elasticity. If the fitting of the flange is too tight, it affects breastfeeding by constricting the breast tissue, as it leads to the formation of clogged milk ducts, which ultimately restricts breast milk removal.

However, if the flanges are too loose, it can affect the breast milk removal which ultimately affects the milk production rate as it can lead to lower milk production. It may aggravate the nipple pain and can even lead to nipple injury. The fact is that if the breast pumping hurts it could lead to decreased breast milk supply.

When Does a Mother Need a Breast Pump?

The breast pumps are used to remove and collect breast milk from a woman's breasts. Following breast milk collection, it can be immediately fed to the baby when hungry or can be stored in bags and containers. Hand expression technique can also be used to extract the breast milk but pumps are more efficient for extracting the breast milk. There are certain situations when a mother needs a breast pump to feed their infant.

Breast pumps can be chosen by a mother under the following circumstances:

  • When the mother’s nipples are flat or inverted in shape.

  • When a mother is returning to work.

  • When the mother is out for a short period of time, the baby gets hungry.

  • If the baby is in a neonatal care unit (NICU).

  • If the mother is suffering from breast engorgement, she needs relief from pain.

  • It can be used to increase the breast milk supply.

  • When a mother desires to temporarily wean the infant.

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Why Is Getting the Accurate Size Breast Pump Flange So Important?

A mother needs to get the right size flange to avoid any rubbing or punching on the nipples. If the flange size is inappropriate, it can hurt the nipple and make the extraction process painful for the mother. Additionally, it can also affect the amount of breast milk secretion. It can harm breast milk secretion. It can also lead to a clogged milk duct if the flanges are ill-fitting and it is too tight on the nipple. Also, if the flange loosely fits the nipple, it cannot provide adequate suction. This can also lead to improper removal of the milk from the mother’s breast.

Conclusion:

Breast pumps help working mothers, premature infants, critically ill infants, or infants born with some abnormality that restricts their suckling ability. Whatever may be the reason, usually, most breastfeeding moms find it useful to have a pump on hand. There are various types, styles, and brands of breast pumps available, so it may be difficult or overwhelming to pick the right one. An individual may seek the help of a lactation counselor or breastfeeding specialist in choosing the accurate breast flanges for their needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The right flange size is essential in choosing the breast pump as it can yield maximum milk supply. Loose flanges will affect milk production by creating a vacuum and thus decreasing milk output. If the flanges fit tightly to the breast, it can damage the tissues and clog the milk duct due to constriction.
Some women find a silicon breast pump more comfortable and flexible than plastic one. In addition, silicon breast pumps are suitable for sensitive nipples as they are very soft and prevent the swelling of nipples during the pump.
Milk output depends on selecting the correct flange size according to the breast. If the breast pump flanges are too tight, it can cause constriction of the breast tissues, leading to a clogged milk duct. On the other hand, if the flange is too loose, it can reduce milk production by affecting the removal of milk from the breast.
Yes, the wrong flange size can cause mastitis or painful infection of the breast tissues. In addition, when the fitting of the breast pump flanges is not correct, it can affect breastfeeding by forming clogged milk ducts which further leads to soreness, swelling, redness, and pain in the breast tissues. Mastitis is a prevalent condition in breastfeeding women caused due to improper removal of milk from the breast leading to infection.
The suction caused by the breast pump can put pressure on the nipples, and they can get swelling. Painful or ill-fitting breast pumps can also lead to swelling or inflammation of the nipples. Swelling can also occur due to clogging of the milk in the ducts of the breast, which can cause infection and pain in the nipples.
Pumping can be made comfortable by sitting with back support to create a comfortable position and environment for collecting breast milk. Also, massaging the breast before pumping can be beneficial. In addition, maintaining the beast pump's low suction setting can make the pumping easy and comforting.
Small flanges of the pump can squeeze and pinch the nipple against it. Also, the smaller flanges' size creates excessive friction, which can lead to nipple injury. Therefore, the size of the flanges is according to the nipples to avoid difficulty using the breast pump and make the process comfortable and smooth.
A woman needs to hold the breast while pumping if the pumping bra is not used to support the breast. The breast should be held gently to avoid pressing it too hard as it can compress the breast tissues and affect milk output. The breast is supported by the palm and fingers, while the index finger and thumb are used to hold the breast shield.
Nipples can get damaged due to pumping if the flanges are ill-fitting and the breast pump hurts. Also, pressing the breast tissues vigorously to increase mild removal can cause nipple injury. Nipples can even get damaged, leading to bleeding or cracked tissues if breast pumps are not used correctly.
The breast is never actually empty after feeding as the milk production process is continuous in the breast. When a woman feels softer after feeding, it indicates that the breast milk is emptied, which makes the breast firm. Similarly, a firm breast means that breast milk is not fully drained.
Milk supply can be increased by pumping more often, stimulating milk production in the breast. It is advisable to pump milk every three hours to enhance milk production and output. However, the pumping should be done not more than 15 minutes as it can harm the breast tissues.
Higher suction does not necessarily increase milk production and can cause damage to the breast tissues, thus inhibiting the milk output. The milk production can be increased by pumping more often at normal suction levels for 15 minutes every two to three hours. However, higher suction can lead to nipple injury, soreness, and breast swelling.
If the breasts feel full even after pumping milk for 15 minutes, then there must be an issue with releasing milk through the breast pump. The condition may arise due to clogged milk ducts and accumulation of milk in the breast. Also, Breasts feel heavy due to being overfilled with milk causing pain, swelling, and hardness.
A woman can stop pumping every three hours if the milk production is well established during the initial weeks of postpartum. The pumping session can be reduced if the milk output increases with time and enough milk is available on every pump to feed the newborn. Mostly pumping every two to three hours can maintain a good milk supply without discomfort.
Breast pumps are beneficial under various circumstances to feed the baby and increase the milk supply in the breast. However, breast pumps can have disadvantages, too. For example, it can damage the breast and breast tissues, cause painful infections, damage to nipples, and breast milk engorgement. In addition, the setup of a breast pump can be expensive for some people and, therefore, can be a disadvantage for using pumps for feeding.
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Dr. Richa Agarwal from iCliniq
Dr. Richa Agarwal

Obstetrics and Gynecology

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