How important is the fit of the flange when you are pumping?

Every mother needs a good flange fit for greater comfort and better milk flow. What determines a flange’s size—and your fit—is the width of its opening. To get an idea of your flange size, compare your nipple to a  nickel. If your nipple is wider than a nickel, you will likely need a larger-than-standard size breast flange. But because the breast changes as you pump, measuring tools alone are not the most reliable gauge.

The best way to check your fit is to watch your nipple during pumping. With a good fit, you should see space around your nipple as it moves freely in the flange’s tunnel (see below Photo A). With a tight fit, your nipple may rub along the tunnel’s sides or move very little (see below Photo B). A tight fit squeezes the nipple and slows milk flow. The rubbing can also cause discomfort, skin irritation, and skin breakdown.

PHOTO A: GOOD FIT

PHOTO B: TIGHT FIT

A pump flange can also be too large. In this case, more than about ¼ to 1/8 of an inch (3-6 mm) of the area around your nipple will be pulled in as you pump or your nipple may appear to bounce in and out of the nipple tunnel.
If your flange is too large or too small, you may feel discomfort even on low suction settings. You may also pump less milk than expected.
But once you find a good flange fit, this isn’t the end of the story. Flange fit can change with birth, breastfeeding, and pumping. The flange that fits you well when you start pumping may need to change as you pump longer. For this reason, it makes sense from time to time to recheck your flange fit.
Ameda offers seven flange sizes. Some Ameda pumps and kits include multiple flange sizes like the Ameda Purely Yours Ultra.    Check with your Lactation consultant or Public Health nurse any time you have discomfort or pain with pumping.  Pumping should not hurt!

Some of this information is adapted from:

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA, Lactation Consultant,
Coauthor of Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

Congratulations you're pregnant. Now you need a breastpump?

Well, not really! Buying a breastpump is something many pregnant women think about. When should you buy a pump? There are a few factors to consider when you are ready to buy. The first is are you planning to breastfeed, or are you planning to feed your baby breast milk? If you are going to exclusively breastfeed with the occasional bottle given by dad, or grandma or whomever then a manual pump will likely do the trick.



If you are planning to go back to work early then sure, a double electric pump is a no brainer! But what about if you are in between those stages? A double electric pump can be a good purchase especially if this is your first child and you are planning (hoping!) for more. You will get quite a bit of use out of it. If you can afford it then it will be a useful tool in your parenting arsenal!


Personal Breast Pump selection

Should you buy a pump while pregnant? Our advice is no, you should wait. What if you have breastfeeding challenges and need a hospital grade pump for an extended time? What if your baby refuses the bottle no matter what you try?  There are many factors in an individual breastfeeding experience and you won't actually have the anwsers until you hold that precious bundle in your arms. Breastpumps don't really go on sale, so waiting until you have your baby won't change that. Plus they are readily available at most pharmacies, check behind the counter with your pharmacist!  Breastfeeding is a unique and rewarding experience for most families, and some will struggle and some will have an easy time. Just remember a pump cannot replace skin to skin contact and the benefits to mom and baby that come with that! Enjoy your pregnancy, and start thinking about breastfeeding.   Do your research, think about which pump you would purchase, but wait until the time is right!
Good luck and happy feeding.

Storing Your precious liquid!

Storing and Handling Mother’s Milk

QUESTION: What do I need to know about storing my milk?

ANSWER: In addition to the milk storage times (see chart below), it also helps to know these points:

•  Glass or hard plastic containers can be used.

•  Milk freezer bags are also an option.  Ameda Store and Pour are perfect for this. You can pump directly into the bag and the write the date and put in your fridge or freezer directly. No muss no fuss!

•  Avoid thin bottle liners. These are meant to be used as feeding bags, but not for freezing milk. They can split when frozen. 

•  Store your milk in the smallest amount your baby might take. When your baby takes a bottle, her saliva mixes with the milk. You can always add milk to it, but don’t save leftover milk after it’s been fed.

•  Write the date and time on your milk container with a sticky label or non-toxic marker. Add your baby’s name if she is in daycare or in the hospital.

•  You can combine milk pumped at different times. When combining milk from different days, write the date of the oldest milk on the container.

•  If you plan to use your milk within 8 days, you can keep it in the fridge. Otherwise, plan to freeze it in the coldest part of the freezer. Avoid storing in the door, the deeper into the freezer the better.

• You can add fresh milk to cooled milk. And you can add fresh milk to frozen milk if it’s  cooled first and there is less fresh than the amount frozen.

• Before freezing large amounts of milk. Freeze a batch or two, then thaw and smell it. Some mothers make milk high in lipase, an enzyme that digests fat. When thawed, the frozen milk of these moms has a strong, soapy smell. If this happens and the baby refuses this milk, deactivate the lipase before freezing it by scalding the milk first. (To scald your milk, heat it in a pot on the range until bubbles form at the edges, then cool and freeze.)

• If you follow the times on the chart below, you can keep your milk at room temperature, then refrigerate it, and then freeze it.

QUESTION: Why do some milk storage guidelines differ?

ANSWER: Why can’t the experts agree? First, research confirms that your milk will not spoil before the times in the table below. But the longer your milk is stored, the more vitamins and antioxidants are lost. That’s why some breastfeeding books list shorter storage times. Those experts prefer you to use your milk sooner rather than later. But this doesn’t mean that your milk will spoil if you wait longer.

It’s never a bad idea to give your milk as soon as you can after pumping. But what should you do if you find some stored milk in the back of the fridge that has been there for up to eight days? When in doubt about the freshness of your milk, smell or taste it. Spoiled milk will usually smell spoiled.

QUESTION: Why do I need to warm my milk before feeding it to my baby?

ANSWER: An older, larger baby can handle drinking chilled milk. But milk needs to be warm for a tiny baby. If a newborn is fed cold milk, it can bring down his body temperature. For a younger baby, warm your milk to between room and body temperature.

QUESTION: What should I know about warming and thawing my milk?

HERE ARE SOME POINTERS:

•  Whether warming chilled milk or thawing frozen milk, keep the heat low. High heat kills the live cells in your milk that help keep your baby healthy.

• Warm your milk to between room and body temperature under cool then warm running water. Keep warm water away from the bottle lid so that it doesn’t mix with the milk. 

•  One way to do this is to put a bottle in a bowl with the sides lower than the bottle’s lid. Run warm water in the bowl. The warm water against the sides of the bottle warms the milk.

•  You can thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator.

•  Your milk is not “homogenized” like the milk in the store. So it may separate into layers. If this happens, just gently swirl it to mix.

HERE ARE SOME “DON’TS” TO KEEP IN MIND:

•  Don’t warm milk in the microwave. It changes the milk and causes hot spots that can burn your baby’s mouth and throat.

•  Don’t heat the milk in a pot on the stove. High heat can make the milk too hot for your baby, and it destroys the antibodies your baby needs.

You know how much your milk matters to your baby. That’s why you make the time to pump and store your milk.

Ameda Personal Breast Pumps