Why do I offer pumping consults?

A few months ago, I left the kids at home with Dadda  and headed to Birmingham for a workshop I’d been really looking forward to. It was run by the wonderful Jeanette Mesite Frem MHS, IBCLC, CCE from Babies in Common, who led the newest research on flange fitting. Her work shows that choosing a flange size based on measurements close to the nipple tip often gives the best results for both comfort and milk output. It also turns out that different flange shapes can make a real difference for different people, who knew?

IBCLC Buddies – Tors Pearcy, Karen Williams and Polly Smith.

The workshop was a full day spent with lactation consultants and breastfeeding supporters, surrounded by oxytocin and what felt like thousands of flanges, my idea of a perfect day! The content was fascinating, and I especially loved the hands-on practice with lactating volunteers, helping them find more comfort and improve their milk yield. We also tried the fittings on ourselves. I’d only ever used a pump sporadically (usually during bouts of mastitis), and hand expression had always worked better for me. In fact, I once donated almost 3 litres of expressed milk to my local hospital this way, all while tandem feeding my baby and toddler.

Luckily, we were all pretty comfortable measuring each others nipples, no surprise when you’ve breastfed or supported countless lactating parents over the years. My friends measured me at 10 mm, which shocked me since I’d only ever used a standard 24 mm flange! We tried an 11 mm hard flange first—ouch. The pain was like tiny razor blades being pulled across my nipple skin. So with some skepticism we popped in a 10 mm, and bam it was a world of difference. There was NO sensation at all, and I could have sat with it on all day!  I watched in amazement as my nipple moved smoothly back and forth, exactly the way it should. After a moment, I saw tiny beads of milk appear, and a wave of emotion washed over me. I haven’t lactated since my daughter was three (she’s now almost six—very important detail, of course!). I do miss it at times, and my kids often say they remember feeding and wish I still made milk. That little bead of milk felt like a tiny spark of hope that maybe I could again someday (I won’t … Because aversion was real by the time my son was 5 and my daughter was 3). 

My stupid face upon realising I can still produce milk!

All this to say, I’m genuinely thrilled to be able to share these new skills with my clients. Whether it’s reducing pain or helping you finally see satisfying milk output, I’m here for it. Pumping consultations are now on my service list, so have a look if you’re interested.

But why might you want a pumping consultation I hear you ask?

Because finding a flange that fits you and not just your measurement, but your body can make all the difference. The right size and shape can boost comfort and increase milk yield (hello oxytocin). And with a personalised consultation, you don’t have to buy multiple sizes to experiment with. I’ll bring a full range of options to your home, we’ll test them together, and I’ll take everything away again for sterilisation. By the end, you’ll know exactly which size and style to buy and you can sleep easy knowing you haven’t contributed to a huge amount of plastic waste in the landfill!  So whether you’re exclusively pumping, pumping for top ups, or just want the occasional bit of milk, I can make it work for YOU!

Resources

https://www.babiesincommon.com/flange-fits-guide

Personalised Pumping Support – Because your boobs deserve a bespoke experience.