Elastic Nipples
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Have you ever heard of elastic nipples? This is a term used to describe nipples that have significant elasticity during pumping, causing them to stretch and swell to fill the flange. Often times, even when using the correct flange size, elastic nipples will be pulled further into the flange than we would like. This can lead to tissue damage, discomfort and pain, and even clogged ducts.
What can you do about it? A snug fit is important, and silicone flanges work especially well for elastic tissue. The Baby Motion Flanges from Lacteck are my personal favorite. Not only is the silicone extremely comfortable, but they also feature a thin window at the base of the flange that collapses with each suction of the pump, mimicking the motion of a baby’s tongue - how cool is that?! You are also able to order them individually if you need different flange sizes for each breast.
Another important part of managing pumping with elastic tissue is to ensure you are using an efficient, high quality pump to minimize the length of time you need to be pumping each session. Elastic tissue with continue to stretch and swell over the course of the pump session, so minimizing time is a huge plus. My absolute favorite breast pump is the Baby Buddha. It is extremely powerful and efficient, but also very small and portable. This is the combination of pump and flange that I used to establish my supply while my second baby was in the NICU.
