Are Lactation Consultants Trained to Size Pump Flanges?

Yes! Sizing pump flanges is part of lactation consultant training, but the traditional sizing is clearly falling short.

This is a common complaint made in Facebook support groups where sizing is done by people without any type of formal training. Common mantras telling parents that LC’s don’t size is sending parents to these groups where time and time again parents are getting “sized” by admins or non-lactation providers without any credibility further hurting parents. This helps lend credibility to their choice to offer this type of breastfeeding support service as an untrained provider. 

Now, this doesn’t negate the terrible flange sizing occurring when clients are working with those identified as lactation consultants.

So if lactation consultants are trained, why is bad sizing happening?

The first thing to understand is that lactation consultant is a generic term and can mean a variety of different trainings and credentials, and only in a handful of states is it a regulated term that has an actual verified meaning. So when you say you were sized by a lactation consultant, we don’t know who actually sized you.

Depending on how long a lactation consultant has been practicing and the population they work with, they may have limited exposure to the newer pumps, which leads to sizing challenges. Their training on pump sizing may have been quite some time ago, and pumps are rapidly evolving right now!

The bulk of the poor sizings I have come across seem to be coming for lactation consultants practicing as part of hospitals either in the postpartum floor or outpatient clinics where they lack the ability to do true individualized consultations. This can be problematic as there are often exclusive pump contracts that require them to use a standard set of flanges for a traditional pump, and that advice translates poorly to many pumping experiences parents are having.  

Is this problematic? Yes!

It’s not acceptable that lactation consultants are not always up to date with the latest information. It’s problematic that hospital clinics seem to be a significant source of poor flange fitting advice. But to say that lactation consultants are not trained as a whole is not factual, and it is heavily perpetuated by these opportunistic, somewhat predatory, sizing services.

If you are having issues with your pump flanges, you need to contact a lactation consultant with advertised specialty in flange sizing. There are a number of trained providers out there who can support you - some with virtual services (myself included). You do not have to use a sizing service run by untrained individuals capitalizing on your painful pumping experiences, and you shouldn’t.

So if you are having trouble with your flange sizes, reach out! I am happy to help you find a comfortable flange that works for you!