Wearable Pumps and Cups with Sizing Over 28mm

Six months ago, we had zero options. Today, we have two.

When it comes to discrete wearable pumps and cups, we have a wide variety of sizing options for sizes 10 mm to 28 mm. And while that range covers about 90-95% of people based on the flange sizing data I’ve been able to collect, that still leaves 5-10% of people who could benefit from access to a larger flange with wearable options.

Fortunately, we do NOW have two options available to make wearable pumps and cups work for those who need a slightly larger option!

The Imani i2 pump is sold by Legendairy, and it has an option for 32 mm silicone flanges. They also sell an accessory to convert the pump to allow for use with other pump motors by replacing the Imani motor with a cap and tubing.

Read the Imani i2 review here.

The Freemie SlimFit 5 and 6 ounce low profile cups have a 30 mm flange as their standard plastic flange size.  

Read the Freemie SlimFit Cups Review here.

Freemie used to manufacturer 32 mm flanges for their open system Freemie cups, but those have been discontinued and are no longer sold anyplace that could be found. They may still be available on buy/sell/trade groups.  

Why does it matter if there are larger options available if the data shows it’s not a frequent need?

I actually suspect that the data is flawed and doesn’t capture the wide range of sizes nipples fall into. Lactation consultants see clients for whom regular flange sizing has failed, so those using 24-28mm are rarely seen since it works well out of the box. Bigger flanges are easy to obtain for traditional pumps which means we likely don’t see those clients either. 

Just like I think we need to have more options for smaller nipples, we need options for larger nipples, too! It has also been my professional experience that the nipples larger than 26-28mm tend to be flatter, less elastic, and pose more issues for breastfeeding overall. Many are inverted and do not evert at all with stimulation or suction. This leaves us in a challenging position where we are unable to effectively help them as well as those with smaller nipples (although that’s gotten better).

What should you do if you think you may need a larger size?

First, start with getting professionally sized to be sure this is what you need to do. It’s less common to find this is the actual need, and more common to find swollen nipples being subjected to gigantic flanges from poor support. 

If we do find you need the larger size, we would then have to assess size, shape, and elasticity to determine which option may work best in your situation. 

I wish I had a longer list of options to share, and hopefully over time I will! Pumping products are improving rapidly and constantly at this point, and the hope is with time, we will have perfect options for everyone.

Six months ago, we had zero options. Today, we have two. That is progress!

Are you aware of any larger options for wearable pumps not listed here? Let us know!