If pumping is painful for you, the shape of your breast shields might be part of the problem. One possible solution is Pumpin’ Pals, which have a unique design that many people find to be more comfortable.
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What are Pumpin’ Pals?
Pumpin’ Pals are breast shields with a slightly different design (the Pumpin’ Pal is on the left and the Medela flange is on the right):
Most flanges have a funnel, where your breast goes, and then a tunnel for your nipple.
Instead of the hard, circular transition between these two parts that you see on most flanges, Pumpin’ Pals tapers between the funnel and the area for your nipple, which reduces discomfort and fits the breast more naturally.
According to Pumpin’ Pal, this also allows milk to flow more freely.
What pumps do Pumpin’ Pals flanges work with?
Pumpin’ Pals work with most major breast pumps. They may not work with wearable breast pumps, like the Willow or Elvie, or with hands-free pumping cups, like Freemie.
Pumps with a separate breast shield
With pumps that have the breast shield and connector as two separate pieces (like Medela breast pumps), using them is pretty straightforward – you can just replace the existing flange with the Pumpin’ Pals flange:
Pumps with a combined breast shield
To use Pumpin’ Pals with a Spectra or another type of pump with a combined flange and connector, you need a special adaptor that you can get here.
Here’s how the setup looks with Spectra pump parts and the adaptor:
Pumpin’ Pals Review
When I compared the Pumpin Pals to Medela flanges, I liked the Pumpin Pals better for a few reasons.
1. More comfortable for the nipple
The nipple is gradually eased in to the Pumpin’ Pal thanks to the wider, rounder design, whereas it’s a bit more “stuffed” into the Medela flange.
2. Ability to lean back
Pumpin’ Pals have an angled design, making it possible for you to lean back in a chair while you pump.
All you need to do is lean forward again before disconnecting yourself.
3. Easier to hold onto
Because the flanges encompass more of your breast, it’s much easier to hold onto them if you’re not using a hands-free bra.
Also, when you hold onto them, the rounder bottom means that the edges don’t dig into your hands.
Overall, I really liked these and would recommend them.
Can you do breast compressions with Pumpin Pals?
No, because they cover much more of your breast than traditional flanges.
However, the website says that that is intentional, and you shouldn’t need to massage while pumping because the flange is doing that work for you.
Who are these flanges good for?
If the normal flanges that came with your pump are working well for you, then you’re probably fine to keep using them. However, if you’re having any of the following issues, they may be a good fit for you.
1. Pain while pumping/elastic nipples
If you’re having pain when you pump and it doesn’t seem like changing your flange size helps (especially if your nipples seem to be stretching far into the connector – this is called elastic nipples), they are definitely worth a try.
If you think you may have elastic nipples, be sure to buy the silicone Pumpin Pals as they “grip” the nipple differently.
2. Want to lean back?
Additionally, if you’re feeling burned out with pumping and think it would help to sit more comfortably, being able to lean back when you pump is a really nice feature.
Plus, being relaxed may help you express more milk.
3. Taking too long to “empty”
Finally, some people take a long time to “empty”. (Breasts can never be completely empty because they are always making milk, so by “empty” I mean you’re expressed most of the milk in your breasts.)
Pumpin’ Pals are supposed to help women empty faster – so much so that they state that you should call their customer service if it takes you longer than 25 minutes.
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How do these flanges work – which end goes on top?
The first time I used these flanges, I was really confused about whether the long end should go on top or on the bottom.
The answer is either way is fine! There are “no rules” about what direction they face, and you can use whatever is more comfortable for you.
Silicone vs hard plastic Pumpin Pals
Pumpin Pals are made using two different materials – silicone and hard plastic. Silicone flanges come in XS and S sizes, while plastic flanges are available in M, L, and XL.
Some people find silicone breast shields to be more comfortable, and people with elastic nipples have the best luck with them.
What size should I buy?
Sizing can be a little confusing. Pumpin’ Pals sets come in two sizes – small and large – and when you order a set, you get three pairs of flanges.
- A small set contains extra small, small, and medium flanges. The extra small and small sizes are silicone, and the medium size is plastic.
- A large set contains medium, large, and extra large pairs. The large set is all plastic flanges.
Pumpin’ Pal has a quiz that you can take to determine was size you should use! You can take it here.
If you’ve used Pumpin’ Pals, let us know what you think in the comments! (You can use the code EPUMP for 5% off!)
References
- Pumpin Pal https://pumpinpal.com
- Philips USA. “The science of comfort; why feeling relaxed helps you express more milk.” https://www.usa.philips.com/c-m-mo/breast-pumps-care/the-science-of-comfort
Comments & Chitchat
I ordered the small set (xs,s,m) as recommended from their online quiz. I followed the instructions and still couldnt find which flange fit best, there was an issue with each size (nipple not going in, or going in too far) and I was pumping less milk with each of the 3 sizes.
I went online and there were options to return within 15 days but they gave you option to schedule an appointment with an IBCLC to get the product to work for you instead. So I scheduled for this past Friday, went and drove 50 miles to my moms so she could watch the baby, so I could focus during call.
Two hours before our appointment the IBCLC Diana West canceled and said the company decided to end video support. I told her that it wasn’t professional and that my appointment was confirmed and that I was a mother struggling with elastic nipples and had reduced milk output with their product. She wouldn’t budge and upheld the fact that it was the company’s policy. Ridiculously unprofessional!
I’m confused as to why each set includes many different size flanges…are you supposed to use the entire set of flanges or just find the ONE set within the 3 flanges to use? I just don’t want to spend $50 if you’re really only getting to use one set of the flanges. Hopefully that makes sense.
Hi Lauren! They say that some people use different sets at different times of the day, or at different points in the pumping journey because your breast shield size can change. So maybe you find it’s most comfortable to use the blue in the morning and green in the afternoon, for example.
Hi! I agree the pumping pals flanges are more comfortable than the spectra ones. My question is has anyone found a hands free pumping bra that works with the silicone pumping pals flanges?
Have you tried the Pump Strap at all? The holes are pretty wide and I think it would work?
I would not have been able to continue pumping if I didn’t use the pumpin pals. The medela flanges were all too large for me and painful to say the least. After getting these, I went on to pump for 15 months. Life savers. I highly recommend for any mom struggling with pain in their nipples while pumping.
Can your flange size change with each child? My first child I used a small pumpkin’ pals. With the second my nipples are very sore, I’m thinking I need a medium. It’s this possible?
They can! They can even change while you’re pumping for the same child. 🙂
Congrats! I have been exclusively pumping for baby #1 for 5 months now and your site has been so helpful! I love pumping pals, they are so much more comfortable than the regular flanges. I have recently tried Freemie as I often pump while driving to and from work. They are very discrete which I love but they leak at times which for a mom struggling to keep my supply up, can be devastating. I have talked to customer service who gave me some tips and sent me another set but the problem still wasn’t solved 100% of the time. So I would try with caution for any lower supply mama like me.
Thanks again for all your posts and helpful tips!! Knowing we’re not alone is HUGE!
My baby boy is 3 weeks today. A 4 day stay in the NICU and me in high risk led me to pump a ton at the hospital. I came home and did not want to force feed him formula supplement so I began exclusively pumping. Fighting a major oversupply after being overzealous has been an issue.
I love this site and out Tommee Tippee bottles. He will still feed from me but has issues with my “super boob”. I like the new Tommee Tippee pump and go system. It looks similar to the kindii. Wondering if anyone has tried it. Not sure if I’ll keep pumping, mix in feeds or start to go formula but this site has given me some sanity!
Congratulations
Thank you!
Congrats on #3 and nursing! I EP, and feel the same way about the pumpin pals, I love them. I too saw it as an investment, in order to justify the price, and I’m glad I did. I am very much looking forward to your review of the freemie, as I am looking into investing in those cups to use with my Pisa. Your blog helps to encourage me to keep on pumping, sometimes being an EPer feels kind of lonely. Thank you, and I look forward to your review!
Thanks Christine! I’m excited to try it too, I’ll let you know!
Congratulations on baby #3!! And nursing!! That’s wonderful and I’m so happy for you. Also I’m so glad you like the pumpin pals. I’m 9 months into exclusive pumping (bought your ebook) for the first time and using pumpin pals was the only way I could continue. I use a different size for each breast so the way they are packaged ended up working out really well for me.
Wish you the best! Congratulations again on your newest member of your beautiful family!
Thank you so much! And I’m so glad the book and Pumpin’ Pals have worked out for you too!
Congrats on the new baby! Now that my first is 15 months and at a super cute age, I’m starting to think we should try again in the near future. Crazy how one forgets all the trauma and drama (I had a lot of it with exclusive pumping). You may or may not remember my story, but I had extreme engorgement for the entire 5 months I was pumping with a huge oversupply, while did wonders for weight loss and I was grateful for the supply, I had a clogged duct every day that I had to work out and pumping 80 oz a day with huge breasts made me stop early because of all the health issues (severe back pain etc etc). But during that time, I did a lot of research on the stuff you are talking about.
I got pumpin pals and also really liked them. I actually continued to massage because of my issues, and it’s doable, but I did tend to leak a lot. Again, I was an abnormal case. The company is REALLY NICE. So I would actually email the guy directly about your concern and I bet they’d package several together for you of the same size, or work with you to make it reasonable. I told him initially that it didn’t work for me, they gave me a full refund and told me to try it again later or give it to a friend and I agreed, I tried again later and it worked great, so gave a great review, and let them know personally that it worked much better. Good luck with everything!
That is awesome that the company is so nice! Thanks for letting me know how easy they are to work with!
I’m glad that you survived your engorgement and pumping issues! 🙂 I got pregnant with my second when my first was 14 months old, and breastfeeding was much easier the second time. Hopefully it will be for you too!
I used the kiinde and loved it! It did start to get expensive for a single mom but the ease was so nice. I also had to order a lot more than desired because they aren’t readily available everywhere but target subscription was great.
Thanks for the tip on the Target subscription!