Breast shields are part of the breast pump that allows the milk to flow from the breast into the breast pump storage canister. The breast shield fits snugly around the areola of the breast and the nipple. If the breast shield is not the right size, it can cause sensitivity and pain for the mother during pumping.
Step 1
Begin the breast pumping process, by following the instructions provided with the breast pump kit.
Step 2
Observe how the nipple is sucked into the tunnel of the breast shield, while the milk is beginning to be expressed from the breast. The fit of the breast shield should be comfortable and not extremely tight or loose around the nipple and areola. The nipple should not be rubbing against parts of the tunnel of the breast shield, according to Medela. Observe to see if any small pieces of skin are in the breast shield tunnel. If there are, this means that the breast shield is too small. Look for the areola moving with each pump of the breast pump. If this does not occur, the breast shield is too small.
Step 3
Observe to see if there is any pain on the outside of the nipple or in the breast after pumping. The nipple pain will only occur on the outside and not the tips, if the breast shield is too small. Breast pain will occur if the breast shields are too tight, and the milk is not being released from the breast properly. With breast shields that are too small, the milk ducts are not correctly being pumped, which causes milk to remain in the breasts. Milk remaining in the breast can be harmful to the mother because the breast may become infected or the mother could develop mastitis, according to Medela.
Things You'll Need
- Breast shield
- Breast pump kit
