aibu - breastpumps

[soggywetlettuceleaf]

Right a little rant - I didn't think prior to having a child that my b00bs were massively massive but apparently I cannot find a breast pump with the cone bits (the flanges - which makes me laugh like a 13 year old boy!) that are big enough.

Grrrrrr. I'm desperate to express so I can share a bit of feeding responsibility, get out a bit more as my LO cluster feeds a lot and DH wants to be involve but I cannot for the life of me find one!!!!

I know medela pumps have different sizes but that's based on nipple size - they don't appear to be a problem but I can't get close enough to the sucky tubey bit because the b00bs won't let me.

AIBU to expect to find a breast pump I can use without too much trouble?!

Argh. Rant over.

Can anyone help/suggest anything

Hand express? I found it easier and less painful.

I don't really understand how you can't get the sucky bit to your nipples because of the size of your boobs. I'm struggling to understand the image of this!

Owlina tree - trust me they don't fit I've tried think photos might be abit inappropriate though

Dancing crown - doesn't it take forever though?

I found with my medala one I did have to hold it on quite a while for for it to create a good vacuum before milk would flow.

The size of your boobs shouldn't make a difference as it's the nipple being stimulated which produces the milk. Persevere with the medela and see if there is a BF cafe or coordinator in your area who could offer further advice.

Maybe you are a bit over engorged, hand expressing might soften your breasts a bit then you can use the medula ?

I used a Tommee Tippee hand pump for the first 6 months, and had no problem despite having rather large and engorged boobs.

Expressing milk is a dark art and takes a while to get the hang of it. Hand expressing to get things going might help.

My boobs were a KK when I was exclusively expressing. Never had a problem. Could get 16oz+ in 6 minutes using a double medela pump. I too can't see the problem you're having.

none of your boob should be going inside the flange... it should sit on your skin with just the nipple being sucked up inside. I have quite large saggy boobs (spaniels ears) and found it worked better with a smaller flange... kept the sag at bay a bit better.

having said that, I expressed until I was a sobbing mess for dc1. for dc2 I just breastfed and gave her formula for the occasional bottle.

Tommee Tippee was awful for me, literally couldn't get nipple anywhere near it and I am not a well endowed girl. Hospital pumps you can usually get different size cup thingies for so it must be a thing. I used AVENT in the end but had to hand express off a bit first to get swollen up boob ends in. Problem was no longer there at 10 weeks ish so presumably due to engorgement?

I found hand expressing much quicker, easier and more efficient than using a manual pump. Put your hand around your boob in a c-shape, walk it down until you feel the place where your boob changes texture, then express by compressing and releasing in a rhythmic manner.

If you prefer a pump though, Your nipple doesn't need to be right at the back of the cone bit though.

As a 30 HH I had an Avent hand pump with no problems. As others have said, if you're not engorged then the cone shouldn't really be resting on your breast tissue anyway, it should be circling the areola. Is there an expert drop in place or a La Leche League meeting near you that could advise on technique?

The ameda lactaline double pump. I had this one and ordered bigger flanges (cringe) for it online.

Another K/L ridiculous sized boob person with no problems with an avent hand pump, cheap as chips- works a treat. What are you trying to jam in there OP?

I'm not sure you're using it right :)

The nipple doesn't need to go to the back of the cup to make the vacuum.

Can you post a diagram of what you mean?! I love diagrams.

Lol at flanges btw.

Another one here with 34HHs, who had no trouble with either a Medela or the Tommee Tippee.
I can only guess you're doing it wrong OP - sorry. You do know the cup bits only have to go over your nipples and areola, not the entire boob?

I've got MASSIVE boobs and just used the crappy tommee tippee hand pump with no problems, I'm not really sure how it doesn't fit but I'll take your word for it!

J cups here by the way

I got some bigger flanges (cones?) for my medela pump online. The ones that came with the pump were too small but the bigger ones I got online worked a treat.

Have you tried ordering bigger flanges online?

I, too, think that the problem might not be the size of your boobs but how you are positioning the flange as I managed it successfully with pretty big boobs. Do you mean that the sides of the cone are too 'steep'?