Have you found yourself debating between which set you would benefit best from? Breast cushions and flange inserts have two different purposes, let’s break them down.
Where do you start? Let’s answer a few questions for guide you in the right direction! Do you have unexplained nipple discomfort caused by your flanges? Are you currently experiencing nipple damage? Are you just looking for added comfort while pumping? Do you have elastic tissue? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions then breast cushions are the answer for you! Fortunately for us in need there are not that many options to choose from!
Nowadays we have two cushion options to choose from! We have the original BeauGen Cushions or the Amazon option. I have successively used both for multiples reasons. When I began pumping six years ago I found myself in so much discomfort, ultimately blamed on poor flange sizing. However, once dialing in my flange size I ordered a pair of the BeauGen Breast Cushions and found added comfort that was not easily matched by any other product on the market, at that time. Following this 18 month pumping journey and on to my next, I had the worst nipple damage when I initially started back up. Immediately I brought in the cushions and boom, instant relief and with this came the healing process. I find the cushions not only add comfort to your sessions but can be a great tool for try healing process. These cushions soften the blow of the pump by holding back the areola and reducing friction on the flange. My favorite duo at the time was the LacTeck Baby Motion Flanges and the BeauGen Cushions, these paired together were simply amazing. Sometime during my third round of pumping I found this other cushion option, yes they’re knock offs. I have found they are different enough to sway my opinion on which I prefer to use. Since these cushions move with your body, they also wear. This said, they are considered consumables and require regular replacement. The BeauGen Cushions are recommended to switch out every 30 days. The Amazon cushions would require the same timeframe but I have found they’re a bit more durable than the BeauGen and feel confident that you can stretch these 30 days. The BeauGen cushions are tacky and take time to break in, not necessarily a bad characteristic but can be a little annoying for some. The Amazon cushions are not tacky at all and easy to use right out of the both. The last difference between the two which can be a deal breaker for many are the size options. The BeauGen cushions come as one size, suggested to fit only 21 and 28mm flanges. The Amazon cushions fit flanges of multiple sizes: Small, 21-23mm Medium, 24-26mm and Large 26-29mm flanges. They need to come out with an XS, XXS and XXXS, if you ask me. Okay so going against the grain here, you typically read that you need to increase your flange size by 2mm when using these cushions. Don’t hate me and if you disagree, I want to hear from you! I have found due to the elasticity of these cushions that it’s not necessary to compensate for these cushions in your flange size. The BeauGen are far thinner than the Amazon so I 100% suggest to stick with your flange size. If you’re feeling the Amazon cushions are a bit more snug than you’d like then I’d consider going up size but I wouldn’t go into this purchase resigning the wheel. That’s all I got on cushions, so would I recommend them? Absolutely, I have found they’re a great asset to most pumping journeys! Are they a necessity? No, if you’re comfortable, output is good and there’s no damage, then I wouldn’t suggest to fix what’s not broken. I don’t think that by adding cushions can hinder your set up. I also don’t think that it’s necessary if you have no reason to implement them into your sessions.
Now for the other half of this conversations, inserts. If you answer yes to any of these questions, inserts might be the answer to your flange needs. Are you using a flange too large and needing to reduce tunnel size? Are you using the smallest flange size of that said flange design and need to go smaller? Do you own flanges that used to fit but seem to be too large now but don’t want to spend the money on new sets and still need to reduce?
I feel compelled to say this, flange inserts are not an equivalent option to a set of flanges that fit properly. Flange inserts for many are the only solution to fit flanges which don’t come in smaller sizes, considering this, they may be the best and only choice for you. If given the option I would always recommend investing in smaller flanges without the use of inserts. If you’re using mobile cups it’s likely you’re very limited to size options and inserts will be the only option for you. Inserts can be used with any style flange, the only exception would be silicone flanges; by adding inserts to silicone flanges you can be reducing the effectiveness of the silicone design. Not all silicone is equal, even though the insert is silicone they won’t allow the same give and comfort that silicone flanges offer.
Insert design and length, this is where your options broaden. Inserts come in both short and “average” length, which option is better? It’s completely reliant on the flange design you’re using. For example the Elvie Stride Cups and original Elvie pumps have a unique design when it comes to the placement of the suction holes. This unique design is really just a pain in our side, using an average length insert you risk the chance of blocking the suction hole. When using short tunnel flanges or one of the two Elvie designs shorten inserts are going to be a better choice.
