04/30/2026
šFlange vs Ni**le Sheild Sizingš This can be so confusing for moms (and new IBCLCs) - why is the sizing for my fl**ge different than my ni**le sheild if itās the *same* nip?!?! This is where knowing why each tool is needed can help.
šNi**le shields are a tool intended to help a baby latch deeply. To do so, baby needs to learn to take a large mouthful of ni**le AND surrounding tissue into her mouth. We size a ni**le sheild to your babyās mouth. The biggest one their mouth can accommodate.
šA fl**ge is the bit your ni**le goes into when pumping. This is new actual research supporting sizing fl**ges to the actual measurement of the base of the ni**le. Unlike when direct feeding, just having the ni**le in the fl**ge increases maternal comfort and milk output! The jury is still out on exactly why this is true but is out there doing the research in real time!
To summarize, same unit of measurement, same nips, different end goal!