As a lot of you know, Lukas has milk transfer issues and can't nurse at all. I've been exclusively pumping since he was 4 days old (after he was in the hospital due to weight loss and dehydration - which is how we figured out he wasn't getting much through nursing). He's now almost 6 weeks. I'm pumping five times a day and getting around 26 ounces a day on average (he's eating close to that most days and more than that some days).

When I pumped for Marek's occasional bottles, I used the 27mm flanges for the PISA, and they worked great. I never had any pain at all. This time I started getting nipple pain and skin coming off my nipples the first week. I bought two sets of the 30mm flanges, and did ok, but still felt a pinching discomfort in my nipples at every pumping session. My LC recommended coating the flanges with a small amount of high quality olive oil to lubricate them, which I've been doing for the last 4 weeks. That helped slightly, but I still get discomfort from the suction, and my nipples are always tender to the touch all day long. At times, I have an achiness in the nipple and the breast tissue around it. It's not unbearable, but it can be significantly painful at times. Lansinoh doesn't help, and I don't know what else to do. In desperation, I bought a set of 36mm flanges, but they are definitely too big, as a good section of my areola is pulled into the tube during pumping, and I get significantly less milk than normal when I use the 36mm flanges.

Do any of you have any suggestions? It's hard enough to pump 5x a day without dealing with this pain and tenderness all the time.

 
I had a bunch of pain from time to time when I was pumping too. I used the Gerber breasfeeding stick to help. It never fully took the pain away, but it helped with the rawness. My nipples would actually bleed from time to time too, and that was awful. I'm not really sure what else to recommend other than to continue trying what you are. And remember that you're not a bad mom if you decide eventually that enough is enough and that you want to supplement or switch over completely. I know you don't want to, but you can only put yourself through so much as well. Big hugs, my friend.
 

I have a pump that has 3 speeds and the harder one makes my nipples hurt so I keep it on low I dont get as much milk out but It does hurt less! but then again I dont hardly pump at all now and if you have to do it everyday Im sure it will hurt no matter what. You might call a LC and see if they have any advice.

I'm so sorry Rudi...
 

Have you tried using a different pump?

And have you tried Lukas on the breast again? Maybe he can do better now that he is a bit older.

(((Hugs))) I hope you get a solution (or tougher nipples
 
) soon.