Flange
Also called flanges, pump flange, flange size, breast shield, funnel
A flange is the funnel-shaped part of a breast pump that fits over the nipple and seals so the pump can draw milk out. Pump makers often call the same part a breast shield, and it comes in different sizes.
How it's said
...the flange is the bit that you actually fit over your nipple.
I measured them and I need a 21mm flange/funnel...
...for many women the supplied flanges are too large.
Who says it
Not to be confused with
- A nipple shield is a thin silicone cover worn during breastfeeding to help a baby latch. A flange, or breast shield, is pumping gear, so the two only sound alike.
Where it came from
Flange is an old engineering word for a rib or rim that sticks out from a part, to add strength or hold it in place. Dictionary.com traces it to late Middle English, from a Middle French word related to flank.
Breast pump makers and lactation consultants took the word for the funnel that fits over the nipple. The names still depend on who's talking: pump instructions often say breast shield size, lactation consultants say flange size, and wearable pump makers talk about inserts.