What is this Workshop?
Flange fitting is a hot topic in the world of lactation, and in addition to "friction" being something we want to avoid for our clients when they are pumping milk, there can also be "friction" between what hospital lactation care providers are recommending vs. what lactation supporters in the community recommend. Let's get together and explore the why's and how's of this "new" way of flange fitting!
This workshop explains and demonstrates how to approach pumping and flange fitting for families, using the Flange FITS™ Guide, created by Jeanette Mesite Frem, MHS, IBCLC, CCE. This workshop is led by one of the Babies in Common "Approved Flange Fitting Instructors", who have specific training and experience in flange fitting.
Who Should Attend?
Infant Feeding Leads and members of Infant Feeding Teams
Health Visitors
IBCLCs and Midwives in private practice
Peer Supporters
ADVANCE TWO-PART REGISTRATION REQUIRED!!
Cardiff, Wales
United Kingdom
May 15, 2026, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lambourne House Event and Conference Space
Hosted by 
Facilitator: Amber Clark, RN, IBCLC, TTP
Infant Feeding Lead and creator of the NHS "Optimising the Expression of Breastmilk and the Importance of Flange Sizing" Toolkit. See below to learn more about Amber.
The registration fee includes a light lunch. 35 GBP for those who work/live in Wales postcodes. 99 GBP for those outside Wales postcodes. Note the time of the workshop is 10:00 am - 4:00 pm LOCAL TIME in Wales but the scheduling system may say it starts at a different time (that's a tech issue, sorry!). But it's starts at 10:00 am in the UK time zone!
IMPORTANT NOTES
- There are currently no CERPs approved for these workshops. These are experiential workshops that allow participants to learn from an experienced IBCLC who is personally approved by Jeanette to teach other lactation and perinatal professionals about flange fitting. Content is approved and co-owned by Jeanette Mesite Frem and the Facilitator for each workshop.
- It is STRONGLY recommended that all registrants watch the FREE webinars here, before attending. Even though these webinars occurred in the past, they are available for free as a replay.
- Most seats for this event are reserved for local NHS staff and local peer supporters. Additional seats are set aside for non-Wales private practice lactation professionals to attend, if they'd like.
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About Your Approved Flange Fitting Instructor
Amber Clark is a Registered Nurse, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and Tongue Tie Practitioner, currently working at Oxford University Hospital as the Infant Feeding Lead. She is the clinical lead and developer of the Early Breastmilk Toolkit, created in collaboration with Health Innovation Wessex during her time as Infant Feeding Specialist at University Hospital Southampton.
After taking a thorough online training with Jeanette in 2023, Amber starting doing flange fitting, using the Flange FITS™ Guide and varied sizes of flanges, in two hospitals in her role as infant feeding lead. She has worked with several Trusts within the NHS to support them in their efforts to implement changes for their patients, as well. She also has experience in private practice, doing home visits as a lactation consultant. In 2025, she attended an in-person workshop with Jeanette and has been collaborating on making this new workshop a reality since then.
Amber is deeply passionate about ensuring that all families are supported in providing breastmilk to their babies, reaching their individual feeding goals, and receiving evidence-based information, care, and support throughout their journey.
Stay tuned for details about the London workshop!
If you are a someone who works with families who are feeding babies, then you've seen (and heard about) about different flanges, and the "new way" of flange fitting. But just how small of a flange do you try with your clients?
How do you assess the flange is fitting? What do you need to have on-hand for a flange fitting session. We'll discuss all of these topics and so much more!
Explore new ideas about flange sizes, different materials of flanges and flange inserts (which aren't as simple and effective as they may seem).
You'll learn why and how to do an effective flange fitting consultation, whether you work in the hospital or in your community. Because it's an in-person workshop, you'll also get to touch and use pumps and flanges to actually do flange fittings with a group of your colleagues, and get to know each other. Collaboration works better when people know each other!
"how do we measure the nipple?"
"how can I be sure this is the right size flange for this parent?"
"what do we do about elastic nipples"
"do we go for a bigger flange or smaller?"
"what shape flange is best for which breast?"
"how should I be assessing my client to determine the best flange size?"
"how do I get the flanges and other products I need to do flange fittings?"
"how do I bring this into my hospital?"
"I'm a health visitor, how do bring all these tools to the families."
"How do I connect the hospital kit to the home pump?"
Find out the answers to all of the above questions. You'll see many of the flanges, witness and assist with live flange fitting sessions with lactating volunteers, we'll talk about various pumps (wearable and tabletop pumps), and we'll discuss the different types of nipple shields and their use.
DO NOT make non-refundable travel/accommodations plans, as one never knows if you or your instructor will be ill or if something else will cause a hiccup in the planning. Babies in Common will NOT be held liable for any costs if a workshop needs to be cancelled or rescheduled. That being said, we've never needed to cancel or reschedule, but we are just thinking about how life happens...so be prepared. :)
~ Jeanette and the Babies in Common Team
Contact jeanette@babiesincommon.com with any questions.
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What will be presented and discussed?
- 45+ different types and sizes of flanges (also known as pump breast shields) that we can discuss and you'll see some demonstrated
- Why the traditional recommendations for flange fittings are no longer what many us recommend for our clients (and the history of why those "old" recommendations were even created)
- How to do an effective flange fitting with a client (including real parents pumping while YOU help them)
- What gear you can consider purchasing for use in your practice, where to get it, and how to pay for it.
BONUSES FOR WORKSHOP ATTENDEES
- an invitation to join an active private Facebook group just for workshop attendees to discuss flange fitting in the future as issues with your clients come up and as new products come out,
- private access to additional resources and videos
Interested in hosting a workshop? If you are interested in hosting a workshop, or email jeanette@babiesincommon.com to enquire about what hosting entails.
If you already attended the live or on-demand workshops/courses, please email jeanette@babiesincommon.com for a discount code.
- Pumping and Feeding Gear, or
- Pumping and Bottlefeeding for Perinatal Professionals, or the
- Fitting Flanges for Pumping Milk workshop/courses
A few partial scholarships are available per event for BIPOC-identifying IBCLCs or IBCLCs who primarily serve low-income communities. Email jeanette@babiesincommon.com to inquire.
Coffee/tea will be provided throughout the day and some snacks will be provided. There will be a lunch break, and participants are encouraged to eat together in small groups to get to know your colleagues better! Lunch is NOT provided.
Contact jeanette@babiesincommon.com with any questions.
Testimonials from Participants who have attended one of Jeanette's in-person workshops for lactation professionals...
Used info the very next day at work !
I’m using this information all the time now and my clients have already told me they feel much more comfortable.
The whole process of flange fitting has become fascinating rather that the chore it used to be The fact that 1 mm can make such a huge difference is just amazing That his has totally changed my practice
There are so many and new ones on the market all the time so hard to know what to recommend. Seeing the pumps and getting feedback on so many was enormously helpful. I felt kind of out of my depth, even being an IBCLC for many years and I feel so much more confident in what I can recommend to clients now.
This workshop is even more important for those of us who have been IBCLCs for years as the knowledge has changed so much and it has been many years since we have had personal experience with pumping.
Above and beyond what I was hoping for!
Amazing workshop! I tend to fall asleep and get bored but this workshop I was alert and attentive the entire day. It was very interesting and amazing how I had been flange fitting wrong for so many years and then difference it made. I have since implemented in my private practice and has been a game changer. So thankful for Jeanette and everything we learned.
WOW- mind blown. I learned so much but the main takeaways is that we have been doing people using breast pumps dirty! All pumps come with flanges that are the perfect size for cows, but, last I checked, humans are not shaped like cows, and certainly not our breasts and nipples. That standard 24 mm flange is perfect for cows but not for us. According to Jeanette's research (which will be published soon), we need to size down A LOT and have the nipple fill the tunnel, which is the opposite of what we were trained to believe. When it's the right fit, milk should start spraying within 30 seconds, not minutes. Also, hard flanges are much better than silicone flanges. If you are an IBCLC working with people who pump, you really need to take her class. It's offered online and she will be back on the road with her in-person workshops next year. Be sure to sign up for her email list so you don't miss it. You get a discount if you attend the online one first.
I learned so much at this workshop! As a hospital based lactation consultant, I meet many new moms who intend to breastfeed, pump and bottle feed. These moms turn to the lactation staff with their questions about pumping, which honestly are front of mind, even moreso than direct breastfeeding. I now feel confident that I can give them sound advice for getting off to a good start with pumping, and helping them trouble shoot if they call our warm line with pumping and feeding questions.
I have used the information I learned in this course more than another other CERPS I have taken. Useful information provided in a way that is easy to remember.
I cannot stress the importance of attending one of Jeanette’s in-person workshops. This was a game-changer for my team and our confidence in sizing appropriately for flanges. Jeanette is a wealth of knowledge and I’m grateful her expertise equipped us with the skills and information to ensure we are providing the most up-to-date education and care for our clients. Highly recommend her class!
It was so inspiring being in a room full of women that share the same passion to change this field and to help people have the best experience possible when it comes to feeding their babies. This workshop made me want to laugh, cry, and at times, stand up and shake my fist in frustration. Such valuable information and community is provided in this course led by Jeanette. I'm grateful to have been a part of it. Thank you for all you do and have done, Jeanette! Megan B. (Lactation Intern)
I was able to take both the virtual and in person workshops, and both were absolutely incredible. This time I was able to have 2 team members with me and they learned so much. We are already implementing what we learned. Thank you Jeanette!! - AB
I think this course is so important that ALL IBCLC's should take it. It is rare for most IBCLC's to be able to see all the pumps, wearables, bottles, and feeding devices on the market the way you can in this course. It was so helpful to understand the history of pumps and flanges and to really challenge the way we traditionally do things. This course will change the way you practice! I highly recommend this course. Dr. Carrie Dendtler PT DPT IBCLC
I had the privilege of not only taking the course, but also being a demo for my colleagues. I am still nursing my almost 1 year old so I rarely pump and when I do output is not near what it used to be. When we used the methods from this course I was stunned. Not only was it more comfortable but it increased output and stimulated more than one letdown. That's not ever been something I've been able to do in my 10 years of breastfeeding. Learning hands on and experiencing it myself was definitely the best way to learn! Highly recommend taking this course. Especially if you're a currently lactating IBCLC!
Jeanette's workshop blew my mind! The hours of hands on, in person, opportunity for questions and real live pumping volunteers to trial different flanges with was worth every cent!!! I HIGHLY recommend this course for any IBCLC working with pumping clients. Thank you!!! Danielle Woods BSN RN IBCLC Valley Woods Lactation Intervale NH
Highly recommend this fun interactive workshop! Jeanette shared a wealth of information and presented in a fun and casual way. I have been an IBCLC for 27 years and left the workshop with new information that I put into practice right away. It was a bonus to spend the day connecting with colleagues in person. Lynne Ricardo, RN, IBCLC, Marshfield, MA
As a newer IBCLC taking this course MY jaw dropped and mouth was open as I examined in surprise the large variety of pumps and bottles and the difference in milk output when the correct size flange was used! Highly recommend this course .. well worth your time and money!! KW IBCLC
I did a flange fitting for a client the week after the course and a patient called it “magical”! Thank you! CB
The amount of information and practical application tips in the Pumping and Feeding Gear workshop is amazing. Jeanette shares so many useful tips and information for flange sizing, choosing a bottles (more complex than you'd think), and everything you want to know and need to know about the pumps on the market. I had taken the online class and it had a huge impact on the care I was able to offer parents. I have to say, the in person class was even more informative and exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. Seeing the gear in person, being able to interact with it, and having the real life demonstrations for flange sizing, pumping, and bottle choice and feeding was invaluable. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who works with families. Not only will the course impact your practice, the continued conversation and materials she provides guarentees continued support in using the information and to keep up to date moving forward. Thank you Jeanette for depth of knowledge shared! Sabrina, IBCLC Nurture By Nature Holistic Lactation
What a great experience to have such a variety of pumps and flanges, nipple shields, pacifiers, bottles, and too many items to list related to lactation - all in one place! Jeanette was knowledgeable, relatable and FUNNY. She had personal experiences to share as well as many videos and brought in clients to demonstrate techniques for flange fitting in real time with real people using tools we saw and were able to learn about then and there. Jeanette was an interactive speaker and invited participation from the group, which was a good size group, but relatively small enough to be able to have comfortable discussion. I liked that she discussed anecdotal as well as evidenced based evidence for information she shared. I highly recommend this super fun and informative seminar, especially as we have more in person options available compared to the online world we had a few years ago. Jessica Simpson, M.S, CCC-SLP, IBCLC
About Your Workshop Facilitator
Jeanette Mesite Frem, MHS, IBCLC, CCE is an experienced childbirth educator, IBCLC-lactation consultant and retired birth doula. She started her career working with families while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa in the early 90s. She loved that work so much she went on to receive a public health masters degree from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, focusing her studies on nutrition for maternal and child health. Her two children were breastfed for more than 2 years each and Jeanette has experience pumping at work for both children and has supported more than a thousand families with breastfeeding, chestfeeding, pumping, bottlefeeding, cupfeeding, tubefeeding, etc. over the years.
Jeanette provides prenatal childbirth and breastfeeding classes at her office in Northborough, Massachusetts, as well as providing virtual feeding consultations as well as in her office. She also enjoys leading workshops for perinatal health professionals and mentoring those who work with families. If you have questions, feel free to email jeanette@babiesincommon.com.
