Nipple Shields

E.,
I used a nipple shield until the fourth month. The doctor and lactation consultant said it is no harm to you or your baby to use it even for the full duration of nursing. My daughter is now a pro! =)

i urge you to call the Lactation Station at GBMC Hospital. They have a 24-hour helpline, as well as a great shop for everything nursing and wonderful lactation consultants. they helped me so much. you should call them pronto so that your milk production is not affected by his not nursing. you can call the main hospital number and they'll connect you.

When my daughter was born, I developed an infection on my nipple and it was suggested to use a shield until the infection went away. The nursing consultant mentioned that sometimes the shield does not allow all of your milk to come out so you should pump after you nurse in case there is any milk left in your breast. By doing so, you can avoid a decrease of your milk supply. However, I never pumped after nursing and my supply remained the same. I hope this helps!

Hi E.,
I nursed my daughter using a nipple shield for about 4 months. We eventually stopped because she went through a growth spurt and was so hungry that she was too impatient for me to get the shield on and she latched on and ate without it. It took me holding my breast in a certain way to make it work well at first but I'd say in less than a week she was nursing without it like a champ. She is now 14 months old and we're still nursing. Good luck!
S.

I would call the lactation specialist at the hospital that you delivered at. They should be able to help you. But also remember to relax they can tell when you are stressed which will cause him to be stressed too & we know it is harder to do something new under alot of stress. Keep at it he will get the hang of it eventually.

I used the nipple shield with my first for a few weeks. He eventually nursed without it. I would start the nursing session with the shield then pull it off when he had a good stride. Sometimes he would notice, others he would not. I'd say it took three to four weeks to wean him completely from it. If that is the only way he will nurse, then it's better than other options, but he will get all the benefits of the breast if there is skin to skin contact. Mom and child transfer many good things to each other through nursing. The shield hinders that.
To give you hope, it gets easier every day and my second child nursed like a pro from the moment she was born. So it will not be this challenging your whole breastfeeding career. Keep up the good work and good luck with your little one! If you need more support with nursing, go to the local la leche league site. They are a wonderful resource!

E.,

I have twins...one wouldn't nurse without the nipple shield and also had trouble latching on even with it. I had two visits with a lactation consultant and resolved the same problem. What worked for me was using the shield at the first feeding of the day and the next not using it. It took what felt like ten minutes, but then he got it and latched on without the shield! We never went back to the shield again...and they nursed till they were nearly two. Good luck.

T. A

Hi E.,

I breastfed all four my children only had problem with one...I actually got him to latch on by rubbing the light karo syrup on my nipple. Also, when you clean your nipples after feeding make sure you used distilled water without the soap, lotions and oil- based emollients because they leave a displeasant taste or feel for Keegan.If you have to use olive oil on your nipples....Be mindful that what you eat as it may change the taste of your milk...I had to stay away from onions and garlic that i love so dearly.....Hope this helps!!!!!!

I breastfed my premature twins for a year. Both had difficulty latching on initially and I don't think I would have been able to feed them at all without the shields. They both eventually decided that they no longer wanted the shields, but for my daughter this took about 6 weeks, or to two weeks past their due date. They were born at 27 weeks gestation. There was some concern expressed to me by a lactation consultant about the effect of the shields on milk supply (presumably that the breast is somehow denied stimulation by the shield). I have to say this was definitely not a problem for me.

Two things worked for me:

1. Try sliding the shield off mid feeding after your letdown has occured.

2. This worked best and I had to try a couple of times so don't give up right away - Pump for a couple of minutes while the baby is sleeping. This will draw out your nipple and cause the letdown. Latch the baby on while it is sleeping without using the shield. I am assuming you have flat or inverted nipples. That was my problem.

Try to get him of the shields - I ended up with mastitis because my breasts would not drain properly with the shields.

hi my names S.,
keep doing what you are doing, but also make sure that the shield is clean. I used one with my daughter and at first she did the same, i kept at it and with in days she latched on and was a happy baby. Sometimes they just need a little more time and you mom, be patient the little guys still learning. Happy New Year. hope that it works for you.

Sam

I am not familiar with nipple shields, but I have nursed all 4 of my children, 2 being twins, and I nursed the twins together using my boppie pillow. Newborns have to learn how to latch on. Keep working with little Keegan, and I am sure he will get it sooner or later. Pretty soon, he will be a pro at it. Hope this helps.

i had the same problem. nipple shields are fine for latching purposes but my lactation consultant told me i needed to pump after each feeding. the nipple shields dull the feelings your breasts need in order to keep up the milk supply so you need to pump. i usually pumped for about 5-10 minutes after each feeding. good luck - there is a great lactation consultant on south side in richmond if you want more information.

Have you seen a lactation consultant? That would be your best bet. They can really show you how to get them to latch on properly and stay interested. From what I have read it is not good to use the shields b/c it does not feel like your nipple and then they will be used to that and reject your nipple on it's own. I did not use them so I don't know first hand.

Your hospital should have referrals for lactation consultants. If you are in Loudoun County the Loudoun Hospital has an open lactation consultant class once a week for anyone whether you delivered there or not. I went once and it was very helpful. You can find the info on their website.

E.,
I went through the same thing, right around the same time. I started using the nipple shield when my son was 6 days old and kept using it until almost 1 month. I was told that it would decrease my milk supply and that he would probably always want the shield in order for me to nurse. it was nerve wracking because it slipped around as it got wet and i didnt really get that much milk when i was pumping after he ate. i frequently tried to start off without the shield hoping he would take my breast but he cried so much that the lactation consultant told me he was burning more calories than taking in if he was crying for 20 minutes. she crafted a plan for me which was to try for 5 minutes. if he didnt take it, use the shield and move on. it is emotionally draining to do so sometimes i just started off with the shield for his sake and mine. i never tried without the shield for the night feedings. too much drama.

one day he just took the breast and that was it. no turning back. im still breastfeeding strongly at nearly 7 months and i have had no problem with my supply whatsoever. he was a large infant and a big eater too. he lost a full pound in the hospital so in addition from the latching issue, i had to supplement him from day one.

i believe, looking back now, that it was a simple anatomical issue. i was retaining a lot of water so my nipples were not protruding and his mouth was just not big enough to latch on.

it was the most frustrating thing to deal with, especially if you have your heart set on breastfeeding. my own mom has been an l&d nurse for 30 years and she was one of the ones that told me that the nipple shield would be devastating to my ability to breastfeed because the first two weeks are so important.

dont give up! i hated that darn shield and wanted to throw it from a bridge when i was done with it but it actually got me through the critical period so that i could breastfeed with success, even now. i pumped after each feeding using a rented pump (at the LC's recommendation) I was discouraged thinking that i was going to be spending my life pumping but by one month he was fully latched on and not needing any formula so i basically stopped pumping (i use it every now and then).

bottom line ... dont view the shield as the kiss of death for breastfeeding, rather try to view it as a very short term tool to get you where you need to be. once that little boy realizes how much he loves nursing from you without the shield, there will no turning back.

best of luck to you!

E. from a professional perspective you should know that nipple shields can damage your breast tissue and truly should not be utilized while nursing. In addition, it causes nipple confusion and therefore makes it extremely difficult to ever get your son to nurse without them.

Here is my website: http://hisgraceherbals.com If you click on the midwifery tab to the left and then find the breastfeeding tab--there is a wonderful pdf file you can download and print about Nursing, in fact, there are several wonderful tidbits there.

Did anyone ever talk to you about flat or inverted nipples and if this is not the issue, perhaps you need to hand express some milk prior to nursing and then drip some milk on the breast so he has something he desires and will want to latch on. Because you have been using the shields, it may take a little while--several days--to get him to latch to you without them, but I would recommend you not give in. Throw the sheilds away and use a medine dropper to drop into the side of his mouth while you have him at the breast. Do other techniques to draw the nipple out so he can really latch well.

If you have specific questions or want to consult with me personally, you are welcome to contact me via email (____@____.com) and I will try and give you some more practical and personal advice as knowing more of your specifics would help me to recommend more to you.

Most of all, you are doing great by perservering. Many a mom would have quit nursing when their baby did not seem to latch well. You are to be commended for sticking to what is best for your little one.

I've nursed my three children and used a nipple shield for two of them. I thought they helped me in the beginning but after a week or so, my nipples really started to hurt. They definitely helped my premie latch.

I have a three year old, two year old and a three month old.

Hi E.,

I used a breast shield with both my girls. I had to use it quite a bit later with my second. I, too tried to remove it half way through feeding and still she wouldn't latch on. I used it for 4 months. She is now 7 months and latches on properly with no problem. I think her mouth was just not large enough yet and I was pretty engorged all the time. My doctor told me when asked how long I could use the shield, he said if it is working for both of you, you can use it indefinately. Thankfully I kept trying and eventually I was able to nurse without it. I used for 2 months the first time. I hope this helps!

Take care,
D.

Maybe this will help? I'd also suggest getting in touch with a certified lactation consultant or trying your local LLL meeting. They're often very helpful.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/wean-shield.html

Hi E.,

I have to make this fast but just some thoughts..... Do you know a good lactation consultant, or a peer counselor. They can really be a lot of help. Also, why are you wearing a nipple shield for a prolonged period of time. What is really important is that you do not stop nursing. Do not be discouraged. Please check your hold and latch, that might be the problem. If he seems like he is losing interest, then take his clothes off down to his little diapere so he will wake up. Are you nursing on demand? If you are able to, start to ease off of the nipple shield unless you need them medically. Are your nipples inverted or flat, is that why you are wearing the shield.

Alrighty, I must run, but feel free to contact me later. Much luck and DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!!!!! I want to say that the baby will not starve and do not allow anyone to pressure you to use formula unless the baby is not thriving. Please excuse typos, I am in a rush out the door!

Peace & Blessings!
Rae

I used one for three weeks before my daughter could latch on. I had a friend who needed to use one for 2 months before her daughter learned to nurse without one. good luck.

I agree, try and get up with the lactation consultant from the hospital, or the local LLL chapter. There are lots of tips they can give you to get rid of the shield!! They can also tell you if there is a specific problem (I hate to use that word!!) with your nipples such as inversion which could be causing you and baby problems. Just think about having to always have the shield with you and a place to clean it while you are out for the day, or just home a baby wants to feed now - ugh. It will make your life so much easier to work at getting rid of it now.
Pumping before feeding many times helps baby latch. It increases your nipple size, and if you are engorged will soften your breasdt to make latching easier. Also remember that BFing baby will become easier for both of you as he gets older.
Best of luck!!!
K.

I had the same exact problem...he would only latch on with the nipplie shield, and when I tried to remove it he wouldn't latch. I really wanted to breast feed, so I continued to use the nipple shield for 1 month, and every now-and-then until he was almost 3 months, at which point for some reason he started latching on really good. I did give him a bottle as well at 2 weeks (of my breast milk), so that my husband could feed him at night when he got home from work. I went online and tried to research, but EVERY website I found said you should only use the nipple shield for 2 weeks and only if there is a problem. I decided to stop reading the websites and go with what felt right and worked for my son and myself...and that was the nipple shield. It did make it hard to nurse when I was out and about, so I would pump ahead and just bring a bottle. I breast fed until he was 8 months old (not b/c I wanted to stop, but once he figured out how to hold his own bottle he wanted nothing to do with my breast :(
Anyway, I say do what works for the both of you. Breast feeding comes easy for some women and their babies, and unfortunately not for others. It was a main cause of anxiety for me until I said screw it, and just did it the way it worked for us. He will get a hang of it soon.

E.,
I started using a nipple shield in the hospital because my daughter had trouble latching on. The directions say to stop using it after a few weeks, but my daughter never got the hang of nursing without it. I think the real thing just wasn't hard enough. I used it for the entire 9 months that I nursed. I would call the lactation specialist at the hospital that you delivered at. They should be able to help you. And if he never gets the hang of it, buy a few shields to always have them available. Good luck!