Breast feeding with inverted nipples.

[Spaghettinetti]

Hello! I just wondered if anyone had any experience of breast feeding with inverted nipples and if so, how did you get on? I'm a bit worried that I won't be able to feed successfully; I really want to give it my best shot, so any tips would be much appreciated. :-)

[appletree100]

I am very interested in this... as I am a fellow inverty ;) and also a little worried - was hoping that they would pop out or something, but 20 weeks and no such luck yet.

Anyone breast fed with inverted nipples out there?

xx

[sleeplessbunny]

I had inverted nipples before DD. I don't think it made any difference at all, I managed to bf successfully for a year without problems. Mind you, they didn't stay inverted!

[grobagsforever]

Hi both. Mine were inverted when DD was born. I did have to work harder to get a good latch and I did experience a fair bit of pain and discomfort? As dd had long long feeds! But after a bit of a tough start DD thrived and the pain went. I fed her exclusively for six months and then for two more years after that. Don't listen to anyone who says you can't do it, including midwives! It's totally worth it

[hartmel]

I had it with one side.. I don't know if you can buy them in uk but I bought what is called a nipple shield. It worked awesome for the first 2 month until DS was stronger to latch better.
Oh and the plus side in this is, baby does not know the difference between BF and bottle. So I could go shopping on my own and hubby could feed baby.

[Fairypants]

I had inverted nipples before dd1 was born- that soon changed. It hurt a bit when I first started to bf but that soon settled down. I'm not sure it was the inverted nipples that made it hurt as I had some pain when starting to feed dd2 as well. Both times the pain went within a few days and I fed for 9 months and 13 months respectively.

[milkysmum]

my left nipple is inverted but I managed to breast feed ok. just took a bit more effort to get a good latch on that side. can you 'coax' your nipple out iykwim? you could try using an avent nipllette? or thete is something similar that you can buy online from america called softcups (I think that nane is right) that I found was mych more comfortable to use.

[CountessOfRule]

I'm on third bf baby with inverted nipples. They come out during a feed but are otherwise flat.

DC1 struggled to latch, but with a combination of pumping then using nipple shields we got it.

DC2 I used a nipple sucker for a couple of days while he got the hang of it.

DC3, my biggest, had no problems.

Total of 57months bfing now, of which 16m ebf.

[Misty9]

My left nipple is 'shy' rather than inverted (in that it comes out when cold or coaxed, but is inverted most of the time) and it did cause some issues with ds - but then feeding in general was awful with him due to tt and his small mouth. I had to use a nipple shield on that side for the first few days, but his hoover suction soon sorted any problems

Bizarrely, my nipple became a normal outy after I'd stopped breastfeeding - until I got pregnant again when it's inverted again! it's also the only nipple I'm leaking colostrum from...go figure. Weird things, boobs.

[PastaandCheese]

I struggled for the first few days (flat, not inverted) until I started using nipple shields. I fed for a year in total using shields for 6 months with no problems at all.

Medela contact shields are the best IMO.

I thought I'd be fine with DC2 because breastfeeding cured the flatness but as soon as my milk came in I became so engorged they went flat again so I'm back using shields for now.

[Ilovekittyelise]

i guess mine are flat rather than inverted. on giant tits, so not baby friendly. first son had awful birth and could barely sit for ages so bf wasnt priority and just expressed for a while to alleviate guilt.

second son im feeding. medulla shields, about a fiver on amazon. my nipples are/become when necessary a lot more pronounced and iv even had an occasional feed without them.

its all in the way you put them on. if you roll them kind of inside out, cover nipple then tease them out it makes nipple more erect and shield stays on better.

[LongTailedTit]

I'm not sure if mine were flat or inverted, whichever it was they just weren't outies!

DS was a bit prem, had tongue ties, jaundice, no suck reflex, and I had constant blocked ducts, so I don't know if my nipples also contributed to our feeding problems, but he managed to latch properly about a month in, and we kept BFing until his 2nd birthday.
In the early weeks we mix-fed and used nipple shields too, they def helped.

They're definitely outies now, currently 33wks pg with DC2, fingers crossed my 'new' nips help DC2 to have an easier BFing start.

[Spaghettinetti]

Thanks for your advice! Mine are definitely 'innies'. I've tried coaxing them out, but the more I fiddle, the more they go in. Sometimes they attempt to come out on their own, but only when I'm warm. I'm hoping that they'll pop out in the next few weeks. I wanted to try the nipplette thingy, but I read that you can't use it when you're lactating; I've been leaking collostrum for weeks, so don't know if this counts me out...again I'd love to hear about any experiences of using the nipplette in similar situations. X

[milkysmum]

I dont know how to link but if you google 'softcups' these can be used to help correct inverted nipples and much gentler than the avent nipplette in my opinion.

[wightjellybaby]

I had one innie and outie out when dd was born she was toosmall to take the innie so ebf bit 2months later she could do it bit no problems with the outie now the innie isnt as innie anymore 16months later.

When I was in hospital a lady came round from a breast feeding support group gave me info on feefing with innies and there is an organisation who can help if needed you

[milkysmum]

• I think that should be 'supplecups' not soft cup ( softcup is like a mooncup!)

[ChicaMomma]

Does anybody have very pale pink nipples, and practically no areola whatsoever, and been able to BF?
My nipples are nice and pointy, but so pale, and the areola is pretty much non existent.. I'm afraid that i may have failed evolution, and i REALLY want to BF!!

[OrangeBlossom2]

Very pale areolas (very pale person in general) and flat/ slightly inverted nipples here chica and spaghetti and yes breastfeeding is absolutely possible.

Breastfeeding WAS very hard at first but that was partly because I had pethadine and my son had jaundice so he was too sleepy to latch/suck and he also had a tongue tie which wasn't diagnosed and fixed until 8 weeks. Then I got thrush. We kept breastfeeding throughout but also expressed into syringe/cup/bottle to top him up while it was difficult. Make sure you rule out/treat any other problems.

A stupid midwife in hospital said I wouldn't be able to breastfeed with my nipples and would have to give formula when he was less than a day old but luckily I stood my ground. Find a supportive midwife/breastfeeding counsellor/group. Get help with your latch. Tell your OH it's something you really want to do and you need their support, not them also saying you can't do it.

Nipple shields didn't really work for us, though my sister used the them for months so worth a try. For me, being cold helped (not much luck in boiling hospital room), a bit of tweaking before a feed, pumping before feeds. Once he was sucking well they usually popped out but even if they don't the milk can still come out and it's massaging the breast that makes it flow, not the nipple.

We are happily still exclusively breastfeeding at 5 months with no problems at all. My nipples are still flat most of the time but stay pointy for a while after a feed now. It's also so much easier for babies once they've grown a bit and their mouths aren't so tiny.

Good luck!