brestfeeding, nipple shields and dummies?

[brio]

Hi everyone. Im really stuck with my 3 weeks old
We r having r problems with bf. he eats well but he does it so strong it really hurts my nipple. I bought a nipple shield? and now we r bouth a lot happier. But to suck the plastic shield is different from the sucking of nipple. or it just seems to me this way. Anyway i was wondering if i can now offer him a dummy or its still not good? As he is a restless little man thought it would help him. want to feel reassured though

i breast fed ds1 through nipple shields for 8months. it was that or bottle feeding as my nipples were in such a dire state. I don't think dummies are linked to this issue really#? Maybe I'm wrong, but just give him a dummy if he needs one, or if you want to really! its no big deal, imho!

I breast fed ds for 6 months using htem too. If it works don't worry about it. He had a dummy too but iirc he started the dummy before the nipple shields. dummy didn't interfere with his ability to feed in any way

arent they?
thought if u r brestfeeding u cant give dummys as the way they suck it is different from brests and they will hurt u even more after.
might have one then as well

why to they all(mw) try to scare u with these horror stories?

i used a shield for a while.

might be the case with some babies but not mine. Give it a go - you'll soon know if it makes it worse

I think the jury's out on nipple shields. Many experts think they're really bad but I guess if it's helping and you're happy your baby is getting enough milk (they do impede this) then it's better than the alternative.

this page has some good advice about dummies and the site it's from is a fab bf resource.

I used nipple shields for 6 months too with ds - it was either that or bottle feed, and in the end a breast feeding counsellor recommended I try them. I know they are often frowned upon, but surely the point is that the baby is still getting breastmilk. I also used a dummy with him (he still uses it at night but that's another story), and I don't think it caused any problems at all. I started using it because he would go through phases (usually late afternoon or early evening), when he just wanted to suck, and the dummy definitely seemed to offer comfort.

I think there is meant to be a problem with supply from using them but ds moved up the centiles from 50th at birth to 75th and stayed there for the whole time I breast fed so they are obviously perfectly ok for some people. If you are having him weighed regularly you'll know if htere are any problems in that dept

thank u everyone for answering. the page from Everylittlebreeze was very useful.
i think i will give it a try. im still bit scared though as i havent used the shields for very long time(started at friday evening)maybe i havent seen the effect jet. anyway i still havent bought a dummy but i am keen to give it a try. just needed some conformation dont know though if i should wait a week or two b4 doing so, as the baby is jsut three weeks old...

Have to confess I've been using nipple shields since dd was 3 days old and my milk came in. The midwife at the hospital gave it to me. It was so much more comfortable, easier to latch, and less stressful for both of us I have continued to use them now my baby is 12 weeks old. I don't think she'll latch on to my breast alone now, and I do worry about that. She is steadily gaining weight though.
health visitors thought it was fine to keep using them. But still, I worry anyway!