Nipple shield sizes/Breastfeeding support kit?

[japhrimel]

How are nipple shield and shell sizes worked out?

I've checked the Medela website and it says the shields come in three sizes (S = 16 mm, M = 20 mm, L = 24 mm) but that's no use for me when I don't know what to measure!

I wanted to get some Medela shields for a kind of breastfeeding support kit I'm putting together (tx to a MNetter for the idea) to encourage me to stick at breastfeeding (currently 32 weeks with DC1). Currently I'm getting a cushion, Lansinoh, shields, Lilypadz and breast pads. Any other ideas of what to get?

I know most of this stuff is widely available but it's sods law that I'll get desperate on a Sunday evening or Christmas Eve!

Can I ask why you want to use nipple shields?

Think putting a pack together is a great idea, but there are so many negatives of using nipple shields if you can avoid it - obviously they can be very helpful to some people, but most breastfeeders don't need them.

Sorry meant to say - I just googled and can't find a size chart either! Think maybe your best bet would be to either call Medela, or ask in somewhere like Mothercare, as they might know.

I didn't know they came in different sizes!

I would wait and see if you actually need shields tbh and if you do you can send your DH/Mum to Boots/Supermarket. I speak as someone who did have lots of problems feeding DS1 (but none with DS2 thankfully!) but it really wasn't hard to get things when I needed them.

Nipple shields enabled me to continue feeding DS1 so I'm a fan, but I wouldn't expect to have to use them.

Good luck, I like your idea of a support kit.

Thanks all.

I know the disadvantages of using shields, but my Mum said they saved her so I figured that if they keep me going through a bad night then they're far better than getting to the desperate point before I can get help.

My LO is due in December and I'm a bit concerned that breastfeeding support groups and counsellors will be hard to contact over Christmas! Hence the thought of getting as many things to support me as possible.

I disagree with SpecterBooAlot over nipple shields. They are harder to get hold of in an emergency than formula, so it makes perfect sense to have some in the house just in case. I reckon that if I had tried them to begin with, instead of believing what I read about them, I mightn't have needed to give the bottles I did.

WRT to sizing, I believe what you're measuring is the diameter of the actual base of the nipple with some tolerance. I used medium (as that was the only size available in the shops - another good reason to think ahead), and the base of my nipple is prob around 15mm. HTH.

Congratulations!

What helped me the most was lurking on this board throughout my pregnancy. A lot of the same problems crop up again and again.

I would see how you go without nipple shields tbh but if it makes you feel better to have them in the house then buy some.

My breastfeeding kit would contain:

ordinary pillow (never got on with cushions and I didn't need anything after a couple of weeks)
lansinoh
helpful friend/counsellor to contact in the middle of the night (or tiktok here!)
cake
cake
cake
cake

Oh, and a breastfeeding rottweiler advocate who will send tart emails to your GP when they refuse to prescribe fluconazole for thrush.

The Amazon entry for Medela shields says "To check size required, measure the diameter of the nipple base after breastfeeding when the nipple is warm and moist. This is the measurement that should be used as a guide for the contact Nipple Shield. Available in three sizes (small = 16 mm, medium = 20 mm, large = 24 mm). For sore and cracked nipples seek support and advice from your health professional."

But see also this on the Medela website, which talks about the size of the baby's mouth. Anyhow, DD was 2 weeks when I started with them (we used them for 10 weeks) and she was quite small. She coped well with the Medela contact shields in medium size, but they did seem massive!!

Gah, I WISH I'd remembered about nipple shields when I was struggling with DS (who would latch really well, then chew me as he came off the nipple )

If they're available on amazon and if/when you struggle, order some then. (save the link on your desktop or something)