Inverted nipples and Breast feeding help needed please.

[tlise]

(copied from my post on pregnancy board before someone helpfully pointed me this way )

title says it all really. I tried with my eldest but he wouldn't/couldn't latch on, so it resulted in 4 weeks of continuous expressing and feeding which I swore would never do again as it about killed me. Even the midwife was begging me to give up and put him on the bottle and thats what I have stuck to ever since.

this one though being the last I seem to have the desire more than ever to try again, and whilst sometimes they come out, since I have been pregnant, and obviously boobs are bigger, they are showing no signs of wanting to play at all.

What I would like to know, there are more than just me out there with them, has anyone managed to successfully BF even if its just with aids?

I have seen some Medela contact nipple shields, which it says are good for inverted nipples, but not to be used permanantly as can reduce sensation, does anyone know if they are any good before I order them? Plus they come in 3 sizes, so wasn't sure which one to go for.

I should also mention, tried the full nipple shield things and like these hard shell things the mw recommended, neither worked, with him either.

Tracy 26+3

I had really flat, but not inverted, nipples when DD was born and she just couldn't latch on at all. The midwives in the hospital tried loads of things (including some sort of contraption that they made from two syringes which created a vacuum to try pull out my nipples which didn't work in the end!). One sensible midwife came along, realised how much I was struggling and gave me the Medela contact shields that you mentioned - they were fantastic!! Although 90% of the midwives I came into contact with after that didn't agree with the shields and kept trying to get me to give them up. When I got home, I kept using them them, but also kept trying to latch DD onto me and after 3 (long!) weeks of perservering, she latched on! I was so relieved and felt that if it hadn't been for the shields, then I would never have continued. I went on to feed DD until she was 13mths old. I know that one reason that they aren't recommended is that it can affect supply, but I think if it's just to get you started then I can't see the harm. My community midwife told me that a friend of hers used shields for just over 4mths and had no problems with supply.

Oh, and after feeding DD for 13mths, my nipples have never been flat again! All the better for DD2 hopefully!

Hope this has helped, and good luck!

I forgot to say, I'm not sure how to work out which size is the best. I used the small ones but have ordered medium this time, just in case of any issues. And also, I've never experienced any loss in sensation.

ah thanks for that! I thought even if I could only use them and they only lasted a couple months would be better than nothing. Will have to get some ordered :) I always have enough milk to feed everyones babies and have always thought it a shame lol. Ouch @ the vacuum bit tho, making my eyes water thinking about it Mine were more flat, but now more gone in, but they are quite on the large size like the rest of me, so thats probably why :(

Mine were very inverted. I had lots of help from BF clinic where they were able to help DD latch on. In between trips there I expressed frequently, with a double pump, which helped to make the nipples more elastic I think. After about 5 weeks, she managed to latch onto one breast. I've fed her from just that one ever since (16mo now). I know you say you won't express again, and I completely understand. Not sure I'd cope with it again with another DC. But maybe at first you'll need to so that you and the baby have chance to practise. Good luck.

I have inverted nipples and actually had an operation to correct them about 7 years ago. ( which didn't work i may add!) I tried to BF my son ( now 2 ) but sadly had a lot of trouble, no milk ever came out of my nipple even though it was there in the breast. Unsure whether the surgery had cut the ducts making it impossible for it to come out. Didn't get much support in the hospital and had to resort to feeding him by bottle as had no other option - they coudn;t even get any milk come out when they put me on the pump in the hospital. I was really upset about the whole thing and blame myslef for having the surgery. I am going to try again with my next baby but not sure what will happen. Saying that my boy is very healthy and happy and we have always had a good bond - I wish you all the best x

Thankyou xx Mine are ok with the actual producing luckily, its just getting it into baby lol. There are definate advantages to bottle feeding, so it isn't the end of the world if I can't, it would just be nice. At least if I can't, I won't have to keep leaving the room everytime it wants a feed lol.

I have one flat, one very inverted. I tried two types of nipple formers while pregnant - the ones like breast shells and ones ordered from the US that are little suction cups. I'm not sure whether they made a difference.

When dd was born she found it really hard to latch on and she had to suck like a demon to get the inverted nipple out. A moderate case of tongue tie made it worse and after a week i was in such agony I resorted to the Medela contact nipple shields and they were a godsend! Started with the small as I have small nipple, but moved onto medium when small became a bit painful. I think larger is better as it sucks more of the areola so baby isn't just nipple sucking.

After 4 weeks we had the tongue tie cut and I nervously tried without shields again, it was ok for a few days, now hurts again a bit but think I may have thrush (had antibiotics for mastitis after 2 weeks and dd has been given an anti-fungal cream for her nappy rash although doc didn;t specifically say it was thrush). DD can latch onto both sides but it is more painful on the inverted side and I know from pumping that it only produces about 2/3 as much milk as the flat side and it takes longer. Invrted side is also noticeably smaller than flat side! (always was but barely noticeable). However I have resigned myself to being lopsided for a few months. I also pump when can as it's less painful.

Thats interesting, I may get the large ones then runningrach if they are more effective. One of mine is more flat than inverted, but funnily enough thats the smaller side. Mine are very lopsided atm. As far as I can remember I get good amounts out of both. I tried those breast shells, if you mean the great big clunky ones and they were horendous lol. Mastitus is horrible :( Apparantly its uncommon to get it if you're not BF but I get it everytime at some point. The only one I didn't have it with was my eldest.

Thank you, again, thats more positive :) I did write to someone who deals with breasts and she said it would be very difficult and I would need extensive help, but from the stories here, as long as the mw helps me, I have got a chance. Will defo get some of those sheilds tho!

I have really inverted nipples (and H cup breasts) and have BF 5 babies. With the last one (can't remember the others ) they tried a pump thing in the hospital to pull the nipples out far enough to give DD something to get hold off. It was a bit of a fight in the first week or so but she is still BF aged 3 yo