5 week old DD nipple confusion and sheilds

[OnlyWantsOne]

various issues but i cant get my 5 week old DD to latch without sheilds, im trying every feed bt she gets really unhappy

any advice?

why did you start using shields and does it matter that she is using them? My 5.5wk dd can latch on without them now we have cut her tongue tie but it hurts like hell! I have gone back to shields until I can see a lactation consultant to help with the latch. I would rather not have to hunt for the shield every time I feed.

Might be worth you seeing a consultant for some advice on whether there are any other issues that stop her latching , otherwise mybe as she gets a bit bigger you can wean hger off them. I know some people don't like them but if it's a choice between shields or not bf then I'm with shields! Only thing I would say is make sure you pump sometimes to make sure you are emptying each breast because I got mastitis after first week of using shields because I didn't know they make baby less efficient at emptying breast.

Ive used sheilds since day 3 or 4 when my nipples were a wreck and havent been able to not use them since.
DD is a "nipple feeder"

I went to a BF group thing and left feeling completely useless and like a failure because I cant latch her on "normally"

Think my dd may be nipple feeder too! I'm avoiding a bf group for the same reason and hoping for some 1to1 help.

I saw on another thread a suggestion that you use the shield for the first side feed, then try offering just nipple on the other side when baby is less frantic for food. I thought that sounded like a good idea but haven;t tried it - I discovered dd could latch on when all of a sudden the sucking was much more intense the other day and I realised she had knocked off the shield and gone for the naked nipple!

My problems are one very inverted nipple, and one demonic baby that attacks any nipple (flesh or plastic) with a vengeance if she thinks she can get milk from it...

I am pretty sure that we are more normal having problems with bf than the rare people who seem to have no problems at all!

Hello! personally i am a big fan of nipple shields, and have not experienced problems with reduction in supply or effective transfer of milk. I used them with DS1 all the time and fed him for 17 months. Now I am using them to breastfeed my twins - 11 weeks and counting.

I found it very difficult to get the latch right with DS1, and when I spent sometime doing without them it coincided with thrush in my milk ducts, which is the most painful thing in the world - therefore bf without shields was always associated in my mind with pain. This time around the DTs were premature and in special care, so when they latched better with the shields than without my mind was made up to use them again, because i preferred to bf with them, than not do it at all...

good luck to you both!