Any tips on weaning from nipple shield?

[Osku]

My baby is now 4 weeks old. He was born 5 weeks early. He was very weak at first and didn't latch on/ suck - my friend suggested trying nipple shields which worked brilliantly. He's doing great now and feeds all the time! I'd like to try and get him to feed directly from the nipple but every time try he seems confused and upset. Any recommendations? Also is there any harm in always using a shield?
Thanks!

Hiya,
We used nipple shields until DD was 12 weeks old. The main downside I found was that her feeds took ages.

I just kept trying from time to time without until one day she got the idea and we were well away. Maybe stick with them for a while longer, if everything else is ok?

Hi, could you try putting him to a shieldless breast perhaps when he is just rousing from sleep, or not hungry yet? I.e. Not crying yet. So he is not desperate for food if you know what I mean, so he can just play with learning how to feed from the nipple alone without the pressure or urgency of hunger.
I successfully weaned from the shield just through perseverance really. Good
Uck, I'm sure you will manage it in time.

Thanks guys, I will try your tips. The feeds are often and do take ages- so really keen to persevere!

Shields have the draw back that less oxytocin to produced whilst bfing due to the lessened amount of skin to skin contact at the nipple which may possibly lead to a lower supply (not a guaranteed lower supply just that they might long term).

You can try things like using the shield for latching on and when baby has had part of the feed trying them with out the shield, using the shield only if they fail to latch easily or using the shield for feeds they find difficult (i.e. some babies may find latching on difficult if they are very sleepy).

Tryinhard makes a good suggestion of trying on waking or when not hungry.

You can aslo do things like lots of skin to skin time in bed or in the bath so your DS gets used to feeling/being around your breasts with out the shields on them. Keeping it low key (not deliberately trying to get him to feed) and relaxed should help with lowering his stress levels and yours too.

There is a great website about biological nurturing here which might help you as well.

Osku - my personal experience has been that the shields I use (MAM ones) appear to have had no effect on my supply - I used them to feed DS1 for 17 months, and I'm using them to feed DTs still at 6 months plus, and everything seems to be going ok still. I am happy to continue to use the shields until I stop bfing again - for me it is a lot less stressful to use them, than not x

I have finally got DD off nipple shields (at FIVE MONTHS). I tried everything. Biological nurturing worked a little. Feeding her in the bath worked but she still wouldn't do it out of the bath (confusion and crying). Halfway through the feed didn't work at all. Finally she started pulling them off herself and when she did I would let her try without. She is now nipple shield free and we are doing well. Don't worry about the supply too much, I had loads of milk and I don't think I would have been able to BF without shields (agony!!!).