BFing with an inverted nipple.

[MrsKoala]

Hi, I have a 2yo who i combine fed ff/bf for 8 months. I found BFing very hard. Especially at the beginning. Because i have an inverted nipple on one side. As much as we tried we just couldn't get a latch on that side and i used to express for an hour to just get 1oz of milk twice a day (i could express for 20 mins and get 6oz on the right). But it just became too much.

So eventually at 12wks i gave up and just focussed on the non inverted side (right) and supplemented with 1-2 FF a day. (My right side went up to an FF and my left stayed flat which was also miserable :( )

Now, i am having my second baby on Weds. It has been a traumatic few weeks, (last 4 wks in hospital with bleeding and placenta preavia) and i have to have a section at 38wks. So i am worried that will affect my supply too.

I would really love the EBF this time if possible. I wasn't really prepared last time so i want to get things to help me in place and any tips up front - before i get to day 5 and break down again.

Does anyone have any wise tips? Thank you.

Hi
Congratulations, I hope everything is straight forward for the rest of your pregnancy.
I had two fully inverted nipples i.e. They wouldn't come out under any stimulation. The things that I did that I think helped me to EBF for both DCs for 6month were: use a Niplette to pull out the nipple, I would wait until you have had baby now as nipple stimulation could kick things off. I also used a nipple shield for some of the time, but not all as I found it slowed down my supply, drink lots of Horlicks to keep supply up. Use breast feeding helplines/drop ins they are really kind ladies who really helped me and give fantastic advice.

My nipples now are permanently erect by the way!

I had this, really struggled to latch on the left to start with, but a community MW suggested expressing to pull the nipple out just before trying to feed. It really worked for me, but I see you tried expressing as well, - did you try putting the baby on straight afterwards?

Get as much support as you can from the midwives, community team, La Leche League, local breastfeeding groups etc. They're there to help and won't think you're being a pain in the ass.

All the best for Wednesday! Sounds like you've had a tough time just recently, so hope that the rest of your pregnancy is a bit easier for you.

Thank you. I should have said i used nipple sheilds for a while with DS, but he stopped sucking because it just took too long for any milk to come thru. He actually had a decent initial latch but would give up if milk didn't immediately pour forth (my right side had such a fast let down that he got used to starting it off and then it just flooding in).

Is the niplette a syringe type thing? I did try that but by the time i had taken it off and got ds on the boob the nipple had gone in again. He would just get so frustrated and distressed that we would try for a few mins and then just go back to the right.

It didn't help that he was (and still is) a very lazy eater and would make no effort to feed and get distracted and lose the latch to look round the room . He only ever took the bare minimum and then got bored, he seemed to barely tolerate eating and didn't use being on the boob for any form of comfort. (We had to wean at 4mo due to terrible reflux and weight loss)

I used a nipple shield with my first as couldn't get a latch - fed for 6 months (4 exclusively then had the old bottle). I used a shield a few times in the first few weeks with DS2 and then didn't and he is still feeding at 20 months - admittedly he's now feeding mostly from the easier side to latch on but he will feed from both if encouraged. We had quite a few latch issues at the beginning (bad lip tie and a tongue tie too that couldn't be fixed because of stupid doctors where we live who don't believe in tongue ties!) and saw lactation consultants and an osteopath - both of which helped.

Despite all these issues, I had a much easier time of it with DS2 than with DS1 so if I were you I'd just see how it goes and hope for the best - I know that it's very unliklely to be the same experience as first time round as each child is so different...... and if you're struggling there is no harm in a nipple shield for a while.

I think i'll get some nipple shields and try them again then and x my fingers for a greedy/hungrier/more determined baby.

The moment the pump is off the nipple goes in before i can get a baby on the boob. It is split seconds. Also it doesn't really come out in a shield either.

I had differing advice before which varied from 'of course you can feed on that side your nipple makes no difference' to 'you will never be able to feed out of that side your nipple is completely flat'

Also i am worried because before i spent 12 wks on the sofa with a baby on the boob or expressing. So i could really give all my attention. But this time i have a toddler to entertain too. I'm not going to have the same time to spend with pumps and shields when i also have a 2yo jumping on my head!

what about nipple formers ? are they any good?

I did have those nipple formers but found them quite uncomfortable on very full boobs, worth a try though?

The Niplette were the syringe jobies, I think you are meant to wear them overnight to get full effect, not very comfortable and I found that I had to use lansinoh to get a good seal.

As others have said second baby is quite possibly going to be different.

Best of luck for Wednesday.

Ugh, I also have an inverted left nipple. My right breast is fine and produces loads. I can pump 125mL in 15 minutes on the right but I can never get more than 40mL from the left. Using a nipple shield has really helped me. I know you said you tried nipple shields and it didn't work. Maybe a different kind? I use Medela ones. Bought them at Boots. They're about 7-8 quid I think. www.boots.com/en/Medela-Nipple-Shields-Medium-And-Case-1-Pair-Shields-1-Case_865816/ Could you try expressing a bit so that the milk is flowing so baby doesn't need to work so hard? Or filling the nipple shield with milk to 'inspire' baby?