Anyone had pain/bleeding WITH nipple shields?

[lilac3033]

I have been having loads of trouble feeding but DD FINALLY started latching consistently this week (5 weeks old) with the use of nipple shields.

I have had a fair bit of pain that tends to lessen as we go, but it never goes away. However today at the breastfeeding clinic my shield was filled with blood! Everyone always seems amazed that this has happened, because the shields should make this better. I know she has a powerful suck and she DEFINITELY is not opening her mouth wide enough to get a deep latch. I think it will just be time, as tickling her nose with the nipple doesn't work. The flipple method doesn't work. The midwife reckons there is some low supply as well which is frustrating her. Anyways we are working on this stuff.

Unfortunately it means I have to go on supplementing until she gets her latch sorted, but it would be interested to see if anyone else has had this before!

I used nipple shields with DS and they helped but when I tried them with DD it was awful. Her latch I think was worse with the shield and they didn't fit well so they opened the cracks and the shield filled with blood. I tried a couple of different types but I was really nervous of them so chucked them out and continued without. I'm surprised the feeding clinic hadn't heard of this- my midwife and breastfeeding support workers said they don't always help. Hope it gets better soon.