Nipple Shields A Positive Post!

[Isittimeforwineyet]

Am a bit of a mumsnet lurker but thought I'd post about my experience as I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I've had a hard time BF my little dude as he has a super shallow latch, which was originally caused by a tongue tie that was only discovered at 8 weeks. Due to this BF was agony!

From about 3 weeks we've been using nipple shields and they have completely saved BF for us. Although the tongue tie has now been fixed he's rather set in his ways and I don't think we'll be able to stop using them.

I've now accepted this to be the case and have actually begun to have a much more positive relationship with my nipple shields. They may be a bit of a faff but we wouldn't be here without them! I think it's a bit of a shame they have such a bad rep, particularly as it may stop people using them and lead to
people giving up.

What are other people's experience of using them? Anybody else using them on a long term basis? It would be nice to hear from some fellow nipple shielded ladies! We're at 13 weeks and counting!

I just saw this and wanted to contribute!
Nipple shields were suggested to me by a friend who used them for 8 months without any issues.

I've had a cracked nipple for 2 months now (one bad feed, that's all it takes!) and I also struggle with latching when I'm in public (akward positioning!). I use the shields on and off as I feed DD laying down (side to side) on the bed at nightime and I find that position better for latching.

I think I'd had given up BF without the shields. Also, during growth spurs nor only the crack reopens, but both nipples also look red and sore. Shields give me a break and allow me to enjoy feeding my baby without pain or discomfort.

Weight is ok although I let her feed until she drops (sometimes literally!) to make sure she's well stuffed.

I do understand that a proper latch would be the ideal scenario but nipple shields are not silicon demons, are useful tools and should be used without any shame!

I used them with both mine - I think it was 16 weeks for DS and 13 weeks with DD, both of which I BF over a year. I'm so glad I used them as I wouldn't have been able to BF without them.

I absolutely love them! My nipples were so cracked and sore from the early cluster feeds, and I dreaded every feed as it was agony. Such a horrible time. But a friend suggested the shields and they've been amazing. The first time I used them the feed was pain-free and I remember feeling so happy and relieved. Baby is now 6 months and we're still using them (her choice - she feeds better with them!).

They only need sterilising once a day so I don't find it a faff at all - just bung them in while I make my tea in the morning.

Also, my baby never bats an eyelid over switching to a bottle occasionally and I wonder if that's because she's used to shields and a bottle is less alien to her? If so, that's another positive!

Love nipple shields! We've been using them since circa 6 days old (was exclusively pumping before) due to a very shallow latch, flattish nipples and jaundice making her too sleepy to work harder for it! Baby is now 20 weeks.

We combination feed as well, she has a couple of bottles of formula in the afternoon/evening, so I'm doing everything wrong according to certain people's opinions! But my girl is steadily gaining along the the 75th centile, after a big drop in the first week when we didn't have shields or formula, so screw them and their opinions

It would be handy if she'd latch without them as it would save faffing around, but I am forever grateful for them as there's absolutely no doubt we would not be breastfeeding still at nearly 5 months without them!

Nipple shields allowed me to BF my prem DD for 15 months! She never managed to latch without them, looking back I think she had an undiagnosed lip tie. Combined with oversupply and forceful letdown, she just couldn't cope without them. I had a lot of pressure to stop using them from health visitors, but persevered. She self weaned at 15 months.
They are an awesome tool when needed.

This has given me hope. Have a 12 day old, breastfeeding so painful due to shallow latch possibly due to short tongue/tongue tie. I'm currently expressing and bottle feeding and attempting a feed everyday to help him remember... Still having difficulty getting him to latch on and the nipple shield made it even more awkward. Can anyone give any tips on what size is needed? The one I have seems massive .. And how to use for the first time?

Can you speak to a lactation consultant? It's easier to demonstrate how to use a nipple shield than to write it down. The size is dependent on your nipple size, but yes they do seem huge to start with.
Hope you manage to make it work for you.

Hi Cinnamon84,

Sorry to hear you're struggling. I always laugh when I remember how easy BF lioked in the NCT videos! Ha!

Did you struggle with the nipple shield? I used Medela, medium size. Tried a small (my nips are on the smallish side) and it felt like if someone was pinching them.

I wait until the mouth is fully opened as the shields are fairly big compared to the nipples and then help her reach. Have you tried the side lying position? I find it v easy.

Hi nerdymum, thanks. Yes tried lying down position again yesterday but he won't latch on by himself, the only position that seems to work is cross cradle as I can guide him on. He seems so upset with me whenever we try this now though and seems to scrunch up his neck. Feeling hopeless about this and not sure at what point do I give up. I'm looking into a lactation consultant and have a bf counsellor coming tomorrow. Not sure how much they can help now, I was going to a bf clinic every day and they basically told me not to come in so much and the latch was fine!

Tried nipple shields and it still hurts! Don't understand what I'm doing wrong, still getting a sensation of him flicking the tip of my nipple hard with his gum or tongue, it makes me wince as it's such a sharp and painful but ticklish feeling, and when he comes off my nipple is lipstick shaped which i think is wrong. Thinking bfing isn't for us :(

Lipstick shaped nipples are usually the result of a shallow latch, I suffer them myself , sometimes even with shields.
Maybe it hurts because if the latch is shallow the tip of your nip is against the baby's hard palate (at the front) rather than the hard palate (at the back). I found this link helpful milkontap.com/shallow-latch/

Some people also recommend the 'natural' latch position, the one with you leaning back and the baby latchin on his/her own... never tried it myself but might be worth a try?

Good that you're getting some help. It's really frustating when you heard that everything should be fine when it's clear to you that it isn't! (I've had a cracked nipple for 2 months and the only advice from HV was "let it breathe").

And at the end of the day if you have to switch to expressing, formula or mix feeding, it's ok. You have to do whatever works for you and your baby, there is no right or wrong really

Sorry I meant "soft palate" at the back... grrrr

Cinnamon! Are you still there?

I had that weird flicking sensation too. When I went to the tongue tie clinic they said that it was something his tongue was doing to compensate for his tongue tie. The lady actually put a finger in his mouth and could feel it herself. I really hope the consultant was good today? I definitely think tongue tie is worth checking as your LO clearly has a shallow latch like mine.

As to the pain, get the tongue tie, latch etc etc sorted but (and I am sure I am not alone in thinking this) sometimes there is no magic cure. Nipped shields helped and made it bearable they didn't take the pain away. But it does get better, honestly. From about 8 weeks things just kind of clicked, which must feel 100 years away now, but in the interim things improved all the time. God I feel for you. Really I was where you are and know how bad it is

I agree, also it takes a while for your nipples to get used to the feeds so at first they can feel v sore!

Hi Cinnamon

Not sure if my post posted?

Hi isittimeforwineyet

Oh the flicking sensation is just horrible. He had his tie cut yesterday, I had gotten my hopes up a bit and expected his first feed to be magical but he won't latch on without a shield now, and still hurt! I think the problem is that the shield I have is a bit crappy and he can only just about get his little mouth around the bit surrounding the nipple so he's not getting a wide enough latch. Have ordered some mam ones, as recommended by the consultant and hoping they'll feel better, otherwise i don't know what I'm going to do! Counting down the weeks he can start eating solids!

Thanks for your supportive message, it really does make a difference knowing people have been through similar and have got through it and not given up... Not sure how much perserverance I have left now- main reason I want to bf now is for convenience- no faffing around with bottles and sterilisers etc

I used them from about day 2 until he was 3 weeks. I would've stopped without them! He had a really prominent TT (took 2 snips to get it cut through they gave my nipples chance to heal but also not to get any more damaged as I knew we were on the way to them getting worse if I carried on.

I weaned him off them NYE but I always knew if they were there I would use them again. I would recommend them to people struggling definitely.

I was told the reason HPs recommend not using them for too long is because by 6 weeks your milk supply is 'established' and using the sheilds can affect this, but obviously can't be true for everyone if people have fed for months with no issues!!

All i can say is they saved my bacon! So much pressure, guilt and conflicting advice around BF its been a roller coaster!

They definitely have their limitations, my LO is 5 months now and gets really frustrated at how slow they are! That said even if we did stop now (which I'm not planning on, although I might supplement more) that's 5 more months than would have happened!

Cinnamon you're doing great! Whatever you decide to do, just remember as long as they're feed that's all that matters. Your LO is lucky to have you

I certainly wouldn't have got through the first few weeks of feeding without them!!
I also felt that we'd never wean off them but after forgetting them when packing for a weekend away when dd was about 3mo, we went cold turkey and never used them again. I also agree that they don't deserve their bad rep.

Further to my earlier post DD is now feeding well without nipple shields. I was trying to wean her off them for a few weeks with limited success but one day last week it suddenly clicked for her.

I wouldn't hesitate to use them again - I'm not sure I'd have been able to get bf established without them.

Cinnamon - sorry to hear you are having such a tough time and I hope the mam shields helped. Good ones can make a big difference - medela ones worked brilliantly for me and my DD but we had some other ones as well to start off with and I couldn't even get her to latch with those.

Yay for Nipple sheilds! I have one inverted nipple. I was worried leading up to having our first child that I wouldn't be able to breast feed. When I had our son he latched on to the none inverted nipple fine but he couldn't latch onto my inverted nipple.

After spending 2 days in hospital being helped by many a midwife LO was still not latching onto the inverted nipple. The lactation consultant wasn't able to help either. She suggested I continue to breastfeed with one breast!

Not a single mid wife or lactation consultant suggested a nipple sheild. My neighbour on the ward suggested them. I bought one and my frustration at this point was beyond comprehension. My husband had to watch a YouTube video to teach me how to use it as I failed to understand how to use it. On day 4 after giving birth my LO was finally able to feed off the other breast.

My LO also had a shallow latch so I used it on both nipples on and off for the first 6 weeks. I've been breastfeeding for almost 5 months and I would not have continued had I not used a nipple sheild.