Nipple Shields - what ever happened to them?

[Creena]

Hi there. I'm 24 weeks pregnant with my third child and there is a gap of 10 years between this one and my current youngest. I've noticed that things have changed a little during those ten years!

I plan to breast feed this baby and have been looking at various shops and websites to remind myself of what I need. One item that I found to be incredibly helpful when I had DS all those years ago was nipple shields - they were clear, silicone (I think) shields with a teat effect that you placed over your nipples when feeding if your nipples were sore and/or cracked. As I've found breast feeding really difficult in the past, I really wanted to buy some more of these as they were the one thing that I found helpful. Sadly, I can't seem to find them anywhere, including the shops where I bought them last time!

Whatever has happened to nipple shields? Can they still be found and if so, where?!?

There are reports that even the thin silicone nipple shields cause reduced milk intake and present a potential for reduced maternal milk supply and nipple damage with improper placement....> this is at the end of the 3rd paragraph

Nipple shields are frequently used (or misused) for:
Sore nipples (protection and/or prevention)
Flat nipples
Engorged breasts
Nipple confusion/nipple preference
Premature infants
Neurological challenges of the infant
Breast refusal

Problems frequently associated with nipple shield use:
Decreased milk transfer
Increased nipple pain and/or damage
Preference by infant to taste or sensation of shield
Reduced milk supply
Interference with proper latch on
Maternal message of failure as a mother

This is also part of that document

I read that the effect on milk intake and therefore eventually on supply depends on the mother's milk supply and the speed of her letdown. Must say though, I think the argument about intake and supply is pretty academic if using shields for a time is the only way a woman can contemplate continuing to breastfeed.

Dr Jack Newman States;

Nipple Shield. A poor treatment for sore nipples, I beleive. There may be some justification in using it for a baby who won't latch on, but even then, only after the mother has developed a good milk supply and nothing else is working.

* with regards to this statement i would need to state that it solely depends on the personal situation relating to the matter. If it waren't for nipple shields i likely would not have been able to BF. As my dd did not latch on for 3 days after birth and it was only when i used a shield that she did - my supply was far from established then.. What else could i have done??

Ah that's interesting Determination... Your other posts came over as if you were wholly against them. I do think articles that dismiss them as a poor treatment for sore nipples tend to underestimate what agonising pain can be put under the definition of "sore". They might not treat the cause of the soreness, but they certainly help cracked nipples to heal rather than being opened up at every feed. Like I said, I had got to the stage where I was physically pulling away when DS tried to latch on. The shields helped me get over that fear so that when I felt ready I was able to get him back on the bare nipple again and then work on the latch.

Twinkle...

I think my views depend solely on the situation. I know for sure that they were the sole reason that i was able to breastfeed and for that.. i could not be more glad they exist. However, when i comes to using them for cracked nipples (as i did also - but not successfully) then i would discourage the use of them.. as like also stated in the document i posted - they CAN cause nipple damage with improper placement. In my case they would slightly slip during the feed and as a result damaged my nipple more.

I think they are fantastic for use when there is a problem with latch. But when it comes to actually treating cracked nipples they are not the solution. Something which will actually heal the nipple quickly without possibly worsening the situation is needed and this too is the reason why i am so hung up on the Silverette..

I must states though that everyone has the right of choice and opinion.. and this is just what i found worked and didn't work for me!

accessorize - I see your query for more info has been asnswered really. Tha milk transfer to the baby can be reduced by up to 40% so yes it will take longer to feed. The knock on effect though is that there is less effective stimulation of the breast and then less milk production. For women who over produce that is not an issue. For women who need really effective feeding to ensure adequate milk production, that can be an issue.
I agree that nipple shields can be very effective for sore nipples and help women to continue feeding, but advice should be given about the possible need to express as well to stimulate milk production if they are required long term. Some babies get nipple confusion and will not feed without them.

Best to get the latch correct in the first instance to avoid damamge.

Nipple shields were used willy-nilly in past which just generated more problems than they solved. They were used frequently because the baby had problems fixing or nipples were tender, instead of solving the original problem.

Boots do some really good ones, they are textured like a boob too

Thanks Mears & Determination
I'm struggling to get ds2 'off' shields as he's been using them virtually since birth - now 10 weeks (ds1 used them every feed until 9 weeks when I gave up). Using them for flat nipples, not soreness, although I now realise that babies don't need to feed on the nipple, but the breast.
Got down to nearly every feed without them, then found I had no idea how to actually latch a baby without them & have very tender nipples so back to using them again. I have an abundant supply (I think), but would really like to feed less (they're hour long feeds at present) although I haven't actually seen a difference between shielded feeds and those without. I'm keeping a diary to convince myself differently now!
I absolutely agree that it's better to use them than give up & I would have given up earlier with both children had I not used them. I am trying to get some help with the latch & positioning, I saw a counsellor on the weekend but she wasn't an enormous help tbh. But I will perservere - information like this will motivate me to do so!
thanks again

Here are the supporter line numbers to speak to a counsellor

LLL: 0845 120 2918
BFN: 0870 900 8787
NCT: 0870 444 8708
ABM: 0870 401 7711

It def was better that you used them especially if you would have given up without.. that is the point i made with regards to my situ too. It is extremely hard work to wean them fully from them, as they are used to that texture and shape now, but here are some tips that i done to do it.. (it took around 2 weeks).

My dd was around the same age when she completely refused the breast, she wouldn't even allow me to hold her in the cradle position when i was fully clothes and not trying to feed her... I would use the shield to start the feed off, then quickly remove it one my nipple had came out and the milk was flowing.. she was latch on without for a wee while then realize and come off again... i just perservered and continued this until we managed full feeds without.

I also used to blow raspberries on her tummy until she laughed then i would touch her face with my bare breast/nipple - this let her associate my bare breat/nipple with a happy feeling and after about 1.5 weeks she would root for it when i was touching her face. Hard work but well worth it.

We started to fully enjoy the BFing experience from around 3.5months onwards and she self weaned at 2.

I started to find nipple shields a bl**dy nuisance after a while as they kept slipping or coming off - that's when I realised I didn't really need them any more. Convincing DS was slightly more difficult but I did manage to wean him off them using the method described by Determination.

It's reassuring to read that others have used them but managed to wean babies off them - gives me hope. I read the article, determination, thanks v.much, it was much more in depth than anything I've come across. I've been persevering, and feel I'm getting somewhere, trying hard to get the latch right as he's a bit lazy with it (understandably). And I must say when I do get it right, it's a completely different experience & I can see why some women like bf so much!!

accessorizewithbabysick,

Glad to hear it.. you will honestly love BFing once you get him fully weaned off the shields.. keep us all updated.