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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Do you think breastfeeding is harder with flat nipples?

42 replies

CocoDeMoll · 13/11/2017 20:28

Waiting forever at a midwife appointment today and saw on the video playing on a loop in the waiting room. It said flat nipples doesn't matter with breastfeeding because baby's breast feed and don't nipple feed. I was very lucky to have a baby last time that just got on and fed and my nipples are pointy. Two of my friends I met at baby group had a horrible time for months and one had to give up. Both said flat nipples were the problem. It makes me think it is a problem that should be acknowledged but anyth

OP posts:
Original poster
CocoDeMoll · 13/11/2017 20:29

...any promotion of breastfeeding says it's not a problem.

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 13/11/2017 20:30

I'm a midwife. Its not a myth. Harder for most, occasionally not an issue.

Original poster
CocoDeMoll · 13/11/2017 20:39

Thats interesting. I'm reading all the free baby mags and bits I got with booking and the baby websites I signed with and it all says it shouldn't be an issue. Midwives have the real knowledge though because you live it! Grin

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 13/11/2017 20:54

I guess the literature doesn't want women to feel like giving up/not bothering before they start? But then it's not fair on these women if they struggle more than most and don't understand why......though I'd have thought most midwives helping them would explain the issue and some of the work arounds to try and combat it.

demirose87 · 13/11/2017 20:58

My nipples aren't quite flat but are only slightly pointy, unless erect and I struggled to breastfeed my first baby to the point where he wasn't getting anything at all and my boobs were black and blue from not latching properly. I gave up and formula fed and didn't even try with my next three babies as I knew I couldn't do it.

thepatchworkcat · 13/11/2017 21:01

I think it’s a problem. Terrible time feeding DS. He did have a tongue tie but that was fixed after a week. We never seemed to be very good and latching on even after that and I’m sure my flat nipples weren’t helping, despite, as you say, all the info/midwives telling me it shouldn’t make a difference.

Misspilly88 · 13/11/2017 21:02

I am SO cross that they keep saying this. I'm one of those people that would rather be prepared for the worst case scenario. Both my babies couldn't latch. First one had a tt divided, second didn't have a tt. Both could sort of latch on to one side where it's a bit more prominent but neither could latch on the flat side. I vividly remember sobbing saying 'how can he latch, there's nothing there to aim for?'. I'm sure it's entirely possible for most people with flat nipples but I'm also certain it must be more difficult in most cases.

chocolateorangeowls · 13/11/2017 21:02

I have flat nipples and really struggled. I used nipple shields and they helped loads! I fed my baby using them until they were 6 months old.

FleurWeasley · 13/11/2017 21:04

Another flattie who had loads of issues!

Wingingit321 · 13/11/2017 21:12

Also have flat nipple. Loads of issues feeding first. Used nipple shields, lots of pain, cracked bleeding nipple ect. Eventually we got the hang of it and weaned off shields but took 6 weeks but then feeding was fine. Second time round didn’t have any issues but I guess I knew what I was doing

OlennasWimple · 13/11/2017 21:14

Nipple shields are excellent for getting feeding established with flatter nipples

Wowzel · 13/11/2017 21:16

I never managed to breastfeed with flat nipples, nipple shields didn't work either.

If I have any more children I don't know if I will bother even trying, I was so upset by it.

Ttbb · 13/11/2017 21:18

Mind got pointier as o breastfed more.

Lilonetwothree · 13/11/2017 21:36

I'm like ttbb my flat/inverted nipples (that only went pointy very rarely) became more pointy the longer I breastfed.

I struggled and had a lot of pain in the first 2 weeks. It was more painful than my C-section scar. I would kick out in pain and cry in the first few minutes of feeding. If it carried on longer I would have given up for sure.

Nipple shield helped when my baby refused to feed. I stopped using them at about 3-4 weeks as my nipples then became pointy and everything just clicked.

Original poster
CocoDeMoll · 13/11/2017 22:04

You all confirmed what I thought. I really sympathise. It was really painful to start with and I think if she'd struggled to latch on as well as painful feeding I would have given up. It seems like so much of breastfeeding is down to luck. I'm lucky to not have flat nipples but unlucky to have tongue tie in the family.

OP posts:
hollowtree · 13/11/2017 22:06

Mine are quite flat. I've had the most emotionally and physically draining struggle trying to breastfeed =( I did wonder if there was a correlation. Looks like there is! Thanks for this post

mybreastsarentbest · 15/11/2017 21:37

It has definitely made it harder for me.

FleurWeasley · 16/11/2017 19:56

Does anyone have any tips to share? I found the lansinoh latch assist helpful.

mybreastsarentbest · 16/11/2017 20:44

We definitely don’t have it sorted but things are improving, here are a few things that helped:

Nipple shields helped us get things going.

A technique called reverse pressure softening helps a lot.

And I find he latches more easily when I sit him on my knee, you can look up the koala position.

thepatchworkcat · 16/11/2017 20:55

FleurWeasley does it hurt?! Watched the video on the latch assist website and it was making me wince slightly!

FleurWeasley · 17/11/2017 21:01

It didn’t hurt me at all? But my nipples never got sore/cracked from breastfeeding- it was about the same as a breast pump.

mummabubs · 19/11/2017 21:53

I have flat nipples and it's definitely harder. DS is 4 weeks old and I'm currently having to express most feeds as it's so painful when he latches on, even on latches that look good from the outside according to lactation staff. So frustrating to have to spend so much of my time a day pumping but it's too painful to attempt feeding at the moment. Staff said my flat nipples are definitely part of the difficulties we're experiencing. Sometimes DS gets really frustrated trying to pull my nipple out and even using a pump or latch assist to pull my nipple out doesn't seem to help :(

FleurWeasley · 20/11/2017 10:38

Oh mummabubs, I'm so sorry! Have you seen a lactation consultant? Sometimes the midwives etc think that a latch is good but a proper consultant can sort it out. Some simple positioning stuff really helped me. And also, seeing a cranial osteopath helped him to latch better too.

(I know these are both expensive options! I would go for the consultant first if money is tight and look at the price of formula to help you stomach the cost!)

pemberleypearl · 20/11/2017 10:44

For me it was a big part of the reason why I wasn't successful and gave up. If I did have another child I don't think I would even try.

mummabubs · 20/11/2017 12:02

@FleurWeasley yeah I go to our local NHS breastfeeding clinic every week and had a lactation consultant visit me on the ward after birth as DS didn't want to latch (was a forceps delivery so he was bruised in the face love him). I think the problem is that the lactation consultant is amazing but she has a team of staff working with her who aren't qualified consultants (not sure what their job title is but they're more the advisory level) so when I go to clinic and the main consultant is there I get really helpful advice but when she isn't there like last time I told one of the staff that the latch was hurting and she just said it looked good but to take him off and reattach if it hurt and then wrote in my notes that she'd seen a good latch... not helpful!! I really don't want to give up on BF just yet but I'm aware that sooner or later I won't be able to keep up with his volume requirements by expressing alone :/ I'm going to the clinic tomorrow so hopefully they can help me then!

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