Do you think breastfeeding is harder with flat nipples?

[CocoDeMoll]

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

Yes, I would say overall it is, though there's lots of other factors at play too. I think the main thing would be that it's the nipple that triggers the sucking reflex, so it has to reach into baby's mouth, never mind that babies shouldn't be hanging on the nipple itself. I have flat nipples. I also had an early baby with no sucking reflex at all (who had other feeding issues on top of that). The combination of things meant she really struggled to stay latched and even when she was, no nipple there meant she really didn't do anything. We had all sorts of weight gain issues and failure to thrive. It wasn't just my flat nipples, as she struggled to feed even from a bottle until about 5 months (stopped bf just shy of 3 months), but certainly it would have helped. There are ways around it, like using nipple shield or there are things you can get to pull the nipples out with suction before a feed (I didn't know these existed back then, but I have some to use next time around). But you have to know about them and have proper support using them. In my experience, the midwives and HVs I saw were pretty clueless about breastfeeding in general, let alone problem solving about a specific feeding problem, so I suspect that alone makes it more difficult. I've always been so jealous of my friends with 'normal' nipples who claim that bf was so easy for them, whereas I struggled doing all sorts of crazy things just to get my nipples so my dd could try to latch and then just slide off again.

fleur I saw a cranial osteopath today, how many sessions did you need?

I have flat nipples, one is much flatter than the other & the lactation consultant I saw said I might not be able to feed on that side!
Well I am currently feeding my 15 week old no issues, terrible time those first few weeks with tongue tie & insane engorgement where I needed to use nipple shields because there was absolutely nothing to latch on to.
I think the key is that you need to shove the nipple in the babies mouth, nose to nipple did not work with me (plus I have huge boobs) but the lactation consultant was practically horrified & told me to keep trying nose to nipple - it wouldn’t work so went for what worked for us.
It helps he’s a sucky baby, my first wasn’t so he never latched. I couldn’t get him to latch myself even once

So yes I think it does impact but it certainly isn’t impossible so I can understand why they say it won’t stop you breastfeeding but I think there should be more specific help & I controversially think it’s also the baby that makes a huge difference!

hollowtree, we saw an immediate improvement after the first session (i wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, we left the session feeling like we'd been ripped off but the first feed afterwards was world's apart from all the others).

So I don't know, our person said we'd need 2-3 sessions and discharged us after the 3rd. I wouldn't have more than 3 without a second opinion because there are some cranks out there.

I had flattish nipples but also they were very tightly attached to then breast issue underneath. It was really painful for about 8-10 weeks first time. I was told much, much later that actually Lansinoh was probably not helping because it made it too slippery to get a good latch too.

With my second it was an absolute breeze and I hardly even had any discomfort from readjusting to bf and barely used the Lansinoh.

fleur that sounds so promising... I am so hopeful. Our DD never latched from birth, we have recently found out its due to trauma that happened to her neck during labour (natural breech birth turned EMCS) so she can not extend her neck and open her mouth to form a proper latch.

Does any of this sound similar to you? I've done it all... breast feeding cafes la leche league group midwife appointments health visitor assessments regular pumping fenugreek domperidone massage relaxation techniques my God... this is my last resort. I am literally praying she will latch soon as she is now 11 weeks and I'm getting increasingly doubtful

It was birth trauma that stopped my ds latching properly (it was evident that it pained him to open his mouth when turned to the side, Little mite!) but he was 8 days old when he had the treatment, I don’t know if it had to be early so he could adjust. Having said that, he finally had his tongue tie cut at 13 weeks and learnt to feed again very quickly! Good luck.

But even if it doesn’t help with feeding, I think the osteopath will be good for your baby anyway!

Have you seen an IBCLC Lactation consultant? Or your local NHS infant feeding specialist? Breastfeeding looks sonsinple but I was surprised at how much more expert the Lactation consultant was compared to peer supporters / midwives / health visitors.

Thanks fleur... after your post I was inspired to try... I just breastfed my baby for half hour! Both sides! We had to use nipple shields but she didn't do her usual two sucks and give up then get hysterical... she actually tried! She suckled and fed properly. I feel so relieved... I am so happy. Thank you for your advice and sharing your experience, I am so glad I went to the osteopath!!

mine never latched on. Combo of huge boobs and flat nipples. midwives were useless with me and said I wasn't trying hard enough. I expressed for as long as I could then formula fed. If I had another I wouldn't even try to breastfeed. Wasn't worth the stress.

Absolutely. I have a flat nipple and would not have been able to breast feed without nipple shields. It is very sad that these are not promoted enough to women who need them to enable them to feed. My baby weaned herself from the shield at 4 months and I'm still feeding her at 17 months. My nipple is very definitely no longer flat!

I think mothers are discouraged from using the shields unnecessarily.

Hollowtree - your post made me well up, I’m so pleased!

How do you use nipple shields with flat nipples? I tried but couldn’t get my nipples in the sheild?

I’ve often wondered what’s the “best” nipple shape to breastfeed! I’ve got massive boobs and always wondered if that made it more difficult to feed?

Was difficult at the start (i cut the end off a wide syringe as a makeshift nipple sucker 😂) but they got pointier quickly.

By about week 5 wasnt an issue anymore

I have to hold it quote firmly in place... the shield basically acts as my nipple so that she will suckle on it properly. But that is better than nothing!

*quite

Made it harder for me and had to use shields for aboit 5 weeks. We do ok now at 16 weeks.