**bf help needed-flat nipples**

[PeachyHas4BoysAndLovesIt]

Hi

Just had an email from someone on my antenatal thread

She's in hospital pre- delivery and her MW has told her she'll be unable to BF as her nipples are flattish, and she should get formula!! (grrrrr )

have told her not to panic and there are ways around this, and will e-mail info

Anyone got any good links please? Can scan in my BFI stuff but tbh scanner a bit crud.

Ta

Not a link but tell her to try some nipple shields. They help to draw the nipple into the right shape (but apparently hinder milk production over the longer term so she should try to get off them as soon as she can). I found the Avent ones (from Boots etc) stayed in place better than Mothercare ones.

nipple shields should only be used under close supervision of someone who has had proper training in breastfeeding difficulties, eg, a counsellor.

if she finds she is getting engorged once here milk comes in (it makes the nips even flatter) she should hand express at first so soften up the breasts which will help the nipple with its shape.

tell her to tell someone in the hospital that she wants someone with proper training in Infant Feeding as the mw is talking bollocks. Give a name of who it was that said so.

text her the nos to breastfeeding helplines.

breastcrawl and google 'biological nurturing' 'Susan Colson' as well. send her the links for when she gets home.

As ever, Kellymom has some great links. But basically, it doesn't normally cause a problem.

If her nipples are only 'flattish' it certainly won't cause problems - mine weren't what you'd call huge, but I'd bf for 23 months now.

I had flat nipples (they're not flat any more! ) and it didn't stop me bfing. Didn't even occur to me that I wouldn't be able to because of them. I thought if I did have problems it would be down to something else.

Anyway Baby GoodBits is now nearly 21months and bf'd him until last night when I stopped the last night feed and

Also have a friend who also had flat nipples and she used nipple shields.

Sometimes the way you hold the baby makes a difference I found.

Hope this helps and reassures your friend.

thanks all

i do know that if your nips become more erect when stimulated then chances of a problem are very low, tbh unless by 'flattish' dhe means inverted i'd be surprised if there was an issue but now MW has put it into her head- self doubt being the worst enemy to bf in my experience.

Mine were very flat when I started feeding but became drawn out gradually and it didn't really cause too much of a problem. I found hand expressing helpful at the beginning of a feed to help dd latch on because the nipple was softer and she would get something straight away.

You can buy a little plastic device to draw your nipples out through suction...see this link on the mothercare site

www.mothercare.com/gp/product/B000JFN7ME/sr=1-15/qid=1208901301/ref=sr_1_15/026-4318265-5592426?ie=U TF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=44554031&mcb=core

My midwife tweaked and pulled my nipples as she said they were flat.

It may be a little bit painful to manipulate them so early into bf and I don't know if this is recommended. (Although dd2s latch improved and I didn't have to repeat this for long)

I had flat nipples, that combined with huge norks and oversupply meant latching on was a complete nightmare with DS.

Fortunately I'd found kellymom within a few days of giving birth - I found this technique very useful, it worked really well and was much easier to use than nipple shields!

My nipples are now, thanks to DS, permanently erect...

can't believe the MW said this to her ......I hope she has the strength to report it once she's had the baby peachy, and that she asks for some good support and to see a BF counsellor to get things off to a good start.

Has she had the baby yet??????

it does not make a difference if you have flat nipples! what nonsense! milk will still come out! and remeber that the baby takes the whole areola into the mouth so flat nipple or not it is in there! the mouth!