Nipple Shields. Why so bad?

[mrsfix]

Sorry to be hijacking the board but it seems any chance of help with my sore nips is away on hols at the mo!

In the meantime I am resorting to shields when I just can't take it any longer - maybe a few times a day. Please could someone give me the facts as to why they are bad?

She's more often than not sucking for the sake of it (I think), would shields be better than dummy/finger?

Gawd Bless You All

TIA

Also, to follow the idea that you may be sore because she's sandpapering the ends of your nipples as she slides off when she's asleep/comfort sucking, try to lean back when you are feeding, this way she's laying on her tummy on you, and you're not holding her up. When she falls asleep she shouldn't drag your nipple the same way. (have a look at the top picture in my profile, see how I am slouched back not sitting up rigid, and DD2 is lying against me not just on my arm.)

MrsFix - I am so pleased that things seem to be bearable. I managed to keep breastfeeding for 7+ months and the only things that got me through those first couple of months were:

1. nipple shields
2. introducing a bottle (aptamil) for 1 -2 feeds a day
3. expressing when I could (less painful than baby latching on as i could control the suction)

Baby was on about 8 feeds a day and would be latched on with a vice-like grip for at least 30-40 minutes. With bilge pump suction, a very hungry, insistent baby, latching on was agony including bleeding and such sore nipples afterwards!

I used the shields every feed on the days when nipples were really bad: i had a windy baby anyway (it also seems to depends upon what you eat) so maybe some of it was due to the shields. I wouldnt have been able to carry on for so long if they hadnt got me through those tough couple of months!

With the pain: my MW said to count to 60 and by that time, the needles-stabbed into-the-nipple kind of pain would start to reduce.... she was right! Good luck, keep going, and your milk supply will keep up with baby but you wont enjoy the feeding side of things if you don't manage to protect your nipples

MrsFix, has anyone watched you do a whole feed? With dd1 I was told that we had a perfect latch, I was very lucky blah blah, but exactly as described above she would finish feeding, start to latch off and then suck on the end of my nipple for comfort. Because nobdy watched us for more than about 2 mins it wasn't picked up on for ages. I was so wrapped up in the idea that I should let her come off when she was ready that it didn't occur to me that I should only do this if she was latched properly. I didn't realise that it is ok to break the latch gently and reposition of things start to slip. I am a bit thick though! Are you feeling any better for using the sheilds?

How are things going?

Just to add my dd and ds didn't get nipple confusion - they bf with shields as if they weren't there and in fact, when they had ebm, suckled the teat like it was a breast. (which made ebm feeds slower).
I fed both until they self weaned at about a year, using shields for about the first five months. I had way too much supply and a fast let down alongside small, flat nipples and small babies, and without the shields, bf really did not work. With it, it worked beautifully (though shields are a faff!).

Best of luck to those going thought this - it is hard, but there are a lot of success stories on this thread .

GreenMonkies Oh Lor, I am so sorry, please excuse my brain that earlier post was supposed to say I have just bought some shells, not shields.... much as the one before that should have been about HV bashing, not HV visiting?!

Shells are great for getting out of the bath, when you are all relaxed and tender, put your bra on, stick your shells in THEN towel. Life improvement:10%

Hells bells... back later.

Sorry about that, DH had PC emergency

We've been checked for thrush and neither of us apparently have visible signs. Yes to pains inside the boobes though, and itchy, and occasionally shiny. I also get bright pink nips, and the areola gets angry pink too, especially when it is killer sore. I shall have a tongue sticking out session and let you know, I will also make a concerted effort to lean back (tending to sit boltt upright and frozen with the hurtiness of it all!). Top Tip.... and lovely nippers btw!

Evasmama, rek21 and walnutcake thanks for excellent advice and excellent experiences.

and Diddl... honest answer? Probably just as rubbish but it feels a lot better with all your support

Also, felt geed up enough last night to try Moses basket for first time properly. It went swimmingly an I am delighted

MrsFix

Sorry, also late to the thread and haven't read it all but wanted to add that I used nipple shields under the advice of the NHS/NCT lactation consultant. I had a ventouse delivery and DS found it hard to latch on to one side. He also had a very strong suck and I couldn't get the latch right so my nipples were bleeding terribly after just a few days.

Without the shields I really believe I would have given up breastfeeding within the first 6 weeks.

The downsides:

There was a initially a slight impact on his weight gain (but moderate and within normal parameters). He's on the 91st percentile for weight and height now so no long term impact on milk supply.

They were a bit of a pain to use and I always had to fiddle with them to get them right - a bit of a pain in public.

A bit of re-education needed as we weaned ourselves off them - slightly different latch etc

The upsides:

DS is one and still breastfed!

Will nipple shields help with biting. DD is 11 months old and feeds to sleep, only prob is when she is sleepy she closes her teeth round my nipple then pulls the nipple out. It is agony and is making me dread nighjttime feeding. As a result her bedtime is getting later as I stop when she bites and put her down. When she has bit 3 times we come downstairs and wait for her to show tired signs again.
She won't take a bottle of formula at all and doesn't appear keen on dummies.
Don't want to give up bf until i can get her to sleep another way

MrsFix if you don't have a sleeping three year old to use as a positioning aid (thank you, I think they are lovely, most of the time!) try crossing your legs, ankle on knee and rest back with your elbow resting on your raised/crossed leg, if you follow me. Or just lie down in a full-on Biological Nurturing style. (Plus Article here)

And no apologies or excuses required, been where you are, know how discombobulating it is!

(that does sound a lot like Thrush to be honest, see if you can get checked again, look carefully inside baby's cheeks and lips {peel bottom lip down with your finger tip} and have a good look inside the mouth with a torch if need be!)

So nipple shields don't help with biting as they are silicone and she doesn't like silicone. On the plus side the biting is subsiding

Debs75 sorry, no idea, but can't imagine the newer (thinner) ones would be much cop. Delighted she is biting less though, the biggest problem with feeding-to-sleep in this house is the enormous flinch/jump/squeal of pain when she bites (thankfully rarely)

greenmonkies SPD still here so not even supposed to cross my legs. However, I have ditched the lying down feeds since I am attempting to get her in a basket from co-sleeping. This helps to stop her pulling my nipple when she falls asleep but also has eradicated any midnight voms. Either she was "over-eating" (I-Know-I-Know-I-Know, please don't hit me. But you know what I mean) or not digesting properly in her half-sleep?

and hoorah for you MM!