Grazed nipples due to nipple protector!

[CharBell]

I have 4 day old baby. Cannot breastfeed due to totally flat nipples - really tried but baby not taking it at all. Midwife suggested trying Avent nipple protectors as a last resort and they work (although baby may get addicted to them and never truly breast feed.) Unfortunately my nipples are getting grazed or rubbed somehow near the top so midwife suggested getting a larger size. Avent don't do a larger size. Any suggestions or is there another brand I can try?

Are you sure it's the shields ? Even though your baby is sucking on top of the shields he/she still gets your nipple and it could be sore from that. Your baby is only 4 days old, I had sore nipples for ages at the start!! Try Kamillosan - it helps relieve the pain.

just to let you know, I had to use them for about 2 weeks at the start as I had real problems getting ds latched on. I stopped using them when my breasts had settled down a bit and my ds is 5 mths old and still breastfeeding successfuly. So using shields does not automatically mean you will not be able to breastfeed without them.

Agree with Ruthiebaby. Ds and I were discharged using shields but somehow things improved over the next week or so, so that he could latch on directly. I just got lazy using them one night feed and he surprised us by taking the breast straight off, up until then he had only done so having started a feed on the shields and then removing them mid feed, once the nipple had raised.

You may find trying to shift his position a bit each feed so the most pressure is not on the sore part helps. Would suggest you see a Breastfeeding Counsellor too (not just your midwife)to help you find positions you are comfortable using (underone side like a rubgy ball with baby supported by large cushions worked well as an alternative for me). Second Kamillosan as great for healing the sore bits too.

Thanks guys. Have tried breast feeding counsellor but they said i was doing everything right and knew the theory so were unwilling to visit (thi was day 2 and i could have cried on phone!) Midwife is a star though. You have given me hope that i might be able to do it without eventually. Reckon the soreness is bad positioning cause it was randomly ok this afternoon!

are we talking about the same thing? they are rectangles with a little nipple shaped tube/teat thing sticking out with holes in the end. he doesn't actuallly touch the nipple end which is the sore bit

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Phone the BFC again or try a local support group or clinic - it can be very different once your milk comes in and you really need someone to observe. Think we are talking about the same thing - a sort of teat shape with a flatish bit where it sits on you - but mine were round !

Yes, mine were like a rectanglish shape on the base with the nipple bits pointing out. We are talking about the same thing.
Bad positioning can be hell on the nipples. I went through utter agony and had to express for a while - that's another option available to you. But try to stick with it first.

I had problems like this with my DS and in the end I began to think that I wouldnt be able to feed without them even though they were making my nipples VERY sore! With help from my HV (she is a saint) I stopped using them and actually DS feeds better without them! The way they work isn't really very natural when you think about it, they r pulling the nipple out of its natural shape.I didnt think of any of this to begin with. Sorry Im rabbiting on! I found lansinoh cream better than kamillosan but it is more expensive! Have u tried hand expressing a tiny bit before baby is latched on? My HV told my I had to 'stimulate' the nipple!!! Good luck Im sure everything will be fine