Weaning off nipple shields

[ChocolateChip2016]

My DD is 9 months old and exclusively breastfed. To cut a very long story short, I've been using nipple shields for 2 months. I intended to only use them for a week or so but have ended up in a situation where my daughter won't accept me without the shields I'm absolutely gutted, I love feeding her and the shields are SUCH a faff.
I've been to see my local feeding team and got lots of advice such as skin to skin, express before the feed, cover my nipple in milk, start the feed with shields and then take them off, co-sleeping and just go cold turkey. I've tried all of these (I only got 10 mins in to going cold turkey as my poor daughter screamed like I've never heard and I just couldn't cope with it).
So I've got al the technical advice and I've tried it all with no joy. I just wanted to know if anyone else can share any positive stories of ditching the shields, especially if you stared so late on?

We used shields from birth (well, from 3 days old when he actually fed for the first time) so not exactly the sale situation but maybe I can give some hope! I really understand what you mean about them being a faff. I knew they were a faff but I didn't realise quite how much easier feeding my ds would be once they were gone.
My ds is now 5 and a half months old. We haven't used shields for around 1 month now. At first we were given similar advice to you but it seemed like my ds just didn't know how to latch without them. Then one day I was settling down to feed him upstairs, all calm and relaxed and realised the shields were downstairs. Sent dp to get them and while he was gone (all of 2 mins) I just tried him without, for no reason at all. He latched straight away and we have had no problems since then.
We spent part of the first month or 2 of his life trying to wean him off them to no avail, gave up and decided to jus stick with them and then one day they were just no longer needed. It just took time. Unfortunately I had just bought and sterilised some new ones and they have never been used, what a waste of money!
Anyway, my only advice would be to totally relax about it as much as you can. Try her without when she and you are both relaxed. Don't push it tho, if she refuses, Just pop the shield on and carry on. Maybe try it half way through a feed, possibly if she gets a bit sleepy half way through you could quickly and gently break the latch, take it off and try her again. Just dont stress it, that won't help so there is no point and eventually it might just click again.
Fingers crossed for you, I don't envy you the faff!