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Anyone using nipple shields?

jess545jess545 member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
DS was doing pretty good nursing but all of the sudden he was crying and turning his head when it was time to nurse. I have had to give him a few bottles of expressed BM. Anyway i am wondering if maybe using a nipple shield while breastfeeding would help. If you use a nipple shield do you pump after each feeding too? if so, for how long? thanks:)
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Re: Anyone using nipple shields?

  • GreyfaeryGreyfaery
    I wouldn't do it without calling a LC, first. Nipple shields make it easier for your baby to latch on, but it makes him lazier (I had this problem when trying to BF DD).
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  • mrs.Awoodsmrs.Awoods

    We've had latching issues since day one, so I've had to depend on nipple shields from the start. I think it would probably help in your situation, since they resemble more of a bottle nipple than your actual nipple. DD goes from bottle (of BM, of course), to paci, to boob perfectly... no problems.

    I don't pump after every feeding though... I pump once at night to build supply for daycare.

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  • AmberLeigh77AmberLeigh77
    I was given nipple shields in the hospital by the lactation consultant and have used them since.  DS has no problem going from breast to paci to bottle (of BM) and I don't find that he's a lazy nurser.  I had hoped to eventually wean him from using them but it's not working so far...anyone know of reasons why they shouldn't be used long term?
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  • mrs.Awoodsmrs.Awoods

    imageAmberLeigh77:
    I was given nipple shields in the hospital by the lactation consultant and have used them since.  DS has no problem going from breast to paci to bottle (of BM) and I don't find that he's a lazy nurser.  I had hoped to eventually wean him from using them but it's not working so far...anyone know of reasons why they shouldn't be used long term?

    The LC said they're fine to use as long as you breastfeed... but most babies "grow" out of needing to use them in a few months. I test it out occasionally, and DD has actually latched on for a few minutes without it once or twice (but once she lets go the first time, we have to break out the shield).

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  • zarapipezarapipe
    I do. And it has saved breastfeeding for me. Without them she latches bad and when I was engorged I had inverted nipples. I recomend them if it will make breastfeeding possible for you.
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  • NovemberNZNovemberNZ

    We used a nipple shield from 1 week-12 weeks. At 4 weeks and 8 weeks I tried without it and he wouldn't latch on. At 12 weeks he would not eat.. so I took the shield off and he latched right on! I thought I would be using it the whole year. 

     We had no problem with the shield and it made BF a success for us! I'd call your LC and then give it a shot.

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  • Mrs.BoomBoomMrs.BoomBoom

    Talk to a LC about the nipple confusion.  We have to use a shield and I find it a PITA (get it, get it wet, stick it on, get baby on, oh, seal broke, gotta reposition, baby back on.  Baby coughing, reposition, oops, knocked it off, reposition....)  I appreciate that it's allowing me to BF, but I'd try everything before using it.

    It can negatively impact supply because you're missing a lot of stimulation, so, they say to pump 5 min after each time to keep stimulation and keep up  supply

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  • Mrs. JMrs. J

    I went to a lc yesterday because of the nipple shields.  They gave them to me at the hospital since my nipples are kind of flat.  While they definitely helped her latch on, they were annoying to use since her wild arms often knock them off.  Also, I just had an instinct that they weren't good long term.  So I spoke to two lc's and met with one. They both said that I should get her off of them A.S.A.P. because the longer you wait, the harder it is to get them to switch.  The negatives are that they interfere with milk production.  I don't think your nipples are stimulated the same way with the shield.  Also, I was told she gets about half the milk with the shield as opposed to my own nipple. So as of Monday afternoon, I am no longer using the shield.  Some feedings are pretty challenging in terms of getting her started but eventually she'll latch on.  Sometimes I'll let her get a couple of sucks on a bottle, squirt some milk on my breast and then latch her on.  I've also tried dripping a couple of drops of formula in her mouth and then on my breast. 

    Good luck! 

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