Nipple Shields

MWoodside

How many of you are using these?  I have been b/c it's made BFing WAY easier for us.  But the lactation consultant & pediatrician are discouraging it saying she will "get addicted".  At this point I don't really care b/c it's working for us.  Although it's kind of a PITA to clean constantly & have to chase around the house every time she's ready to eat.

If you used one are you still using it?  Are you getting flack from your pedi? 

lindsaynjason

I've been using one since DD was 3 days old.  I almost gave up on BF until I got a shield (shallow latch with flat nips).  My pedi has never asked if I was using a shield, so I never volunteered the info.  I keep trying to get her to latch without it.  Sometimes she can, and sometimes she can't.  I agree that it is a PITA, but it keeps us BF.  Someone on the BF board posted recently that she just stopped BF at around 17 months (I think ) and had used a shield the whole time.

tomkat35728

I've been using one as per our LC due to latch issues.  The pedi had nothing to say about it - he was excited that we were breastfeeding and willing to do whatever necessary to make it work despite early latch problems.  Both the LC and pedi said that he won't need it eventually.  I don't really care - I am just glad that I am able to BF.

MWoodside

Thanks ladies.  I agree- whatever works to keep us BFing.

bdids

I started using one in the hospital because my little guy wouldn't stay latched.  He did awesome with the shield and we've been using it ever since.  I've tried weaning him but he nurses so well with the shield, I hate to see him get frustrated with my nipples.  No one has given me flack about it - probably because he has doubled his birth weight at almost 2 months!  The only negative thing I've heard was that it can decrease your milk supply - which hasn't happened to us (but I also pump 2 times a day).

marleyc

lindsaynjason:

I've been using one since DD was 3 days old.  I almost gave up on BF until I got a shield (shallow latch with flat nips).  My pedi has never asked if I was using a shield, so I never volunteered the info.  I keep trying to get her to latch without it.  Sometimes she can, and sometimes she can't.  I agree that it is a PITA, but it keeps us BF.  Someone on the BF board posted recently that she just stopped BF at around 17 months (I think ) and had used a shield the whole time.

 

This is us exactly.

squishles10

I tried to go without and it was a disaster. DS was screaming bc he couldn't latch, I was pissed that he was screaming and it was my fault. Screw ut- I got it back out and haven't looked back. So what if he's addicted. It makes bottle feeding way less of an issue. It's annoying to have to clean them ( I rotate 3) and remember one in the diaper bag but not THAT annoying.

Mrs. Vick

My son is 4 weeks old today, and when I BF I use a nipple shield. But if there are times when its not handy I dont use it and he doesnt seem to be confused or addicted to the shield, he eats like normal. Plus we give him bottles of pumped breast milk, so I would really think he would be addicted to plastic/ rubber nipples but thats not the case. Im going to keep using the shield, my son is a barracuda I swear he sucks SOOO hard and it helps with the strength of his sucking lol. 

mrsneese

I'm using one and it is sooooo much easier than trying to fight with latching. The lactation consultant at the hospital said there is nothing wrong with using them. They don't slow the flow and LO gets just as much milk as if latching without it. She said that ladies have used it for 18 months and everything is fine! It's a bit inconvenient at times, but it's better than having a screaming baby that gets frustrated with latching!

lpstl

I used one the entire time I BF (4 weeks), 3 different LCs couldn't get him to latch without it, and my pedi and doula both said to just do what worked. I tried to go without a few times, but I had so many issues BFing that weening him off the nipple shield was the least of my worries.

Just to let you know, that had nothing to do with stopping BFing. I had supply issues, a complicated c/s recovery and PPD. Something had to give and unfortunately it was BFing.

thestewartsrock

The post-partum nurse gave me two nipple shields at the hospital after LO destroyed my nipples during his first few feeds. They seriously saved me from giving up on BFing. I use them almost all the time when he feeds. He can still latch sometimes without them, but sometimes he is impatient and the nipple guards allow him to latch faster. I try to do without at least once a day, but honestly, other than it being a PITA to clean them every time, I don't mind using them forever.  

My pedi didn't ask about them either, and like a PP, I didn't volunteer any info about them. I don't see the problem of LO being addicted if I don't mind using them and it works for us.  

WildcatPrincess

I used one the first week due to an inverted nipple on the left.  Unfortunately I was one of those whose supply was greatly affected by it and after that first week was forced to quit cold turkey because I just wasn't producing.  But if you're not having issues I don't think there's any reason to stop!

ChristinaD09

We use it.  I hate it, and really wish we had been able to go without it.  Yes, it has us breastfeeding, but it was given to me at the hospital without the nurses really trying to help get him sucking (he latched great, he just wouldn't suck, though he knew how to because he would suck my finger great).  I wish we would have done more at the time before reverting to it.  My hospital has a reputation for handing them out like candy, though (the nurses do it before the LCs get to you).  I've been working with an LC at another hospital to wean him, but its so hard--sometimes he'll latch well and just go, but often he'll try to latch and then start fussing or even screaming because I don't have the shield on.  I know at this point its completely unnecessary (and definitely has been for a very long time), and its frustrating to me that we can't get rid of it---it makes discretely breastfeeding  in public nearly impossible, its inconvenient (have forgotten it once and that was a disaster) and though I haven't had serious supply issues, I have been pumping the whole time, so who really knows if it is causing problems.  And we have always had issues on my left side with supply drops/DS refusing to eat over there well because of it--I doubt that is because of it, but again--we've been using it al along, so again--who knows.

ChristinaD09

Oh, and my doula was definitely pushing for me to get rid of it, but the pedi didn't say anything when I mentioned it at the first appointment (he hadn't gained any weight so we did have some breastfeeding issues we needed to talk through).  They are definitely looked down on--I have about 5 breastfeeding books, and ALL of them say not to use them, because of the supply issues/nipple confusion they can cause (and often they really aren't needed, usually just with preemies)  So I can understand why your pedi doesn't like it--my doula and LC definitely don't like it either.

 

K&K ~070809~

LO latches great on the left boob but needs the shield to latch onto the right one.  LC said it's fine as long as I pump after feeding to keep up supply.  It's a PITA to clean but my boob doesn't hurt anymore so it's sooo worth it.  And my supply is doing great too.