Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Who is BFing with a nipple shield?

I couldn't get DD to latch in the hospital, so the LC gave me a nipple shield. Since then I've read some bad things about nipple shields lowering your milk supply. DD still isn't latching without them, and this anxiety coupled with sore nipples is really giving me some bad anxiety. Has anyone had success with nipple shields for the long term? I'd like to breastfeed for a year or more but am feeling really pessimistic about it right now. :( Or, did anyone have success weaning from the nipple shield and moving DC onto the breast directly?

 I called the LC hotline for my area, but of course nobody ever calls me back. And, no one else in my family has BFed their babies.

Re: Who is BFing with a nipple shield?

  • I used one for a few days as well (flat nipples, then had a bad latch that did some damage, I needed time to heal to the shield was great). I will be honest, I hated it. DD was born last Wednesday and I started pumping yesterday.  I love it. I spoke with a LC yesterday from LLL and she was all about weaning from the shield. My friend did the shield, and successfully moved to the breast.

    Anyway, the LC also told me that I may want to contact the hospital where I delivered for more help or the OB/GYN practice. I have Aetna insurance and they have a Great Beginnings program (or something of the sort) that should offer some support (I just placed a call in to them at 4:30pm, so no call back yet). Maybe your health insurance can offer some help as well.
     

  • I had to use shields on both sides at first.  DS was in the NICU and was given a bottle immediately after birth.  The LC @ the hospital gave me a sheild, and like you, I didn't know about some of the probs.

     To be honest, it did harm my supply -- not making milk, but DS getting enough.  Right around the time I started supplementing him (3 months) I realized it was the shields that were the problem.  He is now latching 90% of the time on the right side w/out a problem and 25% of the time on the left -- but he's getting better.  One trick is that I pull on my left nipple and try to make it 'stand up' before putting DS to the breast and if he can feel it on the roof of his mouth he'll latch and that'll pull it out more.  But, he never could have done this earlier, his mouth wasn't big enough - and my breast was too big w/ a too small nipple. 

     Honestly, it's a struggle, but worth it.  I would have argued more w/ supplementing I think except I went back to work part-time anyway.  But, don't give up...one of the pedi's in the office wanted me to supplement at 2 weeks - I refused.  DS gained slowly, but he gained weight...and things are better now. 

  • Loading the player...
  • I had the same issue in the hospital. ?My DS was never satisfied and I wound up supplementing and by 6 weeks he was sucking on me like a bottle and it hurt like hell. ?I called a LC who wanted $280 for 2 hours...yikes! ?I couldn't afford that. ?I then called the hospital LC's and for $100 they gave me 2 sessions and he just didn't get any better. He was only getting about 2-3 oz a session and he was not satisfied. ?I wound up pumping till 2 months (about 6 oz a day was what I got) then went to formula. ?I was really upset about the whole thing...if I have another baby, I will do more research so that I don't feel so overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed.

    ?Call LeLeche League (sp) and get help...do whatever you can EARLY...I waited to long.

    ?

    GL

    ?

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
  • I use one with no problem, and my lc said that the studies done that say supply is lowered etc were done with a glass nipple shield, not the thin plastic ones they have now. I've used it for 3 months, and am planning on continuing to use it. The only problem I have is that they get lost so easily because they're clear.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Making lefse at the cabin **Scott 6/8/96** **Avery 7/24/08** **Brendan 7/15/10**
  • We have a free breastfeeding center at the hospital I delivered at, who will accept anyone free of charge regardless of where they delivered. Can you check with a nearby hospital to see if they have a clinic?
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Making lefse at the cabin **Scott 6/8/96** **Avery 7/24/08** **Brendan 7/15/10**
  • Congrats on your DD, she's adorable and has so much hair!  Also, it's great that you are BFing, especially if you don't have the support you need around you.

    I BF DS with a nipple shield up until 3 days ago.  I remember the LC telling me only to use a shield as a last resort and she also told me how a shield affects supply.  I spent the first couple days of DS's life researching all I could about shields, I had so much anxiety over it!  What I finally came up with is that as long as you use the silicone shields they provide and make sure you have a proper latch with the shield, you should be fine with supply. 

    I had a couple of days where I was afraid I was losing my supply, because all DS wanted to do was nurse, but turns out it was a growth spurt.  DS has gone from 6 lb 13 oz to 13 lb so he's definitely gotten enough milk with me using the shield.

    I wasn't planning on weaning DS from the shield anytime soon, but I lost my back-up shield the other day.  He had to eat so I gave it a try without and he's been eating without ever since.  I think DS just had to develop better control over his tongue to eat without it.  You can also try to slowly wean DC by slipping off the shield about 5 min after she starts eating.   If it doesn't work, don't worry too much about it and just try again later. Personally, I'm so glad I was given a shield, otherwise I would have never been able to BF DS this long.  Good luck!

     

  • I used the nipple shield for 3 months.  One day, dd just stopped taking it!  Don't know why, but suddenly she had no latch issues.  It didn't affect my supply at all.  I've got a lot of milk!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I EBF with a nipple shield and have been since day one. ?I haven't had any supply issues and DS will not eat without it. ?He gets so mad when I slip it off and try, he'll latch for a few sucks and then he gags, as if I've poisoned him! ?I get very frustrated too. ?I think using the shield is harder on me than it is on him - I always worry that somehow, I'll be without it and he'll starve! ?It's also a pain to have to keep it clean and NOT lose it. ?If DS pulls off when it's full - it makes a mess. ?
    Other than that - I too couldn't have BF'd at all without it. ?DS was only 3 weeks early but the LC at the hospital said he was too little and not strong enough to latch properly. ?Plus, my nipples were a little flat. ?He's been gaining weight steadily so he's getting enough. ?I figure that eventually he'll be bigger and be able to do it? ?Maybe i'm wrong??? ?
    GOOD LUCK TO YOU!?
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I BF'd DD with a nipple shield from 3 weeks to probably about 6 weeks (she was preemie and had latching problems). The BF specialist told me that not having her directly on the breast would decrease my supply, so she said to pump for 5 minutes after DD nurses for 10 mins on each side. Around 5-6 weeks, she started latching on her own without the shield. We didn't do anything different - maybe her suckling reflexes got better with age... <shrug>
  • I've been using one since DD was 33 weeks, almost 5 months later we're still going strong with it.  No supply problems!

    DD is a preemie so in all honesty, once she was off bottle feeding and could get all her nutrition from breastfeeding with the nipple shield I didn't really try to get her off the shield.  It was a long road to get to that point ... and if a little piece of silicone was what we needed to breastfeed then I was sticking with it and wasn't going to mess with trying to get her off of it.

    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
  • DS used a nipple shield until he was 3 months old and I didn't have any issues with supply.  At that time he weaned himself.  In other words once or twice a week I would try without the nipple shield and he would scream.  When he was about 3 months old, I tried without it and he did awesome and has done awesome ever since.  So we've had a great experience with nipple shields! 
    imageLilypie Fifth Birthday tickersLilypie Third Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"