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.
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.
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GL
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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'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.