Breastfeeding
Need tips for weaning off nipple shield
Greetings,
My LO is 10 days old and the pediatrician said that she could start being weaned off the nipple shield. It was needed not for my sake, but hers. She was having problems with latching and sucking. But now she is feeding well and I would like to wean her off of it.
My LO is mostly passive aggressive and simple presses her lips together and refuses to eat when the shield is off, or she latches but won't suck. I have had some success trying removing it after she initially latches, or getting to go without on the second breast.
I realize it will mostly be a slow process, but wondering if anyone has had anything that really worked and led to sucess or any tips for me. TIA.
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Re: Need tips for weaning off nipple shield
It sounds like you are already doing what we did to wean DS from the nipple shield. I would offer my nipple a few times first and when he started to show signs of frustration I would use the shield. Once he pulled off (which he does often), I would remove the shield and try my nipple again. I did this each time and when he switched breasts and sometimes he would take my nipple and sometimes he wouldn't. I kept trying to offer my nipple even the first day we tried the shield and he was on and off it within a week and learned to latch during that time. The first few days I had trouble getting him to take my nipple and then he started making a bad face when he used the shield and would take my nipple more easily. One day he just latched on to me and never looked back. Of course, now he won't take a bottle and still makes that same face he started to make with the nipple shield, but that's a different problem.
IVF #1 - BFP (6dt)
Unassisted Pregnancy #2 - lost at 15w6d due to T21, severe heart defects, and fetal hydrops