Nipple Shields

[pebilz]

What's the concensus on these? I had difficulty BF my 14mth old when she was born due to attachment issues and so am trying everything possible to educate and prepare myself to BF for when my new bubs is born in October.

So my question is are they a purchase I should make just in case to put in my hospital bag? What is it that they are meant to do essentially? I can't seem to find much info on them and I really want a successful experience this time around.

Thanks guys.

[mamachops]

Nipple shields just add a little barrier between bubs mouth and your sore nipples. In theory they should allow the nipple to heal without further trauma whilst continuing to BF.

I bought some because my nipples were blistered, cracked and bleeding. I got them, at the suggestion of the midwife, on my way home from hospital. DD was totally unimpressed and would not take to them, so they were a waste of money for me. I also hated having to wash and sterilise them for each feed.:thumbsdown:

As for advice to you....I say see how you go first. From what I hear, the BF experience can be totally different with each child. It might not be such a problem this time. What exactly was the issue last time?

[giggles]

I think try the best to feed yourself and only use this as a very last resort if you suffer with cracked nipples or the like.

I used them for the wrong reasons on the advice of a midwife and ended up losing my supply and having to finish BF much sooner than I would have liked.

If you do by chance need to use them at the hospital, they will have them there for you, but if you can go without, try.

[Baby Girl]

When I had DD1 I was not given any help in the hospital while we were learning to feed and I suffered with cracked (more like cut) nipples and huge pain everytime I fed ( to the point I dreaded it), I was bleeding into DD's mouth while she was feeding - I asked for a nipple shield and I was nearly sent to the firing squad but.... as soon as I left the hospital we stopped at the baby shop and got one and after using it for about 4 feeds (2 on each side) so not even a full 24 hours my nipples were healed enough to feed with no more trauma. I found it helped get DD to open her mouth wider and get a better attachment and also gave my nipples time to regenerate and from then on feeding was easy :thumbsup:

I would get one as a just in case measure, they only cost a couple of dollars and I think they can be a real lifesaver!! I would try feeding without it first but if you can't bear the pain or your nipples need some time to heal then they can be great.

[Jenko]

I used nipple shields for about 5 months combined with FF. We had attachment problems (DD is also tongue tied so this may have been why she couldn't attach) and my nipples became so cracked and sore i would cry every time i BF. I wish i hadn't needed it, they are a hassle to sterilize and clean and DD would not attach to the nipple after using it.

I would reccomend using them only as a last resort. At least they enabled me to BF longer than i would have though.:)

[Milis]

I had to use nipple shields to bf my DS as I have very large inverted nipples and he physically couldn't get on without one, even with four different lactation consultants trying everything they could think of.

The main advantage for me was that they allowed me to bf whereas otherwise there would have just been no chance (I had to express for the first week until DS got the hang of it), plus they did also protect against cracked nipples

The disadvantages, however, were many... I had to sterilise them before every feed, DS kept on pulling them off which made discreet public feeding impossible and they formed a barrier between my boob and bubs' mouth which meant less stimulation and a decreasing supply. By the time DS was about 4 weeks old my let down was so slow that he started screaming in frustration every time the boob went anywhere near him and he started losing weight. This led to me having to express after every feed and top him up with EBM and formula. The Early Childhood Clinic were less than helpful when I asked for assistance weaning him off the shield and I ended up getting really bad mastitis as DS wasn't emptying my breasts, which led to a breast abscess and possible future surgery which might mean I won't be able to bf future bubs.

I gave up bf at 8 weeks.

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a saga - it's just my experience, there are probably plenty of people out there who have had positive experiences and hopefully they will come on and give you a more balanced view of things!

I will be packing my nipple shields when I have my next baby as I believe that 8 weeks of breastfeeding is better than none, but I will do everything I can to avoid having to use them.

I would suggest you see how you go first - they definitely have their uses I think, but personally I would consider them a last resort, and make sure you get a good lactation consultant to help you wean bubs off them and advise you on any supply problems they might cause.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[xkwzit]

I personally would bother unless you find you really need them. Most hospitals will have a pharmacy where you can buy them if needed.

I would def see an LC if you are going to have to use them for an extended period of time. I used mine for about 4 - 6 weeks (I think) and my LC cut the end out of them (making the 4 small holes one big hole. It was right at the top so baby wouldn't feel it. We eventually weaned her off them and kept BF.

Cheers

[MariaO]

I would only get them if you need to. I found them essential initially. I too had large inverted nipples and we had big breast attachment problems. They really made it possible for me to breastfeed. After a few weeks I started to remove them mid feed and by six weeks was not using them at all.

I am sure if you need them you will be able to get them at the hospital - one of the midwives supplied my first one to me (although she told me that some other midwives do not approve of them!)

[cheezelkat]

I think its preferable to getting them to allow your nipples to heal than to switch to FF - if you need them though, make sure you keep in contact with a breastfeeding consultant so you can wean off them when you are ready and to make sure you're supply remains good - they can help so much! You may need to express some milk onto the end of it to get bub attached at first.

Disadvantages? They are annoying to keep clean, bad for public feedings and they're not really "solving" the problem of a bad latch. They can also decrease supply as there is less nipple stimulation and feedings can take longer than normal as bubs needs to work harder to get the milk.

I used them in hospital and would not have been able to continue breastfeeding without them. We are weaned off them now though! :smiliedance:

[Tam-I-Am]

Another solution to cracked/bleeding/sore nipples is to express of the worst side (and give that milk in a bottle) instead of feeding for 24 hours - this is what I had to do when DD was about 5 days old for 1 day - after that my nipples had healed sufficiently to allow me to continue breastfeeding, and the upshot was that we've never had any problems with her taking a bottle.

I've heard that some mums who do this have a lot of trouble getting their babies back on the boob though because drinking out of a bottle is so much easier to drinking out of a breast - so the baby can start to prefer the bottle.

I'd really talk to a latation consultant before taking any action if you're having troubles though.

[kadownie]

I used sheilds with my twins- not initally- but they both wouldn't attach properly but they were happy to get onto the shields. I can't remember how long I used them for- a few weeks.

Used long term they will decrease your supply- but for me it was a life saver.

another alternative to feeding your baby with EBM in a bottle is to give in a syringe or spoon or cup- we had to do this with my boy as he had a bottle and it took days to get him back on the boob!

I will be taking my shields next time to hosptial, just in case!

[JE's Mum]

My son couldn't attach at first so I had to express around the clock and bottle feed EBM initally. We went to the Mercy Hospital Breastfeeding clinic in Melbourne when he was 5 days old got him attached using a nipple shield to help him open his mouth properly. They consider their best use for attachment problems (i.e. baby can't attach) rather than for cracked nipples.

We used them at every feed for about 5 1/2 months when he finally seemed to get the hang of feeding without them.

If you are going to use nipple shields you should do so with advice from a lactation consultant because there are downsides. The upside of nipple shields from our perspective is obvious - we wouldn't have breastfed without them. Also, contrary to what was said earlier, you don't need to sterilise them for every use, just rinse in hot soapy water, because breastmilk has goodies in it that doesn't make it necessary (that was the advice from the hospital).

Apart from being fiddly in public the downsides for long term use is that they can affect your supply over time. While they are not as thick as they were decades ago (they are just thin silicone) they do add a barrier between mum and baby so the stimulation isn't as good. I really noticed the difference when he started feeding without the shield. The feeds were much shorter and I felt 'fuller'. The Mercy recommended allowing longer feeds and expressing for 5 mins each side after 2 or 3 feeds a day to counter any effect it may have.