Breastfeeding a Preemie-A HANDY TIP

[missyfemale25]

Hi
If you are struggling to breast feed a preemie like i did (my lo born at 33 weeks 4 days) The S.C.B.U nurse looking after my lo suggested i try a nipple shield
i can honestly say the frustration and sense of failure simply vanished within two days my lo was a master at it and she was home with in four days they are also brilliant as you can see that your lo is getting some milk through which is really reassuring

You can pick one up in any chemist and they can be sterilised either in a bowl of boiling hot water straight from a kettle or in s normal steam steriliser
Hope this helps let me know if any of you have tried or will try it and what you think

 

[Cloberella]

I used a nipple shield with my little boy, they certainly have their uses, but it can be difficult to wean them off and I read that if used for too long they can affect your supply (something the hospital didn't warn us about).

If you are using them i would suggest trying to limit their use to difficult feeds, and if you do need to use them a lot try and put your nipple in thie mouth at the start and end of a feed to make sure they don't 'forget' your nipple and that should help stimulate your breast too.

Also I don't know if this is because of the shields but when I used them Gabriel gained 7oz a week. After I weaned him off he has gained 9oz/14oz/11oz in a week.

 

[missyfemale25]

Thanks for your response I didnt find that a problem I had to stop BF at 8 weeks as I picked up a really bad urine infection and was put on very strong antibiotics and by the time I stopped taking them my lo was fully on formula and my milk supply dried out
That could have been why she was so demanding at the end wanting to feed every hour hmmmm that is a thought maybe that was it lol x

 

[heyyady]

My LOs are still in the hospital and the lactation consultant just started us on these today- until now it's been all "practice feeds" but now it's time to get serious and learn!

 

[missyfemale25]

aww congrats
believe me as soon as my lo started on these she didnt look back and was home within days she really got used to them
Good luck keep me posted xxx

 

[Foogirl]

I'll second this from the OP.

Our breastfeeding struggle only started to get better when we used the nipple shield. I was totally against it and resisted because I kept being told such terrible things about them affecting supply and not latching properly and not being able to wean off them etc, but in the end I gave in because I would have tried anything to get BFing established.

It was like night and day, Abby latched on no problem and my supply actually increased because she was taking more from me than she was able to without them, we weaned off them over a period of about a month, starting about a month after she got home. She fed 3 hourly and continued to put weight on steadily.

Without them she would have been on formula. As it was we breastfed for 18 months.

 

[missyfemale25]

WOW good on you

I would have continued as well only I picked up a really bad urine infection which meant I had to stop breastfeeding and by the time I could start again my supply dryed up and she was fully settled on formula
They are amazing and I have recommended them to everyone I know who is struggling
Thanks for your response xx

 

[25weeker]

I agree with using nipple shields as well.

My lo couldn't latch on and these ensured she could breastfeed. I started weaning my lo around 6 weeks corrected and like foogirl probably took about a month. Night time feeds were the last to be weaned.

I didn't notice any reduction in my supply and my lo is 15 months now and still breastfeeding.

 

[MummyIwanabe]

wow this is really good to read. I'm struggling to bf our twins (they're 35 weeks today) Max is really interested but can't latch on properly as he's too small. Isla isn't interested at all but I'm wondering whether the teat feeling would help her as my nipple don't protrude very easily. I'm going to give these a go and hope that it will establish bf as after 6 weeks of expressing my nipples are sooooooo sore from the plastic rubbing I can't tell you!

 

[25weeker]

wow this is really good to read. I'm struggling to bf our twins (they're 35 weeks today) Max is really interested but can't latch on properly as he's too small. Isla isn't interested at all but I'm wondering whether the teat feeling would help her as my nipple don't protrude very easily. I'm going to give these a go and hope that it will establish bf as after 6 weeks of expressing my nipples are sooooooo sore from the plastic rubbing I can't tell you!

I recommend the medela nipple shields. The hospital gave me a couple of these ones and then I bought avent ones but found the avent ones were huge and my lo didn't take to them.

Good luck xx

 

[MummyIwanabe]

are there different ones? which one is best?

 

[MummyIwanabe]

fab! thanks sorry didn't see your post! lol

 

[MummyIwanabe]

would this work when im expressing too? I'd love to find something to keep the chaffing at bay as my nipple all the way round is rubbing on the funnel tube plastic!

 

[Foogirl]

I used the avent ones. I tried a few others but Abby sucked them off! You can use them for expressing too.

 

[QueenieMurphy]

I agree with this without the shields we might have had to give up on B/F and I used the avent ones which is what the hospital supplied and then I bought from boots.

To wean my LO off once she was past term and over 6 pounds in weight I used to start a feed off with the shield on and then once the milk was flowing take it off and she'd carry on without - and she quickly got the hang of starting without it too.

 

[missyfemale25]

The medela nipple shields were the ones I used they were fabulous
Thanks for all the comments