flat nipples and nipple shields advice.

[Narie]

Hi ladies,

I could really do with some advice.I'm due to give birth in the next couple of weeks to my 3rd baby. I've tried to breastfeed my 2 other babies and failed miserably.

The problem I have regarding breastfeeding is that my nipples are flat and my babies have a problem latching on. I had my son when I was 17 and wrote on my birthplan that I wanted to breastfeed but after the birth the midwife turned to my Mum after seeing my nipples and said 'Don't worry about it and gave me a bottle to give to my son'. I tried for about a week mixing bottle feeding and breastfeeding with no outside support and ended up just bottle feeding.

5 years later I had my daughter and got help from a breastfeeding expert who came and saw me regularly but after trying for about 10 days dd lost quite a bit of weight and I sadly gave up again and bottle feed.

The thing is that although my nipples are flat I actually don't have a problem with the amount of milk I produce and get milk spilling out everywhere. I've done a lot of research on the internet and they have suggested nipple shields something I haven't tried before and I have purchased both the medela small and medium nipple shields.

So my main question is:

Should I use them from the first feed or wait for my milk to come in?

And does anyone else have any advice for my situation.

Thankyou I would really like to be successful this time around.

 

[Ruth 1980]

Hello, I had this problem and we use nipple shields to feed. My mum tried and failed to bf us due to flat nipples (even though she used the shells that draw them out when she was pg) and my older sister was the same with her's.
I saw every Tom,dick &harry in the days after having my LO to help me latch and nothing was working. We spent days with LO rooting around trying to find something to latch onto and screaming in frustration, and me forcing a "handmade nipple" into her mouth which would go flat again when I let go! In the end a nurse said to me I should try the nipple shields and they were a godsend!! The only thing that kept me bf'ing.
I would say though, there are lots of women on here with flat nipples that have managed to bf, and even those who had to use nipple shields for their 1st but didnt need them for the 2nd so you never know! I hope to try without them when I have the next one to see if I can go without because they are a faff!
We use the mam nipple shields in large (even tho I don't have large nipple/areola as LO seemed better able To drink with them rather than the small size x

 

[mumnbean]

Only reccomendation i have is to use large nipple shields. Im not sure why, but they are a miracle! Good lluck!

 

[summer rain]

Have you tried breast shells or pumping a little before feeds to draw the nipple out instead? If not perhaps these are two things you could try. These two things either alone or in combination work for almost all women and are non-invasive as they are not something that is worn during feeds. The breast shells that work best are called 'medela nipple formers' and can be worn from 32 weeks of pregnancy. While nipple shields are fantastic as a last resort, in some cases they can cause supply issues and poor weight gain in the early days, so if it is at all possible that there is another solution to the flat nipples it is best to exhaust those first xx

 

[babyjan]

my nipples where flat when i gave birth and it was a struggle to get my baby to latch on, whilst in hospital i began expressing and it helped the nipple to come out after a day or so he latched on

edit: the midwife advised me to get some nipple shields so i did as well as a pump i found the pump worked and didn't end up using the shields

 

[cranberry987]

I've used shields for 5 weeks now - DS couldnt latch on bare boob and won't/can't now still. He has some great attempts and I think it works well when boob is empty as he can get more purchase but obv no good for milk intake. I think he'll get it in time tho and you might be the same

Personally I would use from birth but also pump after feeds. Also think about placenta encapsulation/eating. My milk came in super fast and I had loads of other benefits. Maybe a coincidence but I only pumped about 3 times day one (didnt know I should have done more and I had colostrum stored so used that to feed, useful stay in hospital....) and milk came in day two.

 

[Narie]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions I'm sure I'm going to be on this part of the forum a lot in the following weeks to come.

 

[VillageGirl]

I have this problem, LO struggled to latch hence I have used Medela nipple shields since birth. Having said that at 4 months old (today!!) my LO will take the odd feed here and there without a shield.

I would recommend shields from birth but trying each day to encourage feeding without, this can be done by starting with shield then whipping it off when nipple has been drawn out, pumping a little first as pp's have said or using the nipple sandwich!

Good luck, remember to stay positive that you will be able to do it this time!

 

[lunawaffles]

My son is 6 weeks old now and I have been using a nipple shield since day two for my flat nipples, and will probably keep using it til he's done breastfeeding. Be careful with the sizes though. I was using the 24mm medium the LC gave me and it was making my milk production decline. I had to switch to the 20mm small size instead. I keep the other one around just in case, but it's definitely started to result in more milk since switching. If you have any questions, I would just call a hospital and ask to talk to an LC. I don't know where you live, but the St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach has literally the most amazing LC ever and she"s just an amazing person as well. Her name is Karen. Good luck!