Flat Nipples, Using Nipple Shield, need advice

[lunawaffles]

My son is now 6 weeks and I have been both breastfeeding and using formula. I have to use a nipple shield because my nipples are flat, and even though using the shield has made them a tiny bit more perky, it isn't nearly enough for my baby to accept it and latch on, despite my efforts.

I hate using the shield- even though it's been my saving grace cos expressing and storing and reheating is a pain, it just falls off all the time (even though I am creating suction and placing it on correctly), and also IT HURTS LIKE HELL. Terribly. I sobbed and had to kick nearby objects at the hospital just to get through it. Now it still hurts, but I only cry maybe every two or three feeds.

My milk production has been affected because sometimes the pain is too great late at night and I just make him a bottle of formula. I had to buy some because I was very, very sick when he was about 4 weeks with a 103.1F fever and couldn't eat or drink enough to make enough milk. But that's over now, my production is slowly climbing back up enough for him to feed, though sometimes I have to make an oz or two of formula to top him off, but that's anouther issue.

My question is, has anyone ever had this happen before because of flat/inverted nipples and is there a real way to get the baby to latch once they're used to the shield/bottles? There's got to be a way and I would love to just whip it out when I'm in public without having to fiddle with the shield, have him knock it on the ground, etc.

 

[Jeniferjkb]

I have one inverted and one flat nipple and experienced the same pain. I think you should check into a breast shell to wear between feedings. It helped me and you will find that things get much better as baby grows. I didn't have to wear the shells long before my nipples started staying out enough for the baby to manage.

 

[wishn2Bmom]

I hate to be the Donnie downer of responses, but I too used the shield for my first and it was the only way she would latch. Ever. We ultimately switched to FF after a while because on top of flat nipples I had let down issues as well, which I believe the shield added to when she was at the breast. I tried and tried to wean her from it and nothing worked, ever. She is a happy healthy, and still stubborn 15 mo old now.

Have you tried all of the "tricks" to pull out your nipples before you try and latch him? Like using a pump or nipple stim for a minute? My child wasn't having any of that but I've heard many people have success with it.

 

[poppy13]

I had the same problem with my ds but was told to watch a video on the deep latch technique on youtube. Really helpful stuff & now ds can get himself on & off. Good luck.

 

[lunawaffles]

I tried every latch technique and position I could find in books and also in youtube videos, and LCs haven't even been able to help besides giving me a shield. It sucks too because I keep getting cracked and even bleeding broken skin and I feel it has something to do with the shield. But I've yet to try a shell, nobody has told me about that before. Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[Jeniferjkb]

The best position for me is to lay down in the bed and nurse. Stick with it and the pain will lessen as baby grows. It happened at 3 months for me. Stick with it Momma, you will feel better soon. Take care and get some lanolin and try that breast shell. It just slips into your bra and gently suctions AND it also protects your sore nipples from clothing while they are healing!

 

[misspriss]

I had to use them! And I got off them!! There is hope! I have really flat nipples, the left more than the right. My LO was preemie and had a small mouth and I had huge boobs. Bad combinations! Anyway the nurse gave me a nipple shield when I first nursed him at 34 weeks and we got off them around 10.5 weeks real age, about 4 weeks adjusted. He is 6 weeks adjusted and we still had to use them two days ago when I went back to work at 12 weeks and he got a bottle, this weekend he wouldn't nurse without the shields at first. It's a process.

Anyway, I tried and tried and saw LCs and struggled and no luck. Finally one night I was messing around and offered him a soothie for the first time (which he played around with and never really took, but he did suck on something other than the shield, and had to suck on it to keep it in his mouth) and then I offered him the bare breast (with the less flatest nipple) laying down in bed, and HE TOOK IT, and NURSED FROM IT!!! I was so happy.

He was relaxed and happy and kind of sleepy, not starving. I was relaxed and messing around. We were in a relaxed position (laying down nursing). It was also funny because he would never nurse laying down with the shields, which made night nursing a pain, even though we coslept, I still had to get up to feed him.

Just keep trying! The therashells didn't help me much.

Do you ever express? Expressing will soften the tissue around the nipple and allow it to be easier to latch onto. Also you can give him expressed BM instead of formula. It will also help your supply when you have to offer him a bottle, your supply won't take a hit. You can also pump inbetween feedings to build up supply.

For cracked nipples, have you tried lanolin? It is great stuff and you don't have to wash it off. I never had any pain with the nipple shields, but I did experience a couple of days of discomfort when I got off them. It was not cracked/bleeding though, it was like bruised. If you have painful nipples that are not cracked/skin issues, they feel more bruised, I would recommend lansinoh's gel thingies. Put them in the fridge while you feed/express and then put them on after....complete heaven for sore nipples. I only had to wear them one day between feedings and my nipples were 75% better, the second day I used them part of the time and they were completely better.

 

[DittyByrd]

^ WSS is worth reading again.

It can be done. We weaned off of the shield completely around 10 weeks. My LO will take a bottle, pacifier, finger, bare nipple, and now soft sippy cup nipple!

All I can add is: Try pumping for a minute or two on one side to draw your nipple out then latch LO immediately.

 

[lunawaffles]

Thank you for all the advice! I got him to latch last night on both sides!! He was really relaxed and sleepy though, but he fed on both sides til there was nothing left! Then this morning, he was really hungry and fussy and wouldn't take either after 30 minutes of trying :[ I know he can do it though! I guess I just have to keep trying. Again, thanks for the replies!

 

[misspriss]

Thank you for all the advice! I got him to latch last night on both sides!! He was really relaxed and sleepy though, but he fed on both sides til there was nothing left! Then this morning, he was really hungry and fussy and wouldn't take either after 30 minutes of trying :[ I know he can do it though! I guess I just have to keep trying. Again, thanks for the replies!

AWESOME! Totally understandable, it's a process. After mine fed without them at night I tried to go all without the shields right after, and he barely ate the next day until I used the shields. Then the next day he went all without and did great, then the next day I had to use them when he was really hungry and upset, and then finally I got off of them until I went and used a bottle while I was at work and had to use them again my first weekend day after (although we are back without after one feeding with!).

 

[MissAnnabelle]

If you wet the shield with hot water first it helps it stay on.
Has anyone noticed their lo has gas issues from using a shield? Mine has a problem with gas and I'm wondering if its because if the air they swallow using a shield.
My lo is four weeks old and I'm still using the shield full time. My nipples are fine but she still has latch issues they speculated because she has a weak chin and a slight overbite. My lo is very temperamental which makes it hard to try without the shield. I would love to get rid of the thing. I'm hoping as she gets older her mouth will change and she will latch.

 

[JennyNBaby]

A wet shield kind of sticks on better. Won't keep falling off. I had that problem. Sometimes I will even lick it and stick it.

For latching without the shield...start nursing with it and get your nipple "warmed up" in the shield. Take off the shield and your nipple should be pokey enough to latch onto. (My technical lingo is just superb...lol)