Nipple shield vs Exclusively pumping?

[kiraelliott]

I'll try cut a long story short...

I have large boobs, and flattish nipples.. Flat enough for my first born to have not been able to latch without the aid of a nipple shield. My breast tissue is so soft it's just seemingly impossible for my nipples to form anything to latch on to!

With my daughter (she's 3 soon so this was a while ago) I carried on til 6 weeks using the shield which was just so messy.. Til we learnt she was milk and soya allergic (but HV naturally thought her lack of weight gain was down to the shields so told me to top up.. I got super stressed, wasnt eating right so my supply dwindled) basically i'm hoping to BF or EP with my next kiddo on the way but i'm feeling stressed thinking about it already EP'ing would put me in control, but with a 3 year old around and the newborn to feed i'm not sure how viable this option is. To breastfeed last time, i couldn't just be one of these mums that can walk around bf'ing in a sling, i had to sit there start to finish trying several positions n reapplying this damn nipple shield when it got slippery! Not ideal when i'll have a 3 year old to take to preschool 3 mornings a week.

Help?!?!

Xxx

 

[Pers]

I am a FTM with similar issue, large breasts and flatter nipples. Right now I am using nipple shields which works but I don't see how that is going to be possible discreetly enough to nurse in front of anyone other than my husband, much less in public.

The lactation consultant suggested that if I pumped prior to putting my daughter to my breast that the pump should pull my nipple out enough for her to latch but I didn't have success with that on the hospital. After she is done feeding my nipple is out far enough she probably could latch but she generally isn't interested. She tends to fall asleep at the breast and by the time I wake her up enough to attempt a latch my nipple has gone down to far for her to be successful. I saw another post here about the Lansinoh latch assist which might be worth trying. Still dont see how I could nurse anywhere with people around since it would require too much exposure.

I don't know how it works but I'm hoping that once she is a bit bigger and we both have more experience with nursing that she will be able to pull the nipple out enough that we won't have to use anything else. The lactation consultant thought that was possible for us anyway!

Can nipples be "trained" to stay out more by frequent breastfeeding and pumping?

 

[kiraelliott]

I am a FTM with similar issue, large breasts and flatter nipples. Right now I am using nipple shields which works but I don't see how that is going to be possible discreetly enough to nurse in front of anyone other than my husband, much less in public.

The lactation consultant suggested that if I pumped prior to putting my daughter to my breast that the pump should pull my nipple out enough for her to latch but I didn't have success with that on the hospital. After she is done feeding my nipple is out far enough she probably could latch but she generally isn't interested. She tends to fall asleep at the breast and by the time I wake her up enough to attempt a latch my nipple has gone down to far for her to be successful. I saw another post here about the Lansinoh latch assist which might be worth trying. Still dont see how I could nurse anywhere with people around since it would require too much exposure.

I don't know how it works but I'm hoping that once she is a bit bigger and we both have more experience with nursing that she will be able to pull the nipple out enough that we won't have to use anything else. The lactation consultant thought that was possible for us anyway!

Can nipples be "trained" to stay out more by frequent breastfeeding and pumping?

I did similar, pumped at the hospital as my DD was in NICU for 5 days. I'd say that and BF helped a tiny bit but nowhere near enough for any baby to latch onto anything!!

They do say nipple adheshions can come away enabling proper BF but how long is how long? I have my daughter to consider too, so i'm really unsure what to do for the best. I can't afford to not give either a go, as my daughter ended up on elemental formula last time that costs £20 a 400g tin, so we got it prescribed but not without a fight first! I feel slightly desperate about it all tbh :/

Xxx

 

[annio84]

I know my sister got this little device from boots which was supposed to draw out flat nipples. I believe it worked the once or twice she used it but she ended up EPing (this was because she didn't trust that baby was getting enough, not due to flat nipples). It was basically a tiny pump that you use just on the nipple. It was similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Evert-It-Nipple-Enhancer/sim/B0002VPXVI/2 but only cost a couple of pounds.

Also did you have any help from a lactation consultant last time? They may have more info/ideas for successfully feeding.

 

[thayet]

Just a bit of insight.. I also have similar issues with larger breasts/flat nipples. We tried with the shield for 6 weeks just like you, until I gave up and started pumping. Even after pumping for another 2+ weeks, I have one nipple that protrudes only slightly and the other one is still incredibly flat. Frustrating! With the help of a LC, DS could latch on (I quit due to injury/supply issues) but he was a big baby at 9lbs. I can see how a smaller baby with a smaller mouth would make it much more difficult.

 

[misspriss]

I have large breasts and smaller flatter nipples, and LO was a preemie. We used the shields from 34 weeks gestation to 10.5 weeks actual age, so about 16 weeks total (OMG...really that long?!?)...scratch that, it was bout 10 weeks. it was tiring and stressful. But somewhere between 10 and 11 weeks, he started latching on. He got bigger and stronger and could pull my nipple out.

I would say keep at it, now he is bigger, there is no issue at all. They might need the shields at first, but most babies get off them!

Perhaps your shields is a bad fit if it's always shifting around? Mine stuck pretty good. It helps to wet it a bit to hold it on, either with a little milk. I would, um, lick mine. Probably not the best, but I read those studies about moms cleaning dummies with their mouths and it helping babies, and since my LO missed out of the vaginal birth germs and colostrum, I figured he needed all the mommy germs he could get.

They come in different sizes and different brands fit different. I tried the Tommee Tippee ones and they were awful.

 

[Simonecah]

I could have written the exact same posts as you, misspriss. I had a baby born at 29 weeks and we used shields from 34 weeks to about 15 weeks. It felt like really hard work, especially when it would get slippery! But it was really worth it. He started to do fine more and more and eventually time had passed and I realized we hadn't used it at all in awhile. I would say offer the breast as often as possible at different stages. Try to sneak it in! . That really helped us. I considered EPing, but I was exhausted by the thoughts of pumping and bottle feeding for each feeding. Nursing is way easier IMO.

 

[shellideaks]

My LO has a tongue tie so I am exclusively expressing and although time consuming, you can make it work it that's what you're thinking of as a possibility. I pump every 3 hours, sometimes Nate's feeds fall at the same time so I will do both together. It was tricky at first but I'm used to it now and it's just part of my daily routine.

 

[melfy77]

I have one flatter nipple. DD1 could never latch so I had to use a nipple shield (which I hated!!). I was really worried for baby#2, but she's latching just fine Sometimes it takes a little longer, but she eventually gets it. I would wait and see how this LO does with your nipples, chances are you won't need to do anything

 

[qt_nurse]

for those that are worried about exposure while fiddling with a shield, what about using a nursing cover? I have a cover called an udder cover...its like a blanket that goes over shoulder but the neckline is rigid so you can still see baby and can latch etc. I had to use a shield for a week because I was so engorged and was able to do it discreetly with the cover!

 

[Pers]

My baby won't stay latched using the shield on her own, it requires me to hold the shield in place and usually assist her with positioning as well. She also gets really fussy and moves quite a bit if her latch isn't just right. Maybe a cover would keep me covered up in public but it wouldn't be as nice as nursing in a carrier which I was really hoping to do for bothddiscretion and convenience!

I was able to get her to successfully latch without a shield once last night so I have hope she will outgrow it!

 

[misspriss]

My baby won't stay latched using the shield on her own, it requires me to hold the shield in place and usually assist her with positioning as well. She also gets really fussy and moves quite a bit if her latch isn't just right. Maybe a cover would keep me covered up in public but it wouldn't be as nice as nursing in a carrier which I was really hoping to do for bothddiscretion and convenience!

I was able to get her to successfully latch without a shield once last night so I have hope she will outgrow it!

Within a week after he first latched on without it, we were not using them at all. I hope you can have the same success!

As for nursing in a carrier, it will work in a pinch for me, but it is VERY obvious what I am doing. It is not comfortable, it is not discreet, and it is not convenient. I'm so short and my boobs hang low, so I have to loosen up the carrier so he sits very low on one side, so its quite awkward!