Nipple Shield

[juhnayrae]

Is anyone else nursing their baby with a nipple shield? When DD was born I struggled to get her to latch on in the hospital. A nurse came in, helped me for a few minutes then went and got me a nipple a shield to see if that would help. Being a first time mom I had no clue what I was doing and accepted the shield, although now of course I wish I hadn't. Now DD will only nurse from the shield and I've gone back to our lactation consultants several times and we found out that she was slightly tongue-tied, so we got her tongue clipped at 6 weeks, but she still won't latch onto my breast. She's very healthy and LOVES to breastfeed, so I've just kind of accepted it. I would rather have her be healthy and breastfeed with the shield than do anything else.

Anyone else using a shield? Any tips for weaning off of it?

 

[Simonecah]

I'm having similar issues... I try to remove it at different points and he's doing ok.

 

[HHenderson]

I am not sorry, tried it in the beginning and it hurt so bad. Good luck!

 

[belle2be03]

I feel the exact same. The consultant at the hospital gave me a shield without trying any other methods and looking back I wish I had only used it as a last resort. I had a few good crying sessions over it as it just wasn't what I had in mind, but like you I would rather bf with it then not at all. Lo will now latch about half the time without the shield! I am working on it by doing lots of skin to skin, offering the bare breast at the start or removing the shield after a few minutes and lo has pulled out the nipple some. I also use the shield as soon as he starts getting frustrated. Some times he gets it right away other times not at all. I am hoping to figure out why he latches better some times to then follow that trend.
Good luck, I hope it works for you!

 

[HHenderson]

Do you press around your nipple everytime before a feed to help the nipple come out further easily? I saw a video about it somewhere. You use just two fingers on both hands and slowly work around and it helps the nipple come out more. Maybe thats the problem. Ive noticed sometimes my right nipple wont stay hard and its hard for her to suck at first.

 

[Calif]

We're still using the shield at 5 months. I tried to wean but haven't tried lately because we've been so preoccupied with daycare and us all getting sick etc. I should try to wean again soon. We've had no problems with it, it's just not as convenient.

 

[sandilion]

My DS was born 8 wees prem so i needed a shield - had to use it for the first 3 months i think it was! The weaning was done by latching him, then unlatching, removing the shield and re-latching. You just gotta keep at it. They will eventually take on your boob with no shield. Persistence is the key!