Nipple shields

[kanga]

Thoughts on nipple shields?

I'm trying to feed my son who was premature and still in hospital. He is tube fed Half the time and put to breast half the time (3 hourly feeds) and then topped up with the tube depending how the bf goes.

He only latches with a nipple shield t the moment. He can't work out pulling the nipple in and I can't get it to hit the roof if his mouth so he will suck. He has latched on twice without the shield and latches every time with it.

I'm worried he isn't getting enough milk with the shield. Should I ditch it and tube feed him til he takes the breast without the shield? What would you do?

Does anyone know much about nipple shields?

 

[Pers]

I use a nipple shield because my daughter struggles with latching if I don't. I have large breasts but my nipples are on the flat side and she is very small and struggles with being able to pullmy nipple out eenough to latch. She is getting better though and I'm hopeful she will only need the shield for a few more weeks as sometimes she can latch without it now (12 days old).

My lactation consultant told me some women use a shield the entire time they breastfeed without negative effects. I just find it a hassle to deal with and look forward to getting rid of it! I think in terms of how much milk she gets with the shield vs without it, there really isn't a difference. I think it is easier for her to comfort suck with the shield and she typically isn't latching strongeenough or sucking hard enough to get any milk then.

 

[brandonsgirl]

I don't really have much information as I just started using nipple shields on one boob today. I have terrible cracked nipples so just need some relief whilst feeding else I fear we would have to give up. LO has a good latch but the first night she was feeding every 10 mins and didn't latch properly. I think that's when the damage was done and its just not had time to heal.

I do worry it might mess up her latch or ruin my milk supply. But if it looks like my milk is becoming less in that boob then I will try and pump to bring it back up. When you do breastfeed LO, does he seem content afterwards? Are they tube feeding him your milk?

 

[kanga]

Yes he's content after a non nipple shield feed. It's just so hit and miss whether he latches.

With the sheild it a a higher success rate but he doesn't seem satisfied. I'm going to proceed without the shield for now and hope he gets better and quickly as not sure i can take much more expressing.

He's tube fed otherwise x

 

[Perplexed]

I'm curious, how do you know if baby had enough milk while using a shield?

 

[brandonsgirl]

I have found that once nipple is already stretched its easier for LO to get a proper latch. Have you tried latching LO with the nipple shield for a few mins so that he stretches your nipple out and draws the milk out, then unlatching him... Removing the shield and relatching him with out the shield. It might be worth a try. Do you notice him swallowing the milk when he is using the shield?

When using the shield, baby should still be sucking like normal and actively taking mouthfuls of milk. So swallowing gulps of milk and then resting etc and suckling, swallowing resting etc. Baby should drain your boob like normal (massaging or hand expressing whilst baby is attached will help) and be content when coming off the boob. I always try to relatch my little girl once she has come off to make sure she is really satisfied. If your boob still feels full or baby is fussy shortly after coming off, then reattatch to same boob to make sure baby is taking enough milk from the boob. Hope that helps. This I have found from trial and error and by talking to mW. Good luck !

 

[Babydreams321]

I don't really have much information as I just started using nipple shields on one boob today. I have terrible cracked nipples so just need some relief whilst feeding else I fear we would have to give up. LO has a good latch but the first night she was feeding every 10 mins and didn't latch properly. I think that's when the damage was done and its just not had time to heal.

I do worry it might mess up her latch or ruin my milk supply. But if it looks like my milk is becoming less in that boob then I will try and pump to bring it back up. When you do breastfeed LO, does he seem content afterwards? Are they tube feeding him your milk?

Hey hon couldnt help but read this about you sore nipples - i sympathise & just wanted to comment.. i suffered with this hugely with my first son & used nipple shields with success as couldnt cope with the pain - this time around though, i sorted the nipple pain within a fortnight & have never had pain since ( just wish id known how with my first son!)

I happened to have these in the cupboard as expressed a lot with my first son

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medela-008...F8&qid=1391116589&sr=8-1&keywords=nipple+cups

i used lansinoh cream & wore these in my bra all day so there was an air gap between nipple & bra so they could heal....amazing honestly, it worked withing 48 hours & continued to wear the shells in my bra the next month as was too scared the pain would come back haha!!

Sorry to hi jack thread - just thought id pass on the tip

still breastfeeding now 6.5months later xx

 

[Foogirl]

Stick with the shield for now. They really are a great help for those extra little mouths, less hard work and him getting a good feed helps keep the supply up, especially important when you aren't feeding regularly, ie through the night. If he has to work less to get the feed it will help him keep his strength for growing, which is what he really needs right now. He will get bigger and stronger and you'll be able to wean off the shield once he gets there. Abby was managing to feed without it just around her due date. There is a lot said about nipple confusion and the like, but once LO's tube is out, the chances are he'll need bottle fed over night anyway.

I beat myself up about using the shield and resisted it for a long time, but with hindsight, it was the best thing I did.

 

[Simonecah]

My son was a preemie too, 11 weeks early. We used the shield to help him latch and he did really well. I would try to have him latch off and on at different times without it. Seemed like overnight he stopped needing it and aloof a sudden I couldn't remember when we had used it last. I would stick with it as it may be the only ways to successfully continue breast feeding. Good luck!

 

[brandonsgirl]

Thanks for your comment babydreams. I actually just got the advent nipple shells just like them for the same reason. But was worried that because they drew out the milk that I would loose milk for LO. Did you find that happened with you at all?

 

[Babydreams321]

Thanks for your comment babydreams. I actually just got the advent nipple shells just like them for the same reason. But was worried that because they drew out the milk that I would loose milk for LO. Did you find that happened with you at all?

what do u mean they " drew out milk"? Thats not what they do - they "catch" milk - i.e when i used to express on one boob, i used to have an oz of "drippage" from the other one that soaked through my bra!! These saved me! It collected the milk which i was then able to feed back to my son through a bottle... at the time....

When i used purely for nipple healing (lol) last year there was no milk wastage hon - again - only when Jacks fed on one boob, id notice the other would leak into the breast shell...but theyd do this anyway in the early days - u just dont notice as goes into breast pads/your bra!!

Hope this helps/reassures you xx

 

[brandonsgirl]

These are the one that I have https://www.mothercare.com/Philips-...ast-Shell-Set---2-Pack/494359,default,pd.html

They seem to squash my boob in my bra and put pressure on the boob to express more milk. Would this technically be the milk I would loose anyways but haven't noticed then?

They seem awfully big.. But I've never seen breast shells let alone worn them before lol

 

[Babydreams321]

These are the one that I have https://www.mothercare.com/Philips-...ast-Shell-Set---2-Pack/494359,default,pd.html

They seem to squash my boob in my bra and put pressure on the boob to express more milk. Would this technically be the milk I would loose anyways but haven't noticed then?

They seem awfully big.. But I've never seen breast shells let alone worn them before lol

Yes these were the ones I had - I always had a little in there but just never thought of it as "lost milk"! They were the right size for me as i used to drip an ounce when feeding off the other breast lol!

I wouldnt have thought the amount you lost through pressure would affect your supply - was just suggesting they are good to use while your nipples repair

 

[brandonsgirl]

Oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up. Im just so cautious atm . Breastfeeding means so much to me, with my son I was told I had to stop breastfeeding because of mastitis. Little did I know that you can actually continue feeding. Was gutted when I found out


So this time im even more determind and have had to go thru so much pain with the cracked nipples and seem to finally be getting somewhere. And now I have the start of mastitis and got antibiotics. Just seems like one thing after another at the moment so now im terrified that my milk will just dry up or something. Hopefully once the antibiotics have done their job things will start looking up

Will give the breast shells a go though, thanks for the suggestion. Cracked nipples are just horrible!

 

[Babydreams321]

Oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up. Im just so cautious atm . Breastfeeding means so much to me, with my son I was told I had to stop breastfeeding because of mastitis. Little did I know that you can actually continue feeding. Was gutted when I found out


So this time im even more determind and have had to go thru so much pain with the cracked nipples and seem to finally be getting somewhere. And now I have the start of mastitis and got antibiotics. Just seems like one thing after another at the moment so now im terrified that my milk will just dry up or something. Hopefully once the antibiotics have done their job things will start looking up

Will give the breast shells a go though, thanks for the suggestion. Cracked nipples are just horrible!

How are you nipples doing hon?

 

[bcos21]

I have use Shields the whole five months feeding my son. I was so stressed in the early days because he couldn't latch i almost gave up. So glad i didn't. I have a back up one in case but i haven't lost it yet. No issues with milk supply. I've tried without it but he seems to play with the nipple rather than eat. Was a lifesaver for me, like all things go with what feels right for you!