Weaning off the nipple shield

[Calif]

I need some advice, encouragement, or some experience from you ladies. My baby latched okay for about a week, but the latch was not good and my nipples were in excruciating pain. He was fussing at the breast which made it worse and my nipples got worse. The lactation consultant advised me to take a break and pump. When I pumped, my breasts didn't respond that effectively to the pump (it was hospital grade symphony) and I needed to pump 2x to feed him once. Exhausted, I asked my husband to go out and buy a nipple shield.
It was a lifesaver. Honestly it made me keep breastfeeding.

Baby has been using the nipple shield for 5 weeks. After my nipples healed, every few days I would try to latch him without the shield with no success. Today, the lactation consultant got him to latch without the shield with no pain! I fed him 3 times somewhat successfully without the nipple shield. I say somewhat because he still fussed a lot but settled enough to finish feeding.

However, during the most recent feeding he cried inconsolably. I think it was because my right breast had a plugged duct and when I did compressions, it sprayed at him. Usually the shield blocks any spray. Finally I gave in and gave him the nipple shield.

Has anyone successfully transitioned gradually from a shield or do I have to go cold turkey? I feel like my optimism from this morning is gone and I am exhausted just thinking of weaning him off the shield.

 

[CupCakeFairy]

Unfortunately, I can't help! But I can say that it's a good thing you got those three feeds in!

I think now is a good time to try weaning off the shields! I'm having no luck at all, but I've been using shields since my wee one was a week old!

I posted a similar question yesterday, but still waiting for some advice! Good luck!

 

[Calif]

Thanks, how have you tried weaning? I think I will try 1 feeding a day without the shield. 3 was too much. My nipples are starting to feel sore and my baby is crying so much at my breast without it. I really want to wean though because its supposed to be a short term solution right? I'm curious if anyone had success using them long term.

 

[CupCakeFairy]

It's the only way my daughter will feed from me. Every couple of feeds I take the shield off mid feed.when she stops.for a break, and try get her on.

The issue I have is that she has never really latched properly, and if she has, she slips out if it. We've never had a single full feed of her attached correctly! It's taken me a while to admit this as I feel I'm blaming her.

I initially got the shields so that my nipples could heal but have continued using them as I want to breastfeed for as long as possible and this makes it possible. She's 12weeks old now, so I'm wondering if my only option is using the shields!

 

[sarahh]

I had to use nipple shields for 4 months as my baby never latched on without them. I tried all the diff things people suggested to wean her off with no success. So for the last month of using the nipple shields I would just try about once a week to latch her without the shield. One morning I tried again and she latched on. I was very surprised. I then managed to get her to latch on throughout the feed as the latch wasn't right. From then on we haven't had to use the shields. For the 1st few feeds without them I had them near in case lo needed them but I stubbornly didn't want to use them. Luckily lo happily latched without the shields. The latch was not perfect at the start and I got a bit sore and had to use some nipple cream but all good now.
I had resigned myself to probably having to use the nipple shields until I stopped breastfeeding. I think my lo was just ready to be able to do it at that point. Hang in there the main thing is your babies are getting fed no matter which way that needs to be.

 

[BabyB2]

I'm currently trying to wean off a shield post tongue-tie division and it's tough. If I catch him before he is really hungry and when he's still a little sleepy he's more inclined to give it a try. I think a gradual weaning is best. I was told by my LC that it can take as long to learn to latch as they have been feeding with the shield as the tongue needs to develop strength and learn how to move correctly. So if you baby was using shields for 4 weeks then it may take 4 weeks to wean baby off them

 

[Calif]

Just reporting that today I did 1 feeding partially without the shield. He started on the shield for a couple min then punched it off so I continued without for 15 min or so! Then he fussed too much so we finished on the shield again. I think his latch is too shallow because it hurt today when it didn't yesterday.
I tried on the right side and he latched for a minute before getting sleepy so we finished on the shield.

It didn't work the feeding before or after though

Still encouraging.

 

[CupCakeFairy]

That's good it's encouraging that your LO can take at least part of a feed without the shield!

Good luck tomorrow!

 

[Kellen]

We used a shield in the beginning due to an inverted nipple and severe jaundice. I also have a rather large breasts and my LO didn't have a huge mouth so the shield was a God send for us. It took us almost a month to ween off the shield on the right side (which was inverted). One day she just up and decided she was big enough to feed without it and hasn't looked back since. Like you I kept on trying without. Thankfully she never really needed it on the left side. We also experimented with different sizes, shapes and textures of shields.

So... there is hope! You are doing awesome for getting this far. It is fantastic to see momma's who are so dedicated to their LO's even when the going gets tough. Once my LO hit around 3 months her latch improved a lot just because she was bigger and able to take more into her mouth.

 

[Millnsy]

My first was premmie and wouldn't latch without the shield at all. For about 6 weeks we carried on regardless and then a hv made me feel like a total failure and put pressure on me to stop using them. I was so stressed it wasn't working so I carried on. Any way, when I felt more ready at about 8 weeks old I started weaning off them. I found the best time was when she was more sleepy and less alert. I always offered the boob first and if it didn't work I'd use the shield. We went on to bf for over a year. I also have a friend who bf for a year with shields the whole time! So my advice is really don't put pressure on yourself, relax and just keep offering your boob!

 

[NurseSooz]

I weaned my girly off shields by slipping them out halfway through the feed. I also tried starting the feed with the shields and the finishing without. X

 

[HuskyMomWI]

I used a shield starting with the first time I nursed my baby in the hospital. I was very swollen from a long labor, etc. I desperatly wanted to get rid of the shield. It made me feel defective. I went to a breastfeeding group every week and continued to try to get her to eat without it. She would always just clamp down on me. Ouch! At around 5 weeks we were able to stop using it for the most part. It was a matter of her getting big enough to keep a good latch on her own. After a week or so I would go back to using it if I was sore.

That being said..... I spent way too much time and energy stressing about a shield. I wish I wouldn't have put so much pressure on myself to get rid of it and would have just enjoyed the fact that I was able to breastfeed. If that little shield was the trick then so be it. I am now at 4.5 months of breastfeeding. I still use the shield once in a while and no longer care. My baby is getting breastmilk and that is all that matters. My point is... Don't put pressure on yourself to get rid of it. If it works it works. Enjoy the moments of breastfeeding your baby.

Shield users unite!!

 

[infinita4]

Hi all, reading all these posts made me feel a bit better! I have a 2.5 week old and have been feeding with a shield about 2 weeks (due to cracked/blistered/painful nipples). I was initially able to feed her without one, however it became too uncomfortable - as such, the midwives in hospital had me take a 24 hour break and express, then offered the nipple shield since my nipples were taking a long time to heal. I have now been feeding with the shields for about 2 weeks. She is latching on fairly well to them and seems to be getting plenty of milk and it's 100 times more comfortable than when I was feeding without one (still hurts a bit though), however, I do want to get off them. This is partially due to being made to feel guilty about them by LC/home nurse etc, but also because it's hard to feed in public with them. I went to my first mother's group a few days ago and a number of the women just fed under a blanket, made it look so easy, I was REALLY jealous. I know that I shouldn't be, as I am persevering, and my daughter is getting breast milk, but it's hard and I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself and having unnecessary stress over it. I'm actually scared to feed without it, that I'll go back to having painful nipples again - considering seeing a lactation consultant. Anyone have luck using a lactation consultant? I am not sure how much they cost, and if they are worth it in the end or just put a lot of pressure on you and make you feel guilty about things.

 

[HuskyMomWI]

Hi all, reading all these posts made me feel a bit better! I have a 2.5 week old and have been feeding with a shield about 2 weeks (due to cracked/blistered/painful nipples). I was initially able to feed her without one, however it became too uncomfortable - as such, the midwives in hospital had me take a 24 hour break and express, then offered the nipple shield since my nipples were taking a long time to heal. I have now been feeding with the shields for about 2 weeks. She is latching on fairly well to them and seems to be getting plenty of milk and it's 100 times more comfortable than when I was feeding without one (still hurts a bit though), however, I do want to get off them. This is partially due to being made to feel guilty about them by LC/home nurse etc, but also because it's hard to feed in public with them. I went to my first mother's group a few days ago and a number of the women just fed under a blanket, made it look so easy, I was REALLY jealous. I know that I shouldn't be, as I am persevering, and my daughter is getting breast milk, but it's hard and I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself and having unnecessary stress over it. I'm actually scared to feed without it, that I'll go back to having painful nipples again - considering seeing a lactation consultant. Anyone have luck using a lactation consultant? I am not sure how much they cost, and if they are worth it in the end or just put a lot of pressure on you and make you feel guilty about things.

The moms group I went to had 2-3 lactation consultants at each meeting. I was also embarassed to put the shield on during those meetings but the more I went the more I noticed others were using them also. I had the lactation consultant try to get my daughter to latch week after week and she would just clamp down. They told me she wasn't ready and to use the shield another week. Eventually she was able to latch without it but it was on her own time.

 

[mumnbean]

I used shields for my DD. Once she was about 4 months her mouth had grown and /or my nipples stretched enough for her to latch without the shields. When I had DS there was no need at all, but I did use them a few times if my nipples were sore for my own comfort.

I would recommend starting night feeds to be without the shield, as when they are sleepy and relaxed they are more likely to go with it as they mainly want the comfort from you.

And be patient, there is no real rush to stop the shields as long as they can get a good feed

 

[shoefay]

Hi all, I love this thread. My DS is2weeks old tomorrow and has never latched on, except with mw help in hospital, so I was expressing which was like a 24 hour job, until a friend mentioned medela shields and he took to them right away! I was so happy! But the mw was so rude to me about them on her home visit I just cried for a day feeling like a failure! But have since spoken to friends who fed with them up to 12 weeks and one day their babies just decided to latch properly.....and one girl used them exclusively for 6 months until she stopped BF'ing!,,
So all this, and hearing your stories makes me realise they are not that bad.....we are still giving them breast milk right? So how can that be a bad thing" I am going to carry on with them until my little ones mouth gets bigger!! And try to stop my stressing about it in the meantime! Xx