Breastfeeding after nipple shield baffles new mother

I read your story with great interest because it could have been about me. Almost.

My name is Heather, we almost named our daughter Sadie (but we have a boy...), and I too used a nipple shield.

For me, it was one side only and gosh, the baby sure did seem to prefer it. Because I was using it out of pain and not from just some random advice, I was nervous to bring back the pain by NOT using the shield so I eased myself off of it one nursing session per day until I gained my confidence back.

I probably kicked the shield habit when my son was about 3 months old and at 11 months we're still going strong...

Now, I'd like to hear more about weaning in one day using distraction techniques. :)

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I'm a little teary after reading this. And a little (okay a LOT) envious of your friend, because she had you to be with her and coach her and encourage her.

When I had my sons (not so long ago, in a really wonderful university hospital with fantastic L&D facilities and staff), lactation consultants were harder to find than the mythical WMD. Every time I went in (and I went in many MANY times) I saw a different consultant; every time I went in, I got different advice. One consultant gave me nipple shielss for Charlie, who was having a hard time latching on (the nipple shields cured that!); when I went back, maybe two days later, for help weaning him off the shield, the consultant--NOT the one who had given me the shields in the first place--berated me for using them and told me that they would cause my milk to dry up.

What impressed me the most in your story was how compassionate you were, and how you were able to keep a sense of humour about the whole thing. I'm sure that helped Heather as much as any practical advice you offered her--just to feel like she has someone who she can turn to, who won't judge her or criticize her, but will change her crying and poopy baby for her.

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I was lucky enough to give birth to my daughter in a great hospital with a VERY supportive staff when it came to breastfeeding. They have an on-staff lactation consultant and breastfeeding support groups twice a month. However, I, too, dealt with nurses telling me not to use a shield. I only had trouble with one of my breasts, so I was constantly nursine on the other side and I got so sore. I finally gave up and used the shield anyway, and it was such a relief. Getting my daughter to stop using it wasn't too hard, but I can see how it would be if you were using the shield from the beginning. Good luck to Heather carrying on with the nursing, keep trying and you'll get the hang of it. It took me a while, but at almost eight months, we're pros at it now!

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I so wish I'd had you around when I was nursing my second child! It would have been fabulous to have someone actively help me to get my baby off the nipple shield and onto the breast that early on!

That being said, I am a HUGE fan of the nipple shield. Seriously. Here's why:

With my first child, I suffered from severe engorgement and my son (due to that and a host of other reasons) never developed a latch. So I exclusively pumped breast milk for him for a year. Turns out I had a huge over-supply (and actually was able to donate several thousand ounces of milk). I can't complain, I know there's a much easier fix for that problem than under-supply!

So when I had my second child, I was determined to not have to pump. I explained to the LC what happened with my first and she was confident that I could use the shield without damaging my supply (the scary engorgement hit within mere hours of giving birth).

I, too, had problems with pain using the shield for a few weeks, but managed, through a combination of crying and reminiscing over how much I hated pumping, to stick it out until the painful period ended.

My baby refused to eat for longer than one or two sucks without the shield. So we used it for six months. One day I tried, on a whim, to nurse her without the shield. Lo and behold, she nursed like a champ. After a few days, I had her completely weaned off the shield and onto the breast and we nursed successfully for a little over a year.

So, I cautiously say, thank you thank you nipple shield for saving me from pumping for another full year!!! (ignore that if you have under-supply issues. :) )

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I too used the shield because I couldn't get the baby to latch on properly. A nurse gave me one, but it was way too small, which caused a lot of pain. The lactation consultant gave me a bigger one.

I had trouble with low milk supply, but we were able to get that cleared up. It took me about a week to completely wean my baby from the shield. I didn't wean her until her weight got back to normal at around 4 weeks. I did something simliar to you, but much slower. If the baby wouldn't take it, then I would let her use it.

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Jennifer,
I am so glad you are back to Blogging Baby!!! I was just thinking about you and your boys the other day and wondering where you were. And then suddenly you were back! Anyway, wonderful story! Support like what you offered is what is so needed in the breastfeeding community. Compassion instead of judgement. Thanks for the great entry!

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That was a great story! My GF was fortunate to have our daughter at a birthing center which was basically a home fixed up for delivering babies. The two midwives that assisted us were incredibly knowledgable and prepared us both for the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding. Further to that a dear friend of mine is a doula (spelling?)and came and spent the first night with us and came in every few hours when the baby would scream at having problems latching on.....it took only a day or so for our little girl to get it....amazing. I highly recommend a doula or someone similarly knowldedgeable for those new mothers out there.

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That was a great story! My GF was fortunate to have our daughter at a birthing center which was basically a home fixed up for delivering babies. The two midwives that assisted us were incredibly knowledgable and prepared us both for the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding. Further to that a dear friend of mine is a doula (spelling?)and came and spent the first night with us and came in every few hours when the baby would scream at having problems latching on.....it took only a day or so for our little girl to get it....amazing. I highly recommend a doula or someone similarly knowldedgeable for those new mothers out there.

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I am impressed that it worked getting rid of the nipple shield. I am not a fan of the nipple shield merely becuase it was something so vital so that my son could be nourished that it was maddening! (Our dog ate three and needed emergency animal hospital care one time.)

But, given my large breasts and his poor suck I never succeeded getting rid of the shield use until he self weaned at 11.5 months (which was fine since I was/am pregnant). Don't get me wrong I tried several times a week, and with a lot of effort time, it just wasn't worth it as he would give up. So, those who can't find a way to get away from the shield - it is far better, and I believe easier, to nurse with a shield then have to deal with bottles and formula. Nurse however you need to make it possible.

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Great Story!!! Encouragement like you gave Heather is what is really needed in the breastfeeding community today! I have nursed 2 kids now (my daughter just turned 1, and is still going strong! My son weaned at 28 months) Good Luck to Heather on a successful Nursing relationship!!!

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Hey Jennifer,

We weren't as lucky as you guys but we were able to make it all work out okay in the end.

Every nurse I talked to in the few hours after having my son said, "Oh, you have flat nipples...you need these!" and handed me nipple shields. I had a stack of about twenty after the first day in the hospital. I, knowing nothing about nursing, felt that I had some sort of curse and needed to use these silicone thingys.

A couple of weeks later, my son wasn't gaining weight and it was pretty apparent it was because of the shields. I ended up pumping for several months because he wouldn't latch onto my breast without the shield.

Finally, at three months, I bought a supplemental nurser (the Lact-Aid system) which worked like a charm. We've been breastfeeding normally ever since (he's 16 months old).

Why can't the "experts" just let nursing happen, and then if there's a problem, provide a "quick fix" like a nipple shield, instead of dooming nursing from the start?

Thanks for the great story!

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I'm a little past this (no, a lot past this) but I still know that sometimes one good friend can do more good than twenty experts; each with their own opinion.

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It sounds like you were a good, calm, patient support person to her! I'm sure she's very grateful to have a friend who would spend that much time working with her and trying to help.

A lot of times over-worked nurses or LC's will slap a nipple shield on a mom as a "quick-fix" and then not give her any help learning to nurse without it. Do you have any idea WHY they gave her a nipple shield? If she truely has flat or inverted nipples, pumping for just a couple of minutes before offering to nurse could draw out her nipple and help baby break the habit of needing the shield. Also, if the nipple shield was hurting her, I wonder if the nurse instructed her on the correct way to use it?

You might print this info on weaning from the shield out for her -

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/wean-shield.html#weaning

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I was given a nipple shield for my firstborn since he was having such a hard time latching on. It was a great tool. Unfortunately, no one told me when to stop using it, so, first baby, I kept on -- FOR 11 WEEKS! When I finally got some sound advice, and started the process of weaning my son off the shield, he was a strong nurser, not a newborn anymore and my nipples bled and cracked and I cried, and my son cried, and my husband cried. It was awful. It is so hard to find consistent breastfeeding advice, as previously mentioned, and harder still to get a lactation consultant to be there whenever you need them (say the middle of the night or Christmas day). This is one lucky lady to have had your companionship and guidance. Thanks for doing that for one of 'us'.

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My first kid used the shield, too-- nothing (many attempts, various techniques, lots of pumping and lactation consultants) would make her nurse without it, until about 5 months when she suddenly latched on without it. Like one poster above, I hated the mess, inconvenience, even embarrassment of the shield, but it came down to use it or don't nurse, and we chose to nurse (I say we because the kid wouldn't take a bottle for months, either.) She nursed until she was two, so it worked out in the end.

But I so agree- what I needed most those early days was someone to keep me company, help me figure things out, and tell me I was doing okay. Your friend is lucky to have you.

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Skipping the storey about how I got the nipple shield and why:

1) I was told to pump after every feed because a nipple shield *may* effect supply. This led to horrible engorgement problems.

2) To get off the nipple shield I would first nurse with it, and then when my baby was calm and not starving then try without the shield. There were tears, tantrums and just when we had almost gotten rid of it a bad latche started tearing apart my nipples so I went back to it (and back to the LC ASAP) But once that was fixed a day or so later my baby refused the nipple shield and that was the end of that.

3) For the pooping problem she could buy some chux pads (disposable waterproof pads in various sizes) and put the naked baby on them while she nurses so she can see when the baby poops?

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I am still using a shield at almost 4 months with my son. The lactation consultants at my hospital are so helpful and wonderful, but after spending over an hour with me each of the 3 days I was in the hospital it was clear that nursing was not working for me or my son. The LC offered me the shield with lots of strong admonitions about how to use it properly and everything. The only thing I don't like about it is trying to find it in the middle of the night when my son wakes up to nurse. I try a couple of times each week to get him to nurse without it, but it doesn't seem to happen. I will try the suggestions on kellymom, as his nursing pattern is starting to shift to less frequent feedings anyway. I am appreciative for having it because I think without it I would not have been emotionally able to deal with how hard nursing was getting. Whatever makes it work for you is what you should do in my opinion!

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I am so glad to see that others are in my same situation. My seven week old son refuses to nurse without the nipple shield. I have been struggling with fears that we will never be rid of it. I am glad to see that other women have needed to use them for longer periods and that they have still been able to kick the shield at some point.

All of the conflicting advice about the shields has made me very emotional, self conscious, and nervous about using it (even though I have plenty of milk) and really anxious about needing to wean him from it.

I have also been really confused about why I feel embarassed by the shield. I haven't had to nurse in public very many times but something about the artificiality of the shield makes me feel inadequate and self conscious about it. And I know that is irrational because the shield is what has been allowing me to nurse him and avoid formula. And he's getting what he needs and is thriving! I try to remember that being able to hold him and feed him at my breast at all is a wonderful experience and if we need this piece of silicone right now in order to be able to do that, then that's the way it is. I'm trying to have faith that eventually we won't need it and relax about getting rid of it.

Reading other women's stories and experiences here is very reassuring to me. Thank you for that.

Maybe we should have a big nipple shield nursing party! That would feel so reassuring!

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I am so glad I found this web page. The story & these comments are so comforting. After using nipple shields for almost 2 months on my thriving little girl, I am still upset when every breastfeeding book and website describes nipple shields as the "kiss of death". Like the poster above I feel inadequate and kind of ashamed of being reliant on these annoying pieces of silicone. I have been tring to wean her the past couple days and it isn't easy. And I hate upsetting her, when she seems so happy with the shield.

A LC gave me the shields when I had problems with thrush at around 3 weeks. I have had no problems with milk supply. It did help with the pain. When I went back to the LC a couple weeks later pain free but with still bright pink nipples, she said to keep using the shields until the pink subsides. When I told her my fears about the shields from what I had read, she said "hogwash". Anyway, she's right that my milk supply is fine, and my girl is gaining very well, but I feel scared about weaning.

Thanks for posting this story.

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I'm a little concerned to read the negative feelings regarding the nipple shields. I went through a horrible time nursing my first of four babies. I was determined to nurse her, but despite having access to a lactation consultant 24/7 I still had every problem imaginable. My baby's latch was correct. I was doing everything the right way. The only reason that we could come up with was that I am very fair complected, blonde hair and pink nipples...thus I have little melanin in my skin. Because of this my nipples would crack and bleed easily. I used lanolin constantly. But the cracked nipples caused intense pain during the entire feeding. It also led to many bouts of mastitis. As my baby grew older and nursed less, the situation became somewhat better but I still had pain. But we made it to 12 months.
When my second daughter was born another lactation consultant noticed that I was having the same problems and offered me a nipple shield. It SAVED me. In the beginning I too pumped after nursings to see if I had milk still in my breast. I pumped off only 1 oz of milk so I stopped pumping. I made sure to put lanolin on my nipples before placing the shield. This made my nipple softer to be stretched, thus less painful. I have used a nipple shield for my last 3 babies up until 4-5 months. Then baby is going 3-4 hours between feedings and I am better able to tolerate nursing without pain or bleeding. My point is that using a shield to help you nurse is not a negative. The point is that you are giving your baby your breast milk. How it's delivered doesn't matter. Some women may benefit greatly from a nipple shield. It may make the difference between breast milk and formula. Just keep all options open.

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