Nipple shield?

Question

Talk to me about nipple shields, mommies. My baby is 8 days today and my nipples are in extreme pain. I have seen two lactation consultants and three lactation counselors and im still really struggling with this horrid pain. The consultant i saw yesterday said she reccomends i do not use a shield because they would need to help me put it on every time to make sure its on right otherwise it could cause more pain and she said because its a barrier between me and baby it could lessen my supply. I hate dreading feeding my baby 😔

Answer

With my flat nipples, I kind of don't have a choice but to use a nipple shield. I have no issues with breastfeeding or my supply. It makes life so easy and my nipples aren't in pain.

Answer

I do not recommend a shield for pain. I have used a shield from the start and my baby is 4.5 months old. I had horrible pain at the beginning also with bleeding. I used it because of flat nipples and now my nipples are not flat anymore and he's addicted to the shield. They love the shield, it's hard to break them of it and it really doesn't reduce the pain very much. My advice is to use lanolin and ensure a good latch. It is so hard at the beginning but it will get better. It'll become easy and you'll almost forget how hard it was :) good luck to you and your lo.

Answer

My twins were in the nicu for two weeks and both the nurses and lactation consultants advised me to use nipple shields to help them latch. My boys are 5 weeks now and I'm still using the and haven't had any problem with supply. I find the shields to be so helpful!

Answer

I used the shield for the same reason as you for just around 2 months & nothing happened with supply. You dnt need help to put it on its very simple. Just make sure nipple is centered in the shield and invert the shield a lil & it will suck the nipple into the shield and baby will suck and it will stay in place. I never had supply problems or anything baby Just one day stopped using it, very easy 😄

Answer

Nipple shields do not hurt your supply as long as baby is consuming enough milk. If baby consumes less milk than usual while breastfeeding and you don't pump to make up for the gap, then your body will regulate according to that and produce less milk. So just try to pay attention to baby's cues. If they're wanting to eat more often ...Then they probably aren't taking enough in during each feeding. If your breasts don't feel well softened, they probably haven't taken enough in and you need to pump.

Answer

I tried out shields a few days ago and was so happy to feel relief immediately... However, my daughter was SO fussy that day and wanted to feed constantly. It was worse than any cluster feeding she's done. When I couldn't think of any other way to try and calm her, I tried feeding again without the shields and she was completely content after that. I don't think she was getting as much as when she eats directly from the nipple.

Answer

Using a shield is the only way I can breastfeed. They gave me one in the hospital because baby couldn't stay latched. I have not had it hinder baby's feeding or cause me to have less milk. They did tell me to pump after feeding several times a day because using the shield can cause you to produce less, but I haven't had any issues with the amount im producing.

Answer

With my flat nipples it would have been impossible for me to nurse without a shield. It has not affected my supply and my LO has been gaining weight well. At 8 weeks we are just starting to ween her off of it now that she's bigger and stronger and pumping has helped pull my nipples out more.

Answer

Shields are the worst. They hamper baby's feedings so bad.

Try get some lanolin nipple cream and use it as much as possible. Or use coconut oil it's sage for baby.

It's super hard at the start and is very painful but it gets easier very soon it definitely doesn't stay painful so perceiver xx