Nipple Shields - Success Stories?

[KristaRae]

My little boy, Miles, will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Apparently I have flat nipples (Who knew? They looked like regular nipples to me!) and due to that and because my son was rushed to the NICU right after birth and was apart from me for the first 4 hours, I was encouraged to use a nipple shield. It's the Medela contact nipple shield and the hospital lactation consultant gave it to me.

We've been using the shield exclusively and he seems to be getting plenty of milk - I hear lots of swallowing, he's gaining weight, etc. I just really want to get him off the shield. It's quite a pain to use every single time - the constant washing of it, having to locate it every time he needs to eat...If it weren't such a pain, I wouldn't really care - he's still getting my milk and we still get the bonding experience.

I just read the article on kellymom.com about nipple shields and how to wean baby off of them (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/wean-shield.html), so I'm going to start doing some of those things. I'm just wondering if any of you have any success stories or advice that you'd be willing to share!

[artist]

Good luck! I hope the weaning works out! Let us know how it works out!

My little one hasnt arrived yet, but I read through the link you shared anyway, I am working on the principle that the more I read now the better... Thanks for sharing the link.

[RNIBCLC]

Hi Krista Rae
As a lactation consultant, there can be several ways to wean your little one off the shield. Have you tried starting the feeding with the shield on and after about 4-5 minutes take him off, take the shield off and then putting baby back to breast? some babies take take in weaning off it totally...... be patient with your little one

[KristaRae]

Yes, I've tried taking it off mid-feeding. He gets frustrated when I do that though. His little face looks so confused.

The nipple shield makes the "nipple" so unrealistically large. How can my baby go back to normal size nipples after that?

I'm trying to be patient. I'm hoping one day my nipples will just pop out and he'll start to take them without the shield.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[KristaRae]

Just an update on me and my flat nipples...

Miles is 10 weeks old and we are just starting to consistently go shieldless! It just takes time and patience, I think. That dang shield is so obnoxious but I would have given up long ago if it weren't for that thing!

So for anyone else (Leyna? I so empathized with you when I heard your birth story and your breastfeeding woes) who is worried they'll never get off the shield, don't fret! :-)

[leyna]

Nolan and I are completely off the nipple shield!! He's seven weeks old now but had been off since about week four. I only use it at night if I am too engorged to get him to latch on.

The funny thing about flat nipples and breastfeeding is that your nipples eventually pop out. The baby draws them out once they are latched and sucking. My nipple after feeding him looks completely different than when I first start.

We got off by starting with the nipple shield to draw out the nipple, then took it off and Nolan was able to relatch much more easily.

Not everyone's advice and experience will work. Try it all and figure out what works!

Good Luck!

Leyna

[KristaRae]

Thanks Leyna!

We are FINALLY nipple-shield free after 12 weeks! Miles is 14 weeks old now. I just finally went cold turkey and we never went back :-) I'm so glad to be rid of that thing.