Nipple Shields-A Happy Story

[Erin Behan]

I just thought I'd post this for all the new nursing moms out there who are struggling. While I know the nipple shield is not the ideal way to nurse a baby and should only be used as a last resort, it can be a great tool. My baby is almost six months old and we've been using the nipple shield since about week four. Our problem was severe nipple damage and pain (one lactation consultant--I saw three--said she'd really never seen anything like it), although the babe was growing fine. I had great qualms about using it due to all the scary stories out there, but I've had no problems with supply and my child is eating/growing just fine. I tried to drop its use around month four when the damage healed, but my baby refused the naked boob. He'll now take either, but I began having cracks after experimenting without the shield, so I think we're going to be shield users for life. If the choice is to stop nursing (or just go pump/bottle-feed), I highly recommend you give the shield a try.

[Alicia Jessmon]

I have a happy story too! Ever since my milk came in (day 4) I've been using a nipple shield and it has been for every feeding since because his pallet (no idea, just what the nurses and lactation consultant told us) is so high that it just was the only way. He's 7 months old now and will not take naked boob though he does like to nuzzle them as well as other woman's. What scary stories are there out there? He had no problem going from bottle to binky to boob and vastly prefers my boob to all else.

It's adorable really, the difference between presenting him with a bottle and my breast. He'll see the blanket, or the shield and he gets super excited. Like, pistoning his legs jumping with smiley excitement. Bottle...it's a calmer grumpier reaction. Binky, he is ambivalent with but enjoys the majority of the time. So yup, the shields saved my breast feeding and made our booga the happiest little baby!

Just wish I produced more milk though....oh well, such is the fate of my family. Come on, more happy shield stories!

[Anci]

I used a shield in the first 3-4 days.I She wouldn't take the boob ,so the lactation consultant suggested a shield and it worked like magic. After she got used to nursing, when we got home ( I was in the hospital for 3 days) I tried and took the shield off and ,unlike your babies, my daughter took the naked boob. But I have to say that shields saved us too!
Alicia, to boost your milk supply , try eating oatmeal and there are some teas out there that really worked for me (Mother's milk tea), I think you have to drink like 3-4 cups a day but ,like I said it really worked for me ,along with the oatmeal.

[Alicia Jessmon]

In the beginning he would try to take the boob without the shield but would get frustrated because I couldn't get it back far enough. Tried to do a Tetris like maneuver with my breast but it didn't work so well. ^^
Anci, I did try the tea for a little but I hate tea so that didn't last. I do produce a good amount, it just isn't a huge ungodly amount except in the morning. I found that the thing that worked the best though was to be happy and relaxed. Which meant getting out of the house a lot and having my mother in law play with him.
Though a slight bonus is that I never really had that leaking or squirting problem when full or when babies cried...except in the morning. ^^

[Courtney Apgar]

I had to use the shield for one breast in the first few weeks. For some reason he really preferred the left breast, but didn't want to latch onto righty, and so I got engorged and developed a blocked duct. A week or so of the shield took care of that, and we slowly weaned him back onto the nipple for that breast. It really was a life saver though, when he was hungry and tired and frustrated and just wanted the freaking milk! I'm glad we didn't listen to the horror stories either. Oh, and he's been on the nipple ever since (he's just now 6 months), with the occasional bottle.