Nipple shield

Lavina - posted on 02/03/2011

medula ones are amazing

Lavina - posted on 02/03/2011

my boy is 4 month now, ive always used nipple shields.
i love them, have had to use.. they can be a bit annoying, at times, but you learn to get used to them, i have myn in my bra all the time, and wash them all day long...easy as

Kristen - posted on 01/17/2011

Thanks, Dana. That's helpful for next time. I haven't weaned my 20 month old completely yet, he's in the process of self weaning. When he was about 12 weeks old, he seemed to be "annoyed" with the nipple shield and he just spit it out repeatedly and latched on normally. It was AMAZING! I am a big fan of nipple shields and know that we would not have breast fed without them. I won't be afraid to use them next time, like I was in the beginning with my son. :)

Dana - posted on 01/17/2011

Sorry, I know you posted this over a year ago and you are probably off the shield, and most likely have weaned your baby by this point, but in case anyone checks back I wanted to answer your nipple shield storage question. I used a shield for the full year I breastfed my first son and am on the same track with my 8 month old. I keep my shields in Shield Shells between feedings - one stays in the diaper bag, and I have a couple around the house where I nurse most often. They are great because the shield shells keep the shields clean and protected, plus they fit in the pockets of my bebe au lait nursing cover. So I put the cover on, take the shield shell out the the inner pocket (it can just sit on the chair/bench/whatever while I nurse, or it go back in the pocket). The BBaL has a rigid neckline so you can see down into the cover hands-free. That way I have one hand to keep the shield in place and the other to latch baby on! The nursing covers are at www.bebeaulait.com, and the shield shells are at www.shieldshell.com. Hope this helps anyone looking back on this thread!!!

Kristen - posted on 06/05/2009

Your responses give me so much hope! Thanks so much!

Marcy - posted on 06/04/2009

Just cover your self up with a blanket and go about it...woo hoo! Anyone who stares at you (and they will trust me) isn't going to know that you are using a nipple shield. My kiddo had to use one for about a month after I gave birth...we had all kinds of latching issues but then one day I was sitting in bed nursing for the 1 trillionth time that day and I took it off mid way through and he latched. Of course I started crying becasue I was so happy (or was that the hormones raging). HAHA good luck and don't worry about it.....after awhile you will just pull it out in public and go to town. P.S. I tossed mine in one of those snack size ziploc baggies and when I got home I washed it off and tossed the baggie. Its kind of tough trying to get the coordination right (espiecally if you are under a blanket) so sometimes I went to the bathroom or sat in the car and did it.

Marcy - posted on 06/04/2009

Just cover your self up with a blanket and go about it...woo hoo! Anyone who stares at you (and they will trust me) isn't going to know that you are using a nipple shield. My kiddo had to use one for about a month after I gave birth...we had all kinds of latching issues but then one day I was sitting in bed nursing for the 1 trillionth time that day and I took it off mid way through and he latched. Of course I started crying becasue I was so happy (or was that the hormones raging). HAHA good luck and don't worry about it.....after awhile you will just pull it out in public and go to town.

Heather - posted on 06/04/2009

pumping is a lot more work than just popping on a shield, in my opinion anyways. i didn't know you shouldn't use it for longer than two weeks. was there any reasoning behind it? i'm just curious. it is a big help to start i know, and after a few weeks you definately should get the hang of feeing without it kristen. so if you are worried about using it in public, maybe try to get used to not using it before you go out?

Samantha - posted on 06/04/2009

My lactation consultant told me not to use the shield longer than 2 weeks, you try to transition them to the actual breast. There is no way I could use a shield all day. Too much work, that is why I pump!

Heather - posted on 06/04/2009

i had to use one in the beginning because i have flat nipples and while in the hospital my nipples got pretty sore from my daughter trying her hardest to latch on correctly. also, when my milk came in my boobs were so hard it was near impossible to get my nipple to get to any sort of point for her to feed...so the sheilds were amazing for me. i used them for the first month or so, then slowly as i gained some control over my handling of my daughter and to feed before i was engorged, i could just feed from the breast. i think the shield became a crutch more for me after a little while than me actually needing it, but it helped me to become comfortable feeding.

tips on how i did it: i produced a lot of milk, so when i put the shield on, i always tucked a burp cloth under my boob (in my bra) because i knew when i pulled of the shield that milk would leak. i had a lot of wet bra marks before i thought to do that. hope that helps!

Nicole - posted on 06/03/2009

no shame! good work so far. My sister used one until her baby mastered latching on her own and it was the same process I use without one. As far as nursing in public- it is about your comfort level, though I venture to say the longer you nurse the less you'll care about covering and what not- you'll just want the job done. keep going though.

Tricia - posted on 06/03/2009

Shreyna, you're thinking of breast shields, which are different from nipple shields. Breast shields protect your sore boobs from your bra, nipple shields look like silicone nipple extenders and help the baby latch correctly,

Kristen, I used a nipple shield with my LO for just over three months. I BF out and about ALL the time as my husband is a pastor and social events are mandatory for the pastor's wife. I stored my shield in a zip-top bag in the diaper bag or my coat pocket. My "procedure" out in public was 1) cover with a receiving blanket, 2) lift up my shirt and open my bra, 3) position the nipple shield, 4) hold the shield on with the opposite hand (i.e. for nursing on the left side, hold the shield with the right hand), 5) maneuver the baby under the blanket, 6) use a finger from the hand holding the shield to find his mouth, 7) latch him on. *whew* It seems complicated, but after you've done it 20 or 30 times, you'll be a pro. :-)

And for anyone who's discouraged, after he was 3 months old, I tried every couple of days to wean my LO off of the shield, and he wouldn't latch on my breast until one day he just decided that he was fine without the shield. And since then we've been a happy nursing couple.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 06/03/2009

I am currently using one. She's breastfeeding very well. I am trying to get her to go without it though. I start with the shield and then remove it after a few minutes. It doesn't always work though. I haven't nursed in public yet. I thought I would just keep it in a plastic bag in the diaper bag. I want to get a nursing cover and I thought if my husband could hold her while I put it on, that would help. Hopefully she'll be going without it by the time the two of us go out alone, but if not I'll figure it out. There are some nursing covers that let you see down the neck so you can see what you're doing. My lactation consultant didn't seem concerned about me using the shield. She said whatever works!

Shreyna - posted on 06/03/2009

I have used the nipple shell for when I had cracked nipples. But you can use the shield while you are nursing? I didn't know that. Does it help produce more milk? because my milk production is lowering, I have never p[roduce that much milk anyways, only about 2 oz WITH both sides. Now I can't even do that. Will the shield help? if not any suggestions of what will. I have only been breast feeding for 3 1/2 mo.

Danielle - posted on 06/03/2009

i had to use one for about 2 weeks after the birth, then from nursing and pumping i was able to nurse without one! I would just put a clean one in a ziploc bag and take it with me. i know its a little time consuming, but you will get the hang of it ;) props to nursing, its hard but STICK WITH IT!!!!

Corina - posted on 06/03/2009

I have been using one for 3 months. When I go out I just find a quiet place to sit, i use a receiving blanket to cover baby and boob. I put the sheild on with one hand and hold it and use the other to guide baby to my nipple it takes a bit of practice cause you can't see what your doing under the blanket but i don't like showing my boobies off to others...lol



ETA: I use the avent ones that come in a hard plastic case for storage, but you can put it in a plastic ziploc baggie to store it too.