nipple shields and pumping

Jenney - posted on 11/08/2008

I would keep pumping and putting away the milk in a deep freeze. You may feel like you are engorged for the first few weeks, but as soon as your little one starts seriously eating your body doesn't always keep up. Also, if you have way too much milk and you really don't think you can use it, you can donate it to a milk bank for moms who can't breastfeed and would like to.

Kristen - posted on 11/08/2008

ok I have a report. I did it! Or rather SHE did it! (and she ended up not liking the shield at all!!) I got her to feed 20 min on one breast and about 5 on the other. She got mad when I made the switch. I had her 5oz pumped right next to me so I gave her as much as she wanted. She still was hungry and didn't want to go back to the breast. I figured I'd supplement her with the expressed and try again later. She ate about 3 ounces. So I'm guessing she got at least 2 nursing. I'm so excited. I did have a bit of a struggle at first and then the last 5 minutes on the first breast. BUT of she'll do it again tonight and in the morning I am going to be so happy!! I think i'll still pump after to see how much is left to sort of monitor it and freeze the rest. I've got about 2 months worth stored up already so I'm less stressed now about having stock piles for while I'm at work. Thanks Ladies!!

Becky - posted on 11/08/2008

I used the shield with both my boys. I also pumped, A LOT! Just gauge your supply when you stop pumping. I would cut out one pumping at a time or just cut back on the amount you pump after feeding. I wouldn't stop completely unless she has a very strong suck. I cut out pumping too soon with my youngest son and had to start up again because he wasn't getting enough. I know how much of a pain it is to feed then pump, I've had to do it with both my boys. If you cut back on the amount you pump, your supply should drop and you shouldn't be so sore or engorged, but it will keep your supply up enough so that your baby doesn't have to work too hard to get it. With my last baby, born at 34 weeks, I pumped for about a month, with my oldest, born at 30 weeks, I pumped for about 3 months. I guess just make sure you stop pumping gradually to gauge how well your baby does. Good luck!

Tricia - posted on 11/08/2008

Kristen, it's awesome that you are pumping so your baby can have your milk! If you want to get your baby back to the breast, the nipple shield may help you transition her from bottle nipple to breast. It often takes weeks and does require some patience, but you might be happy just continuing feeding her expressed breastmilk.
If mom and baby are stressed about trying to feed without the nipple shield, then they should continue using the shield for a bit longer. It's okay to use it for weeks or even months.

Kristen - posted on 11/08/2008

haha! proofreading my post just now. I AM a large woman. I don't HAVE one! haha! That happens when you need a nap. lol

Kristen - posted on 11/08/2008

Tricia. easier said than done of not letting it be stressful. It would make her so mad, even if she was not very hungry to start. It would also get really messy to take it on and off. Also, i have a VERY large woman. My breast are very large and heavy. nursing works (well it did when I was doing it) if i have her in place and then don't have to keep readjusting. The problem was she liked the silcone feel and got used to it. So when i tried to ween her to me it just made her mad. I'd go on but, as to my back to nursing question, I went ahead and placed it on a new thread; Since this one is for Kelli's question. Thank you Tricia for letting us know about the sharpness. i may not even try to get her to nurse again. Just thought I'd take a shot. ;-)

Tricia - posted on 11/08/2008

Joanie and Kristen - the newer silicone nipple shields that most moms use now have sharp edges when you cut the tip off and that can hurt the baby. Gradually wean by offering the nipple shield first, then relatching without or offering the second breast without the shield. It will take time so don't let it be stressful for and your baby. Some babies are more agreeable to take the breast without the shield when they are drowsy.
It is recommended to pump - even occasionally - just to make sure you maintain a good milk supply. Low milk supply is the most common reason why mothers prematurely wean.

Kristen - posted on 11/08/2008

Oh! Joanie! I IWSH I had of heard that! My girls both had to start with the nipple. I could hardly ever get a real full feeling with out it on. The frustrating part for them also with the shield was there was extra space between the end of the shield and my actual nipple. It made it downright difficult for my second and so thats a huge part of me exclusively pumping. Has anyone ever heard of or tried to get your baby to come back to pursing? Mine is now almost 13 weeks so I'm not sure if she's do it. I would love for her to. The other thing that was hard is that she got so used to the shield that my naked nipple seemed foreign after a while. maybe an altered shield would do the trick??

I do still like seeing how much she takes in using bottles but it would be great now that she sleeps thru the night to get her morning and evening feedings back to nursing and keep her on bottle while at daycare.

Kara - posted on 11/07/2008

My daughter is almost 7 months old & I still use the nipple shield to breastfeed her. She continues to gain weight & switches back and forth from breast to bottle without any problem. I did pump while I was at home with her before I went back to work. However, I've scaled back & now only pump when I'm away from her & haven't had any problems. At times I'd pump after her first morning feeding & then after her last evening feeding so that I wasn't uncomfortable, plus I still had extra on hand. Way to go on breastfeeding!

Joanie - posted on 11/07/2008

To wean her from the shield, you can also start feeding her with the shield for a minute, then pull her off, remove the shield, and try and get her back on. That way your nipple should be everted enough that it's easy to latch on. I would attempt to feed her without the shield at least once a day. If this doesn't work, I've heard of cutting the very tip of the shield off and slowly cutting more and more as time goes by to transition to the breast. I don't know how well this works, and you probably ought to make sure you have a spare shield before cutting holes in the one that's working for you. Just some ideas. Good luck.

Mary - posted on 11/06/2008

Hi Kelli! I agree, just watch your baby's wet diapers and swallowing while nursing. If you seem to have plenty of milk, just pump once and awhile when you have time and energy, to keep your breasts used to pumping. They do suggest pumping because it CAN start going down, so keep an eye on it, and as baby gets bigger try nursing without the shield now and then, because you will want to get him off of it eventually. Thats the only trouble with shields, you eventually have to wean off of them. Plus, watch her weight, because with a shield latch, she may only get the thinner "foremilk" and not the fatty "hindmilk" that is at the back of the breast. If you have a good strong let down reflex, and can feel it shooshing towards baby you probably don't have to worry about that. Good luck!

Katie - posted on 11/06/2008

I used a shield and my supply did go down and my son lost a little weight. I didn't think there was a problem with my supply or that my son wasn't getting enough, we discovered it on a visit to the doctor's office. I don't think it happens for everyone, but it can happen. I took fenugreek and phased out the shield and everything was fine.

Laura - posted on 11/05/2008

I used nipple shields and was told to pump for the first 4 weeks even though I had more than enough milk. My lactation consultant warned me that even when you have extra milk during the first month, the supply can suddenly drop after the 4th week. That was never a problem for me and honestly I didn't pump as much as they recommended -they said 3 times per day but I only did it once per day. I would agree with Joanie, even if you don't want to pump every day, it's not a bad idea to pump every once in a while and if you decrease the pumping then just be ready to go back to it if your supply decreases. As for weening your baby from the shields, my advise would be to relax and just wait for the right opportunity. My son weaned himself off the shields around 8 weeks of age and is now 5 months old still exclusively breastfed. It took him about a week to give the shields up completely but I think that worked to my advantage because it gave my nipples a chance to get used to change. I did have some soreness the first week he was shield free but overall breastfeeding without the shields was so much easier that it was worth the temporary discomfort. Best wishes.

Joanie - posted on 11/05/2008

Some people start to lose their milk on a breast shield, but I know people who used a shield the whole time and had big babies and never had a problem. If she's gaining weight and you think you still have plenty of milk, you probably don't have to. It's probably not a bad idea to pump every once in awhile, though. It's much easier if you can get her off the shield at some point. The lactation consultants should have some pointers for that, or you can send me a message.

Kristen - posted on 11/05/2008

if you are still getting enough without pumping and don't feel engorged then don't worry about it. Just watch your baby and make sure she is gaining weight and having enough wet & dirty diapers. I had latching problems as well and used a sheild with both girls (our lated is 12 weeks). I now exclusively pump. it works well for me. i can see how much she takes and I get more rest that way (as well as a plus my husband can feed her and bond), Just be ready to adjust back to pumping if you are losing supply. If you plan to go to work you may want to empty your breast after nursing to have extra supply on hand. it is a real saver for that or if you get sick and need to pump and dump! Blessings!