If y'all're struggling with breastfeeding — whether your baby is having a difficult time latching or you're dealing with soreness and pain — you may wonder if nipple shields could help. But while nipple shields can indeed be a godsend for some women and their babies when used correctly, they tin can also make common breastfeeding problems worse. Hither's the lowdown on who should apply nipple shields, and when.

What is a nipple shield?

A nipple shield is a thin silicone device that's worn over your nipple while you lot breastfeed. It's soft and flexible, and has small-scale holes in the tip that let milk to flow into your infant's rima oris.

In some situations, nipple shields can help a baby properly latch and suckle more effectively past providing stimulation to the roof of their mouth.

When to use a nipple shield

At that place are several reasons why a breastfeeding mom may demand to use a nipple shield:

  • You accept inverted nipples. If you have inverted nipples, they retract into your breast instead of sticking out. Y'all may notice this when yous're cold or when yous compress your breast around your areola (the dark expanse around your nipples) with your fingers. For women with inverted nipples, a nipple shield may help guide your baby to latch on more than deeply.
  • Your infant is premature. Some enquiry shows that a nipple shield can exist helpful for preemies. This is considering the shield tin create suction and position the nipple in a way that makes it easier for a premature baby to suck without tiring. As your babe develops force and coordination, yous can wean her off the shield.
  • Your baby has tongue issues. A tongue thrust or tongue-tie — a condition in which a tight band of tissue connects office of your baby'south tongue to the floor of their mouth — can make it difficult for your picayune i to latch on to breastfeed.

You lot should e'er work with a lactation consultant before using a nipple shield to make sure that you really need one. Some issues, such equally sore nipples from a poor latch, may be able to exist treated without a shield. Babies tin can become used to a nipple shield very quickly, and it can be challenging to wean them off of it — so you don't want to use one unless it's absolutely necessary.

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How to utilise a nipple shield properly

Nipple shields come in several different sizes depending on the bore of your nipples. (If you aren't sure what size you lot should order, ask your lactation consultant or md.) Here's how to apply one correctly:

  • Moisten the edges of the nipple shield with lukewarm water to help preclude information technology from moving.
  • Gently turn the nipple shield inside out.
  • Smooth it onto your breast, then the tip of your nipple fits into the nipple of the shield. It should be tight against your breast with your nipple extending into the tip.
  • Limited some milk into the tip, or drip expressed milk onto the exterior of the nipple shield to encourage infant to latch on.
  • While nursing, you can occasionally hand limited milk into your baby's oral fissure to go on him nursing whenever your milk flow slows.
  • Wash the nipple shield thoroughly in hot soapy h2o, or in the dishwasher on a hot cycle, after each employ.

What are the benefits of using a nipple shield?

A nipple shield can help babies who might not otherwise be able to nurse — for example, preemies or little ones with tongue ties — learn how to successfully breastfeed. Ideally, a nipple shield is temporary and helps these babies learn how to nurse on their own without having to rely on expressed milk or formula.

Nipple shields tin likewise help ensure Mom'due south milk production stays ramped upwardly during this time.

What are the disadvantages of using a nipple shield?

Although nipple shields can make a world of difference for nursing moms and their babies, they can have drawbacks.

  • Decreased milk product. Your milk supply could go down if your baby isn't sucking difficult enough to stimulate it.
  • Less milk for infant. It'south harder for babies to transfer milk using a nipple shield, and so they may demand some actress aid. I mode to do this is to gently compress different areas of your breast during nursing sessions. If your breasts however feel total subsequently nursing, drain them by pumping. This will help reduce the chances of plugged ducts or even mastitis, a painful inflammation of the breast that sometimes involves infection.
  • Information technology may be harder to breastfeed in public. If yous're already a footling uncomfortable nearly nursing outside the condolement of your own home, a nipple shield can make doing so more challenging, since yous'll accept to fumble with it before you settle downward to go your baby to latch on.
  • Babies can become dependent on the nipple shield. That's why information technology's important to work with a lactation consultant if you lot exercise use one. A lactation consultant can help you wean from the shield later on a few weeks.

How tin can yous wean your baby from a nipple shield?

Nipple shields are designed to be a temporary solution while your baby learns how to breastfeed on her ain. Ideally, you should wean your infant off of the nipple shield with the aid of a lactation consultant. To wean, y'all tin can try the post-obit:

  • When you use a nipple shield, always encourage your baby to latch on by herself with a wide-open rima oris.
  • Offering peel-to-skin contact each day without wearing a nipple shield to give your infant a chance to latch on her own.
  • After using a nipple shield for a few weeks, try to start the feed with the shield, and so rapidly remove it midway through the session. If your baby can latch on her own, gradually remove the shield before and before in the feeding until you tin can eventually stop using information technology.
  • Don't ever cut the tip of the nipple shield in an effort to wean from it, equally doing so can leave sharp edges that could harm your babe.

If y'all try to wean your baby off the nipple shield and she seems to struggle or go frustrated without it, continue nursing with the nipple shield on. You don't want this to turn into a big breastfeeding battle, especially if she's enjoying it and gaining weight. Work with a lactation consultant for additional strategies that may help you successfully wean.