ADVICE RATING |
  4.15 (Worth a try) from 10 votes (3330 Visits) |
I want to share my experience with using a nipple shield because it saved me from giving up on breastfeeding alltogether.
Breastfeeding was something that I had planned on doing; it was a 'given' in my mind. My husband and I attended a breastfeeding class in preparation so
we felt confident - but I wasn't prepared for the pain that ensued when I actually started nursing my new baby girl! Apparently (as I have been told) fair haired/ skined women are generally more sensitive when it comes to breastfeeding. Be that true or not,
I was definatley
very sensitive. At the hospital my baby was latching on great and nursing well, but when she'd finnish I'd be left with "blood-blisters" on my nipples, and on a few occasions was actually bleeding. YOUCH! Naturally the thought of one's baby latching onto a bloody nipple is completley revolting; so I was over the moon when my dear momma brought me a nipple shield. She used them with my sisters and I when we were bubs, and is now a generous advocate (though she'd never push it!). Even though the hospital's Lactation Consultant was too busy to see me, I was surprised that none of the nurses suggested one, especially as they saw I was in trouble, not to mention a great deal of pain!
Using the shield; nursing was immediatley better. Ava latched onto it just fine, and the barrier between her hoover-like suction and me was just what I needed to ease the pain and also toughen up my nipples gradually to prepare for nursing without the shield. Some of my friends had a hard time getting their breastfed babies to drink from a bottle (on a rare date night for example), and would have a terribly stressfull time away from thier baby. Ava had no problem taking a bottle as she was used to the texture of a "not-nipple". I'd go so far as to suggest that using a nipple shield makes for a pretty versatile baby.
I used mine for less than 6 weeks, and was happy when I didn't have to worry about packing it around with me, clean it, etc. But I know that breastfeeding wouldn't have lasted long for me if I didn't have the relief that a nipple shield offered me.
I hope that I won't need to use one with any future babies, but I will pack one in my hospital bag just incase! I'd hate to have gone to formula so quickly because I didn't kow about the relief that the wondourous nipple shield could offer!
I hope, apsp2, that you won't mind that I borrowed your link: http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVJunJul00p39.html
Here's another filled with good advice on breastfeeding in general. http://www.health.gov.ab.ca/public/NT37Breastfeeding.html It reccomends supplementing your baby with vitamin D drops, but I doubt that it is reccomended elsewhere south of our "Great White North" Canada! For the record, I didn't use the Vitamin D anyway - just made sure that baby got plenty of "sun kicks" through the window on those wintery afternoons... but that's a whole other topic already!
I'd love to hear your feedback about nipple shield use!
(August 2006) (
