Nipple Shield

Hi S.,

We had to use a Nipple Shield early on as well (and a few times later on) and to wean her off they recommended to try her without every time to see how the latching went. If it didn't work in the first few minutes we would use the shield again. It generally took a few days but she would just start without the shield all of a sudden and I was always able to wean her gently this way.

Be patient and good luck!

There is plenty of great advice but I will just add that I used one with my daughter for nealy a full year until she just wanted bottles and cups. I tried to get her off of it a for a while in the begining and just found that after a while I was way too stressed out about the whole thing. In hind-sight I could have tried again and yes it was a pain... but I let it go and things worked out just fine. I wish you luck but hope it doesn't stress you out too much.

I used a nipple shield for a few weeks with my daughter in the beginning too, but I didn't have any problems with her preference for it. When I stopped using it, she didn't even notice I don't think.

I had an awful time weening my son of the nipple shield. I think he was two months old when we finally got him off it. Everything I read, and everyone I talked to said to start him nursing on it and then sneak it away once he got going, but that never once worked. He wouldn't nurse once it was gone and would just cry.

I finally decided to do it the other way around. I would give myself a set amount of time (just for sanity's sake) where I would try without the gaurd *first.* Sometimes, he just couldn't do it and we would use the gaurd. If he did get going, sometimes he could stay off. Other times he would nurse for such a short time that I would finish off with the gaurd so he would continue. When I finally tried this approach, we were off completely within a week.

Good luck!

My first son used a nipple shield just because he latched wrong his first time and was such an eager beaver he did some damage. They gave me the shield to let me heal, I wish they hadnt. He became dependant on it and wouldnt nurse without it, it was such a struggle that required getting half undressed to nurse and it couldnt be done on outings so I had to pump and bring along a bottle which complicated it even more.
The way I finally got rid of it was to wait until letdown, by then my nipple was shaped and there was ready milk, to take off the shield. After doing this a bit I would try it without, if he fought it I would just put it on and try taking it off half way through. It was hit and miss and took a while, also one nippel was larger and more like the shape he wanted, after loosing the shield he nursed so much more on that side that I was noticably lopsided for 8 months LOL, but at least he was nursing.

To wean my newborn off of the nipple shield, I occassionally would not use it. It was a little hard at first because he had gotten used to it, so he didn't latch very well initially. But we kept working on the latch and he eventually got it. I would use the shield about every other time and then slowly I just used it at night. The weaning goes pretty quickly because babies are so resilient. Good luck!

I had to start using the nipple shield when my son was five days old. I wanted him off at around 10 days too after my nipple had healed. It takes a lot ot patience but is worth it. (That shield is a pain in the butt. It helped so much, but when your baby is hungry they do not want to wait for you to put it on.) When your son/daughter is hungry and you try to put him/her on your nipple without the shield they just get upset and frustrated, so that is when not to do it. The best time is when they are not starving/hungry but will nurse a little for the comfort. Just keep them around your breast and keep offering the nipple... the first couple times you have to hold the nipple to their mouth. Like I said it takes some patience. Eventually they will just latch on and once they do that don't give them the shield again. It took me a couple days and a couple times a day to get my son to nurse without the shield. I found the best time was when he was alert and not sleepy. He was more willing to try. Now he is 4 months old and we haven't had to use it again. I hope this will help.

I would let my son latch on with the nipple shield and once he had gotten started and there was a good latch, good letdown, and at least a min or two of good nursing then I would take him off and put back on with out the shield. Once they are not frantic and hungry it works better. Also try latching inbetween feedings, use your self as a pacifier.
That is what worked for me.
Good Luck
C.
Mom of 2 under 2

most babies will take the breast without it when they are ready. we used one forever! then one day, my son was ready and just latched on fine. no nipple sandwich, no special techniques or tricks were needed. from that day forward he never needed it again. he was 4 months old.

I had to use the nipple shield for a while and when it was time to wean my daughter off we did it slowly, probably 2-3 days. We started off with the shield and then tried to slip it out a minute or two after she really got going. If she complained I put it back and would just keep removing it from time to time. There were a few times my daughter got quite upset so I left it there for the rest of the feeding and tried again next time. After a couple of times getting her to eat some without the shield I started offering from the beginning without it. Good luck. Just remember that if the baby is hungry they will eat. but take it slow and give her time to realize what is happening. Good luck.

Hey there!
First of all - congratulations! I also needed to use a nipple shield when I started breastfeeding my daughter. I had some trouble with some very sensitive nipples, so I was using it a lot longer than 10 days, to be sure.
My suggestion to you is to go see a lactation specialist if possible, who could teach you some techniques on how to hold your nipple so that the baby can get a good latch. I'll try to explain what she did for me, so hopefully it makes sense! Basically she showed me how to "squish" the breast so that it was like a sandwich that was similar in size to the shield. It definitely helped! I started by doing one feeding a day without the shield until I was able to increase the number of times until she was on the breast full time.
I'm not sure if this is helpful, sinice it was really me who was being weaned off of the shield, and not the baby. But, going to a lactation specialist gave me the confidence to know I was doing things correctly and the baby was getting enough milk. I think confidence in yourself plays a large role in success. So know that you can do it, first and foremost!!
Hope this helps :-) Good luck!

I had to wean my daughter off of it, but I didn't do it until she was 4 months old and I wish that I would have done it earlier. I just helped my sister get her son off of one at 2 months old. You just have to have a lot of patience and persistence. Put the shield on and nurse until your milk comes down and then for the last 2 minutes of nursing on that side take it off. The baby will have a hard time latching on, but just be patient. Make sure your nipple is dry so that he/she does not slip off so easily. When you switch to the other side offer the breast without the shield, don't let the baby get overly frustrated, though. If he/se refuses to latch on, then use the shield and take it off during the last few minutes again. Everytime decrease the time you nurse with the shield and increase the time you offer the nipple. One other thing, if you are using the shield because you have flat or inverted nipples, you should be wearing a nipple shell inside your bra in between nursing to draw the nipple out, giving the baby more to latch onto. I don't know if that is the problem or not, but that is a common reason moms start on shields. Good luck. Hope that helps.

Your baby probablly likes the NS because there is something for him to easily latch onto. Try rolling your nipple between your thumb and index gently to get it to "stick out" and then latch him- if he feels there is more to grab onto, you might be able to fool him. Good luck, and just have patience with him.

Good Morning,

Congratulations on your new baby!
I would also agree with the moms that have responded, gradually weaning from the shield is much more effective. Choose a time of the day when your baby is not too sleepy or too hungry and attempt to latch without the shield. If one or both of you become frustrated then resume the feeding with the shield and try again later. My clinical experience is most babies will "graduate" from the shield in the first month.
If you are in the Portland area you have numerous resources, call a consultant and at least have some guidance through this transition.
Good Luck and enjoy that little baby.

D.

Hi S.!

I myself haven't used a nipple guard but I know of nursing mom's who have. My best advice for that is to offer baby the breast (nipple shield free) at every feeding. Give baby a chance to latch on, try a different position if it helps. If baby starts getting frustrated or upset put the shield back on and let baby nurse again. It shouldn't be a stressful fight. Baby will eventually wean off the shield and take to the breast. Do you have a La Leche group nearby? They are wonderful support for new nursing moms!! go to www.lalecheleague.org to find a group or support person nearby.
Blessings to your new little one! They are so precious and worth the work it takes to nurse - stick with it! :)

I used a nipple shield with my son, and when I had gone back to the lactation consultant, about 2 weeks later, they recommended I try not using it...I think the first time I tried it, it didn't work, so I waited another week and tried it again. That time, it worked. It shouldn't be hard to stop using it, but you may have to wait a little bit longer.

I used it as well on one side when my daughter was born. when you are ready to start weaning, try to start every feeding without it and if it becomes a struggle just put it on. After a while they will get the idea. Also, you definitely want to make sure you aren't engorged when you try without it, it will be too hard for the baby to latch on.

Talk to your lactaction consultant at the hospital (hopefully they aren't like the ones in the response below-that just makes everyone uptight and uncomfortable) Babies sense if you aren't relaxed and it will be harder to wean that way.

I would latch my son on with the shield, and after a few minutes so he wasn't starving, pop him off, take the shield off and put him back on. After a few days, we didn't need the shield anymore.

Don't loose heart! I had to use a nipple shield because my son was early and would not suck with out it. I tried weaning him starting at 3 weeks and he would cry and cry when I would present my breast with no shield. I continued patiently (5 minutes with the shield, 5 with out)...one day (at exactly 3 months) he just latched on with out the shield and has never cried since. He is not 6 months and we are still happily nursing. It might take awhile, but he will get it.

We had a 35 week old preemie and spent 3 weeks in the hospital trying to get a little weight on him. We used the nipple shield while breastfeeding and gave him breastmilk in a bottle as well. Because he was so young, we didn't even begin weaning until he was very established in his eating.

The best advice I received is that he'll wean off the shield when he's ready and to not stress about it. I thought the shield was messy and a pain to carry around, but the ability to breastfeed was worth it.

Around 6 weeks I began to try to wean. We started him without it at times and then introduced it again when he protested. Or, we would give him the shield initially and then remove it while feeding. If he protested, I would just return it. He fairly quickly stopped using it for my left breast. The right breast continued to need it for several weeks. I think the shield was put away by 10 weeks.

i started using one when my daughter was a few days old. i think it took 2-4 weeks (that whole time period is a blur!) before we were done with it. i honestly don't remember what i did to try to make the transition, either. i do remember wishing for the day when we didn't need it anymore though! that's for sure!

good luck, hopefully someone else will have a better answer!

---have you seen a lactation consultant or been to any La Leche League meetings??

All I have to say is get help with that. The sooner the better-- before your baby gets older and more stubborn. I was unsuccessful with my first and finally at 4 months my milk supply had dropped so low from using the shields that my son was underweight and I had to stop breastfeeding.

I really don't mean to be discouraging. I have heard of others weaning off the shields fine. I would highly recommend visiting a lactation consultant or having one come to your home. This is available in most areas. Visit la leche league online or ask your pediatricians office.
Good Luck and you can do it!!!!!

I used a nipple shield with my oldest son - now 7! I would have him start nursing and after a few minutes I'd take the shield off and then have him finish nursing without the shield. I found that if he started with the shield it was much easier for him to get the milk out. After awhile he could nurse without the shield, but it did take awhile. Good luck!

I think the best way is to have the baby feed half way with the shield on and then remove it. This way the baby is some what full, and won't really care about the difference like they would from be really hungry.

I have similar advice to other posters but i had to use a nipple sheild for 4-5 months before I could get him completely weaned. It may have had something to do with the fact that my breasts are at least 2x the size of his head! LOL! I basically just kept trying first i went down to a smaller sheild size and then i would always try bare breast first if he wouldnt latch then i would use the shield. I also would try the shield and then partway into feeding would try bare breast again until finally he is weaned from the shield. It takes patience and perserverence but you can do it. If it seems too hard to do alone dont be shy about going to a lactation consultant....just be sure they are of the pro breast-feeding kind. I used beyondbirth lactation consultants and they are the only reason i stuck with it as long as i did since he never latched properly for almost 4 months.

I used one with my daughter because she just couldn't latch on and she used it for three months before I quit, because everytime I tried to breast feed her it was a struggle. she screamed and fought me she just wouldn't do it.

my second child, my son, I used it for a couple months and he could latch easily with or without it. and I nursed him till he was nine months.

I am thinking it is a child's preference. I would try getting her/him latched on give her/him a snack, so s/he's not starving and then taking it off.

i tried briefly to use a shield but was unsuccessful. in any case, i just wanted to say you may get a lot of grief from a lactation consultant about it. the one in the hospital was adamant that i not use it but i was trying everything to be able to breastfeed my baby. my nipples were bleeding and she insisted that i continue despite the fact i was in horrendous pain and balked at the idea of the guards saying they weren't natural. i say whatever it takes. go with your gut.

My best recommendation is to get the baby started with the shield and then stop feeding long enough to take it off, but while your milk is still flowing strong. It might be hard at first, but you can do it. I did, I thought I would never get my son off of it, but at about 6-8 weeks we were able to. You might also check into a mom's group or lactation group to help you with nursing. (Especially if this is your first baby or first time nursing.) The lactation groups offer lots of advice and support. Good luck to you!

I was given a nipple shield in the hospital. It took my son 8 weeks to fully be weaned from it. I would try to give him my nipple at different times of the day/night. Sometimes he would take it for a second and then turn his head away. You can also try to slip off the shield during a feeding, when your baby takes a break. Another trick that worked was to lay him on my lap and hover my nipple over him. That way he could get a better grasp. You could also try pumping to pull out your nipple first and then see if your baby will nurse without the shield.

Not sure of your circumstance, but using the nipple shield caused me severe pain everytime my son latched on. I almost gave up on nursing. If this sounds similar keep trying your baby will all of a sudden one day want your nipple and then he/she won't look back.

Good luck!

Weaning my son off the nipple shield was not an easy process. As I recall, I started by always offering him the breast first, and if he wouldn't latch on after a few tries, I would use the shield. I only tried without the shield during the day to begin with, and then as he got more proficient, I tried during the night as well. Initially, he got good at taking one side without the shield, but needed the shield for the other side. The process took a couple weeks for him to nurse without using the shield, but we've gone on to being able to bf for his entire first year.

At the time, I felt strongly that I wanted to nurse without the shield, but in retrospect, he was still getting all the benefits of breastmilk, so I didn't need to stress myself over it. I've also had a couple friends use the shield well into the second month, and it seems their babies managed to learn to nurse just fine too.

Also, be warned, once I quit using the nipple shield, my nipples got very sore. Soothies helped quite a bit, as did "airing out."

Hi,
I don't have any personal experience with your question. However, you can contact a lactation consultant regarding your question. If you're not sure how to locate a consultant, I suggest the yellow pages and/or the hospital where you delivered your baby should also have contact information. Good luck.

I used one of these with my daughter after she was born for almost 2 months, which was way too long for me, but we had trouble weaning her off it. What seemed to work best was to start her nursing with the shield on and then to take it off really quickly after a couple of minutes (after let-down) and re-latch her. Sometime she would go for this, other times not. Just try to be patient with your baby, this process, and yourself, because it will happen when she is ready. Try not to stress out too much about when it happens, but do keep trying to get her to nurse without the shield.