Nipple Shields?

[i.love]

has anyone used nipple shields?

I heard that they can be very good if the baby has problems latching on, or if your nipples are cracked. I don't have such problems, but my nipples get very sore (my milk doesn't flow very easily, so LO feeds for a long time).

I was wondering if the shields would help? But I would like to use them all the time (or, say, every third time but for the whole feeding time), not just for the first minute and not only for a few days, as some sites suggest...

 

[frankie707]

I used them for a bit at the start cos I had very sore, cracked, bleeding nipples. In conjunction with lanisnoh cream they gave my nipples a chance to heal up. I only used them for a little while because my nipples healed and then tbh my nipples became waaaaay less sensitive.
Not entirely sure if it would help with your nipples being sore from prolonged feeding. Are you sure LO is actually feeding the whole time? I had to work really hard at the start to keep G awake and actually feeding rather than comfort sucking. It might be worth making sure LO is feeding and if you think he is just sucking and latching doesnt hurt then take him off so he wakes up and then put him back on so that he starts gulping again, this should start to shorten feeding times.

 

[i.love]

thanks frankie! He definitely eats while on the breast - I can hear him swallowing. Maybe he doesn't feed for too long, maybe it's just that my nipples are too sensitive, plus even though I have lots of milk, to squiz out a drop is rather difficult - my mum and my sister had the same problem So I guess he needs to work extra hard.

 

[DW1978]

O tried some but couldn't get on with them. They were only about £4 from Boots though so only cheap to try?

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk

 

[i.love]

Yeah I would like to give it a try, but it's not the money that is a problem - I have no idea when and how I will be able to get to boots next time! Having a baby turns any simple task into a logistical challenge

 

[frankie707]

Worth a go. Like DW said they're not that much to buy, what about on-line to get them delivered to you?

 

[i.love]

yeah I might do that! I need quite a few things from boots now anyway. Thanks xx

 

[Bexybun]

I've found them to be really fantastic, along with a nipple cream I feel so much better, what with LO having a problem with latching on and a really hard suck, lol. I use them for the whole feed though, as the instructions suggested.