Help! Nipple Shield!!!!

[Jessimaca]

Hoping I can get some extra support and tips here. A little background info-- my LO is 2 weeks old. After she was born (natural birth) she wouldn't latch and she had a hight billi level. They were discussing admitting her, etc so I started pumping and finger feeding colostrum to move the billi through as fast as possible because she wasn't latching. Continued finger feeding until off the billi blanket at 1 week old. Saw an IBCLC that suggested a nipple shield after watching her attempt to nurse. I have now been using the shield for one week. I think I have short nipples that don't really stimulate her to nurse. I really want to get rid of the shield! Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I try nursing without it at least once a day with no luck so far :-( I'm nervous the shield will start effecting my supply or that I will never get rid of it and it makes latching so cumbersome!

[Carlin]

I used a nipple shield for about 4 weeks with my nursing resistant babe. To wean off of it, what I found worked was to allow her to start nursing with the shield, and after  a bit, slip it off. At first I'd use it for a couple minutes, but eventually even just ten or so seconds worked. At about 3 weeks she was down to just using it if she was upset, over hungry or over tired and by 4 weeks we'd dropped it completely.

Good luck! Even though the shield was a major help in getting DD to nurse at all I found it so freeing when we no longer needed it. My supply never suffered, but I don't know if that was just luck, nursing tea or that we didn't use it for long.

[gemasita]

I used a nipple shield for about 4 months (we did a before and after weight to make sure ds could transfer milk well) and slowly weaned off of it (similar technique to the pp).  I told myself if I had to use it the whole time he was bf'ing, I would, and that sorta took the pressure off, ya know?  We weaned off when we were both ready with no problems.

[eabbmom]

I hated the nipple shield in the beginning and my lC told me to try nursing without it frequently- I couldn't handle the rejection though. I watched my baby's latch improve and around four months I was confident that he could do it and he took the bare nipple and hasn't looked back since. I now look back at those days with pride that I did what I had to to nurse my baby and I am considering bronzing my shield!

[Jessimaca]

This gives me hope!!!  Thanks so much for sharing :-)  I keep hoping that one day she will just get it.  It makes me nervous though for my supply and her weight etc.  And I've heard stories of babies getting attached to the shield and refusing the breast.  But, I'm so glad to hear that you all made it through!!!  I just get really discouraged sometimes, so I'm really glad to know others have gone through this.