Breast Sheild, getting off

[audy82]

My ds is 9w and we used to give him a bottle when we went out but then he started refusing the breast! After a hard day I got him on the breast shield (a thin plastic nipple cover). Now I'm having a hard time getting him off the breast shield. He'll suck for awhile on the nipple but his latch is so poor we both get frustrated and I just put the shield back on. He'll pull away really hard and it hurts! Also, ever since we put him on my breast solely he won't let any one else hold him! Not even his extremely adoring father. We also took away the paci and now he wants to nurse every half an hour and he can suck for hours. Any advice is really appreciated! Thanks

[Amris]

How is his latch bad?

As for the jerking off, I have learned that I have to use both hands to nurse my DD, because she does that, also. The problem here, I think, is the fact that, with the bottle, it just followed her around. So she didn't have to hold still for it.

Now, I just wrap my arm around her and keep her pulled in. When she wants to turn, she has to let go first. It seems to be very different when she's pulled in fairly tight against the breast versus when she's able to be "out" from it a ways.

I also have overactive letdown, and that causes her to want to be on the tip of the nipple so that she can cut the flow back. Keeping her tight to the breast helps with this, too. She can't get that shallow latch with the breast stuffed against her.

[alegna]

It's really normal to nurse that much when they're little. Also, the shield can cause your supply to go down, he may be nursing that much to try to get it back up.

Keep working on weaning off the shield- you can do it!

-Angela

[DoubleLove]

It took a few weeks for me to wean dd off the shield. I started when she was sleepy but not too hungry and would always first try without it, then if & when she got frustrated I'd put it back. It was a slow process of phasing it out, so just hang in there, and be careful not to give any bottles or pacifiers or else she can easily get nipple confused during the process. Oh, you will love getting rid of that thing! Good luck