So Frustrating!!

[chely7425]

Ok, this might be a semi pointless vent but I need to get it off my chest... I am so frustrated with nursing!! Trevor refuses to take the boob without the nipple shield and it is just such a production to get him to latch on. Once he latches on he eats really well... but getting there?? I hope it gets easier and I start to enjoy nursing, because right now I am not enjoying it. I love knowing that he has gained a pound in 2 weeks and is 7 oz past his birth weight and it is all because of my boob juice... but the actual nursing just gets on my last nerve. It doesn't help that so many of my friends have those babies that just seem to be born natural nursers. Bleh... I feel better now!

[ORLY?]

Hey, hang in there, Momma!
I know the shield is frustrating. Some days I seriously have to tell myself, "Look, at least he is getting breast milk and contact- I'm doing the best I can" because I'm almost in tears.
Yeah, it sucks when my neighbor comes over and basically "brags" about her perfect BFing experience with her daughter. : Especially after I have expressed my frustration and pain I've been experiencing with my son.

Try at least once a day when you are both mellow without the shield. Eventually your babe will wean off. Hopefully sooner than later.

[Ironica]

Some shields, if they're made of the right material (I'm sorry I don't remember which one), you can trim them a little at a time to help babe wean off of them to the nipple.

It's definitely a good idea to wean off of it ASAP, since it can lower supply if you use it for too long :-/.

[krizzanne]

you are being a great mama!! I hope it gets easier.

[sparkly]

I used the shield exclusively for about 3 days, then tried not using it for a couple feedings a day...he was off of it after a few days. My nipples really hurt, so having him not use it was sort of painful in the beginning--thank goodness for lanolin!

We're still having issues with Emmett not opening his mouth very wide...I always have to pull down on his lower lip to get it to take in a little more areola.

Stick with it...you've done so much to get him used to breastfeeding already, and you're obviously producing good milk, so tough it out! Remember, even though bf is time consuming, frustrating at times, and sometimes not pleasant, it will benefit him for his ENTIRE life.

[GardenStream]

I also had to use a sheild with my first DS. It took a few weeks for him to figure out how to nurse without it and it was awful. There were so many days of me crying and him crying because it wasn't working. I would try to get him to latch for about a minute without the sheild and if it didn't work, I would just use the sheild and try not to be frustrated. Once he finally figured out what to do, it only took about 2 or 3 days to be off the sheilds completely. He's still nursing now 2 years later.

It seems so hard and difficult now, but it really can get better and become the natural experience you were hoping for.

[amaayeh]

Bfing can be extremely frustrating. With my first, we really struggled with latch for about a month. My nipples were sore, bleeding, cracked and I literally screamed every time she latched on. We finally figured it out, though, and she nursed 27 months.

One of the things I did differently this time was try many positions. Last time I just thought there was only one way. With this LO, I have learned that I have to be sitting straight up and she has to be at a certain angle to latch on. After that, I can get more comfortable. In the first few days, though, she wouldn't latch on my right side unless she was in the football hold.

Try different things and I really like the suggestion of trimming the nipple shield to wean him off it. I used one the first time and it was tough to wean off it, but so worth it when you don't have to deal with it. (((((Hugs))))) It will get better soon!

[treehuggermama]

I too used a nipple shield with ds1 as he was tongue tied with a small jaw. After awhile I hated nursing with it; it is a production getting them latched and then I would forget the darn thing at home when I was out etc. I made the mistake of listening to my LC and waited too long to wean him off of it. The reason I say mistake is that using it lowered my milk supply chronically for the rest of our BF relationship. Getting him off the shield was tough and painful for a week or so and then it was fine after that. Hang in there!

[snugglebutter]

I used a shield with dd and I was definitely way too hard on myself about it. It didn't help that most of the bf-ing books/info I looked at had nothing but negative things to say about shields. I remember calling the lactation office at the hospital when she was about a week old and the LC on call really calmed me down. She said to just focus on nursing with the shield for at least a couple of weeks and not to worry about weaning off of it until later.

It really helped me to stop seeing the shield as "the enemy". My baby was still getting breastmilk. Sure it was a pain to wash the shield and keep track of it - but it was MUCH less work than exclusively pumping, which is probably the next route we would have gone.

Originally Posted by atobols

I would try to get him to latch for about a minute without the sheild and if it didn't work, I would just use the sheild and try not to be frustrated. Once he finally figured out what to do, it only took about 2 or 3 days to be off the sheilds completely.

That describes our experience almost exactly. I decided early on that I would try to wean from the shield at the one month mark and it was pretty effortless. My supply had been fine with the shield (it sounds like yours is too) but I did go through several days of engorgement and nipple soreness again after we quit using it due to the breasts being more stimulated.

Hang in there!

[3for3hb]

chely.. I never used a shield but your frustration is justified. Hang in there.

sparkly- if the issue is that he's not opening his mouth, his jaw may need to be adjusted. It's something you can do yourself. Just stroke his mandible downward from about the temple area down to the angle of his jaw. Use about as much pressure as you would to test the ripeness of a tomato. his jaw may quiver a little as tension is released if you hold the downward pressure at the angle of the jaw. Do it on both sides a few times a day until it seems like he opens his mouth better... may or may not work. I can't tell without actually seeing him

[chely7425]

Thanks guys... glad to hear other people have the same feelings. I am definitely not having supply issues, thank goodness. My boobs seem to think I am nursing a 1 year old already! I am going to give him till he is a month with the shield and then work on it, I try to latch him on without it and all he does is scream which definitely doesn't help either of us!!

[2swangirls]

Ive had the same problem. What's helped me is to nurse with the shield for the first 5 to 10 minutes then take it off. It helps to soften things and makes it easier to get more nipple further back in his mouth.
He was born April 25th and I have been working super hard to get rid of the shield. Now were down to using it less then 1/2 the time.

Keep working at it, you'll get there.

[chely7425]

I can get him to eat without the shield on my right boob about 1/3 of the time... and I just got him to do it on the left for the first time tonight! I have faith we can get past this... but it is just so hard and I am so worried that he isn't getting what he needs!

[2swangirls]

How's it going?

I have not used the shield in 4 or 5 days. It's really hard to get him latched in the middle of the night, he's so sleepy and waves hid arms and pushes the boob right out of his mouth. were getting there though.

[chely7425]

It keeps getting better We really only use the shield now in the middle of the night and sometimes first thing in the morning or when he wakes up from a long nap Sometimes when we are out and he is all distracted too... it is going better though!

[2swangirls]

Good! We had problems getting a good latch in the middle of the night too. One thing that helped me was a night light. I couldn't see how well he had his mouth open and it made it hard to judge when to try to put the boob in his mouth.


I think we have thrush I noticed symptoms first in Memphis, He's gassy and his tongue is white. I have some shooting pains and my nipples are red, That just started last night. I did have some nystatin cream and started using that today. He's got a Dr appt tomorrow morning so I'll have to see what the Dr says.

[chely7425]

Our problem with the middle of the night eating is that my boobs get so full that there is nothing for him to latch onto and he is tired and hungry and I am tired so to save everyone's sanity we just use the shield Hopefully we can stop using it soon but for now I am ok with it!

Hope you guys start feeling better soon!!

[Incubator]

I don't know how useful it might be, or if any of you can find one, but our local grocery store, in the baby aisle, where the lansinoh and BF products are, have this little thing that looks like a bulb syringe (? I think that's what it's called, we call it a "snot sucker") but it goes over your nipple "to help draw out flat or inverted nipples to assist latch-on" I've been thinking about getting one. Sometimes I've been using the pump before feeding her because it starts the let down, so I don't drown her, softens the areola and draws the nipple out well for her to get a good latch. Anyway if you can find one, that might help. As would a pump, like I said, but it's a big production when you've got a screaming baby to gather all the parts and start pumping when you could just have this little thing you keep by the bed or drop in the diaper bag... Just a thought..

Ah HA! here it is! Lansinoh Latch Assist

[2swangirls]

We call it a booger sucker. I guess I'd have to call that thing a nipple sucker! I really could of used one of those 2 weeks ago, we may not of needed the shield then. I tried to use the shells to draw out my nipples but it didn't seem to work.

[elleystar]

Wow I wish I'd had that from day 1. I use(d) the shells too and they just sorta work ok. I think I will still try to get my hands on that latch assist...thanks a bunch for the tip!