[FondestBianca]

Ds is about 4.5 months now and we're STILL using a nipple shield every single time. Ds is EBF and has never had a bottle BUT the shield has caused a great deal of nipple confusion. Don't get me wrong, the thing works wonders, helped ds get past my less than huge nipples, allowed me to get through the sore nipple phase free of bleeding and chapped skin, and made latching a breeze.

Ds is now in the notorious distracted nursing phase and constantly popping on and off to turn his head and look around. Every time he does this the shield moves or falls off completely and I have to readjust while he's trying to smash his face against me searching for it with his mouth. I'm not qeen on NIP due to extreme discomfort with exposing any part of my breasts and fiddling with a stupid shield makes things soooo much more difficult in that scenerio. Ds can search out and find where to latch on his own so I'd like to just be able to pull my shirt up and go but, that is soooo not happening with that darn shield.

I tried to give it up back in the first month and he seemed capable of doing that but, the pain of being a new nurser and the frustration of latching had me going back to the shield. Now he's hooked, he WILL NOT go without. If he finds that I don't have it on he shakes his head for a moment searching for it then screams bloody murder, jerks his head away, and claws at me when he doesn't find it. Doesn't matter if he's semi full, hungry, sleepy, awake, happy, upset.... once he realizes it isn't there and I'm not holding it in hand ready to put it there he FREAKS OUT. I've tried taking it off in the middle of feedings, at the end, after he's full, when he's tired, when he's just comfort nursing, and pretty much any scenerio I can come up with and none of it makes any difference to him. I've tried getting through the screaming phase, comforting him, etc but, he WILL NOT tolerate it. I've tried doing it at just the beginning of nursing sessions then putting in back on once he gets mad (which is almost instantly) but, it hasn't made a difference. Furthermore, I've done the little pumps on myself just prior to feedings (but I really don't need them so they didn't make much difference), I've tried different techniques such as the "pinch" to get my anatomy to closer resemble the shield but, that was a no-go with ds also.

I hate carrying this stupid little tupperware jar with shield inside, everywhere I go. I'm tired of it falling off everytime ds unlatches, I'm tired of him pulling it off while he's eating because his fingers find it fun to play with. I've tried finding one that is smaller or more flexible to sort of wean him down before I go totally without but, no such thing seems to exist. How on earth do I get rid of it!?!?!?!

 

[JamieCatheryn]

You're trying all the right things, it may just take a lot more tries until he'll give it up. I can sympathize, we went through the same thing for several weeks at first. It's so irritating to deal with the shield, to bring it, find it, keep putting it back on, clean it off, ugh. But at least it's making breastfeeding work. I remember the first time after all that I managed to get DS to latch and stay nursing for a whole feeding without it, it wasn't switching in the middle of a feeding it was from the start, and I'd formed up the nipple as best I could and stuck the breast in his mouth. After that most tries during the day we were able to nurse shield free, then a week later at night too. Maybe offering only without the shield several times in a row will do it, do you think it's more a matter of preference at this point rather that his ability to nurse without it?

 

[HikeMama]

First let me say I thought I was the only one carrying a little tupperware container with a nipple shield in it in my purse.

My daughter was younger than your child when we were able to ditch the shield but I think necessity is the best tool. Just go to another room in your house without it and try to nurse, and make sure your nipple is erect and has leaked some milk. I would just try to be gentle and encouraging. But if it doesn't work after several minutes, I'd go back to the shield- that baby needs to eat and is probably too frustrated to keep trying at that point.

Oh- and I pumped occasionally which I found really helped my nipples to "grow".

 

[FondestBianca]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn You're trying all the right things, it may just take a lot more tries until he'll give it up. I can sympathize, we went through the same thing for several weeks at first. It's so irritating to deal with the shield, to bring it, find it, keep putting it back on, clean it off, ugh. But at least it's making breastfeeding work. I remember the first time after all that I managed to get DS to latch and stay nursing for a whole feeding without it, it wasn't switching in the middle of a feeding it was from the start, and I'd formed up the nipple as best I could and stuck the breast in his mouth. After that most tries during the day we were able to nurse shield free, then a week later at night too. Maybe offering only without the shield several times in a row will do it, do you think it's more a matter of preference at this point rather that his ability to nurse without it?

I think it's preference for him at this point. I think he's just used to the way it feels and attached to that feeling. I wish the shields were more realistic so we wouldnt have such a hard time segwaying back. I wish I had pushed harder back when he would go without every now and then in his first month. Now, he doesn't even like when the bare skin of my breast touches his mouth. Causes him instant frustration. So I know it has nothing to do with the possible difficulty going without COULD cause for him because he won't even let bare nipple touch him!

thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope and reminding me to appreciate that aside from this issue breast feeding is going rather well!

 

[FondestBianca]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieHornych First let me say I thought I was the only one carrying a little tupperware container with a nipple shield in it in my purse. My daughter was younger than your child when we were able to ditch the shield but I think necessity is the best tool. Just go to another room in your house without it and try to nurse, and make sure your nipple is erect and has leaked some milk. I would just try to be gentle and encouraging. But if it doesn't work after several minutes, I'd go back to the shield- that baby needs to eat and is probably too frustrated to keep trying at that point. Oh- and I pumped occasionally which I found really helped my nipples to "grow".

and here I thought no one else had tupperware stashed on hand at all times.

I will try to put the shields physically in another room away from ds and I while we're nursing. Maybe that will encourage a few more sweconds of effort toward going without before I feel like physically getting up to go get it.

I actually just started pumping after ds's first morning feedings (because it's the only time I have left over milk) so maybe that will help a bit like you suggested.

thank you for the ideas and relating to my shield annoyance.

 

[Maine Mama Doula]

I used a nipple shield with DD1 for a long time. When I finally threw in the towel, I did it in one long frustrating day. I cried a lot and DD1 did get frustrated, but ultimately she latched and we never looked back.

I suggest a day at home. Shower and go back to bed together. Spend the day cuddling and getting to know each other again. Not saying that there won't be frustration - but if it doesn't work then just think, "Oh well, there's always tomorrow and I just got to spend a quality day with my LO."