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Mama5 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06 November 2015 at 8:28pm
Hi Mums,

I'd like some advice from those of you who have used - and meybe even successfully weaned off - nipple shields.

DD, now 8 weeks, has had shields since day one due to tongue-tie and other feeding issues. We've thankfully got rid of the tubes, tape and syringes and she's now feeding pretty much normally except for these wretched shields. She won't latch without one.

I'd dearly love to stop using them. However when I tickle her nose/lip with my nipple she doesn't open her mouth wide, she just parts her lips slightly waiting for me to slide it in. Obviously I can't do that with the nipple so I'm wondering how do I "train" her to root and latch now? Is it too late at 8 weeks?

She doesn't have any other teats in her life, no dummy or bottle.
We've had a handful of successful latches and even a whole feed with the help of a lactation consultant and midwife, but I can't seem to do it on my own.

Thanks for your help! xx
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Mummabear16 View Drop Down
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Joined: 17 January 2013
Location: Wellington
Points: 366 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mummabear16 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 November 2015 at 9:29pm
Hi Mama5 :)
I can absolutely relate to your story. My daughter was born with a tongue and lip tie, and was only able to latch with a nipple shield. She got both of them removed, which was when we tried all sorts of methods to wean her off.
She never was happy with any of them, and was only happy when she was feeding with the shield. Looking back, I could've tried a lot harder to wean her off them! My midwife said that some babies are just happier with the shield, and as long as she's gaining weight and happy, that's the main thing. So I successfully breastfed my daughter until she was just shy of 20 months old, with 100% use of a nipple shield :)
It's a pain in the ass, especially when you're out and about, but it allowed me to breastfeed, so I can't really complain!
So I guess I don't really have any tips of weaning, but I guess I wanted to say that it's 100% possible to have a successful breastfeeding relationship, with a shield :)
Good luck and feel free to message me with any questions
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Mama5 View Drop Down
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Points: 70 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mama5 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 November 2015 at 10:01am
Thanks for your reply mummabear, you're absolutely right you can have a great breastfeeding experience even with the shields. Like you, using the shiels has enabled me to exclusively breastfeed my baby, which was my main
Breastfeeding goal... And she's thriving so I am grateful for that.

Yeah they're just a pain in the ass! :)

Did using shields affect your supply or lead to issues like blocked duct? Did it make feeds take a really long time? .
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Mummabear16 View Drop Down
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Points: 366 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mummabear16 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 November 2015 at 4:38pm
Oh they absolutely are! I was always jealous of my friends who were able to get a boob out, and they're good to go. Always having to carry the shield and case in your bag as well... very annoying! Lol.

No issues with supply whatsoever! I had one or two blocked ducts, but it was after I was engorged for a long period of time, so it could've been because of either reason. It never happened that often anyway. Feeds weren't excessively long or anything, unless she was going through a growth spurt etc
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