Nipple Shields

Nippleshieldscanbehelpfulforavarietyofbreastfeedingissues.Somewomenonlyneedtousethemintheshortterm,andothersfindtheyareapartoftheirentirebreastfeedingjourney.Importantly,theydonotdecreasetransferofmilk,aslongasbaby’sfitandholdisright.

Whatarethey?

Nippleshieldsaremadeofthin,soft,flexiblesiliconeandareshapedlikeawitch'shat.Theyareputoverthenippleandareolawhilebreastfeeding.Theycomeinavarietyofshapesandsizes.Medelawouldbethemostpopularchoice.

Whendoyouusethem?

Nippleshieldsareoftensuggestedforwomenthatarehavingpainwhilebreastfeeding.DrSmithandIwouldarguethatpainduringfeedingisasignofpoorfitandholdandwouldencourageanyoneusingashieldduetopaintocomeandseeusforabreastfeedingconsult.

Otherreasonsinclude:flatorinvertednipples(asitmakesiteasierforthebabytofindthenipple);babyissmallorpremature;introducingthebreasttoabottle-fedbabyandhelpingtohealnippletraumawhilefitandholdisbeingaddressed.

Howdoyouusethem?

Simplyplacethenippleshieldoveryournippleandareolaandholditagainstyourskinwhilebringingbabytoyourbreast.The‘cutout’partofthenippleshieldshouldbeplacedwherethebaby’snosewillrest.(Ifthereare2cutoutparts,likewiththeAventshield,theotheroneisforbaby’schin).IntheGestaltstyleofbreastfeeding,thiswillbeat9o’clockontherightbreastand3o’clockontheleft.Somewomenmayfindtheshieldstaysinplacebetteriftheystretchtheshieldwhileplacingitoverthenipple,orputsomebreastmilkontotheinsideoftheshield,orapplysomelansinohtotheareolasurfaceoftheshield.Thebabymaybemoreinterestedintakingtheshieldiftheirissomemilkontheoutsidethattheycansmell.

Howdoyougettherightsize?

Mostwomenwillfindtheygetbettermilktransferwithalargersizedshield.Medelahas3sizes:small(16mm),medium(20mm)andlarge(24mm).Smallisonlyeverneededforprematurebabies.Yournippleshouldnottouchtheendofthenippleshield(ifitdoes,itistoosmall).Ifyou'renotsure-startwiththelargeoneandseehowyougo.

Howdoyoucleanthem?

Theydonotneedtobesterilised.Rinsingincoldwaterandwashinginwarmsoapywaterandlettingthemair-dryordrywithpapertowelisfine.Theycanthenbestoredintheirplasticcontainer.

Howdoyouweanoffthem?

Choosethefeedsthatareusuallythemostrelaxedtostartexperimentingwithweaning.Oftenthenighttime,andsleepierfeeds,aretheeasiestonestobeginwith.Youmayliketostartbytakingtheshieldoffpartwaythroughafeedasthefirststep.Thentrybringingbabytothebreastatthestartofafeed,withoutashield.Bybringingthebaby’schinagainstyourbreasttissue,thisshouldswitchonbaby’sfeedingreflexesandhelpthemlocatethenipple.Expressingsomemilkbeforethefeedwillhelptoelongateyournippleandstarttheflowofmilksobabydoesn’thavetowaitfortheletdown.Plentyofskin-to-skintimecanalsohelp.Feedingina

Nipple Shields

differentpositionthannormal(suchassidelying)mayalsobehelpful.Ifthefeedisnotgoingwell,gobacktotheshieldandtryanothertime.

Ifyouarehavingtroublewithfeeding,orusingashield,pleasemakeanappointmentwithDrRhiannonSmithormyselfsowecanhelpyouout.

byDrBrionyAndrew