https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:38:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2233201 Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:01:53 +0000 Boopers 2233201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for everyone's advice!! After my post we ended up going cold turkey on the nipple shield. At first nursing was excruciating and I would get anxious to nurse. A month later things are a bit better. He still has a painful, shallow latch, but it isn't excruciating and I don't dread nursing him anymore. I'm hoping as his mouth gets bigger that it gets easier and easier.</p> <p>I took him for a weight check today and he gained 3 pounds in one month and has doubled his birth weight! His pedi was really impressed and pleased with his gain! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2206437 Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:26:13 +0000 snowjewelz 2206437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boopers: She has been fine! No one would've suspected we're shield users! Are you sure you're using the correct size shield? I had a lot of pain using the standard one which was too big, so my LC suggested getting a smaller size and everything has worked out since. I'm wondering if he's not "milking" you correctly b/c the shield size isn't right. Btw I use one b/c I have flat nipples too! </p> <p>Another thing you can try is to pump first so your nipples are drawn out and then have him latch on? I also bought this latch assist thing from Lansinoh; it's basically just a tiny suction device that you can use to pump out your nipples right before you feed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2206267 Fri, 12 Jun 2015 05:26:32 +0000 Boopers 2206267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: thank you for linking to your old post! It was so nice seeing that others were going through the same thing. I'm hopeful that we can have a normal nursing relationship one day!!</p> <p>@youboots: part of the reason I was given the shield is because one of my nipples is flat, which then eventually cracked and bled because he couldn't latch on as well as the other nipple that isn't flat. We are also supplementing about an ounce of BM after each feeding to help bump his weight back up. I'm paranoid that he won't gain enough by our next weight check in a month!</p> <p>@snowjewelz: has your LO's weight gain been slow using the shield? That's what I'm so conflicted about. It helps us nurse but he's been gaining so slowly now, especially compared to how much he was gaining before using the shield full time.</p> <p>@Truth Bombs: we tried one of those when he was a newborn but it didn't feel comfortable and the 24 mm was too large for his mouth so my LC gave us a 20 mm one which didn't have the cut out. That's the one we've been using. When I called my LC she suggested switching back to the 24 mm one if we continue to need the shield. I tried it a few times yesterday but it's so much bigger than what he's used to and he didn't know what to do with it in his mouth. I guess if we keep needing the shield I'll keep offering. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2206264 Fri, 12 Jun 2015 05:19:29 +0000 Boopers 2206264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you everyone for your replies! I've gotten him to latch three consecutive sessions without the shield (yay!), but OMG the pain! It reminded me why I've been using a shield for 5 weeks!!!</p> <p>I can hear him transferring so much more milk without the shield and our sessions are half of what they were with the shield. The problem is he just physically cannot pull the nipple far enough into his mouth so he gets such a shallow latch, which is causing the pain. I'm getting vaspospasms again from the compressions and my nipples hurt for a long time even after we are done. I'm even hearing clicking which is common with a shallow latch, but he never did that before our tongue and lip revision. </p> <p>I was using All Purpose Nipple Ointment once my nipple had already cracked and bled, but I'm starting to use it again now to help prevent as much damage as before.</p> <p>A friend recommended a chiro who I think does cranial sacrum therapy, so I hope hope hope that helps. </p> <p>I keep the shield with me in case the pain is so unbearable, but I'm hoping to not have to use it.</p> <p>I'll keep updating as we (hopefully) make progress in case anyone has similar issues and needs help too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205457 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:08:26 +0000 Truth Bombs 2205457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We couldn't ditch the shield until about 4 months. Have you tried the ones that are only a half circle instead of a full circle. It allows for more direct stimulation when nursing which may help increase your supply.<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Medela-Contact-Nipple-Shield-Medium/dp/B000067PQ0" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Medela-Contact-Nipple-Shield-Medium/dp/B000067PQ0</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205356 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:16:32 +0000 snowjewelz 2205356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My only advice is keep offering! DD is 6 mo and we still use the shield; it wasn't until 5 mo that she will actually eat a whole meal without it, but sometimes we're both lazy and just pop the shield on. I used to switch midway; offer without when she's sleepy (and MOTN), etc... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205059 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:47:50 +0000 youboots 2205059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We shield weaned about that age. Honestly I think part of it was her still getting bigger and stronger, her latch got so much better at 2 mo now at 14 weeks she is even further ahead. My problem was due to flat/inverted nipples- it's it's a little different. I would just try a few times a day- maybe towards the end of a feed when he is fuller?</p> <p>I am down to 2 pumps a day now from about 4 when we still used the shield.</p> <p>I also fed with a bottle in addition to nursing and second guessed how much she was getting. I got a scale down to .1 and weighed both of us then just myself to get her weight daily when I started breastfeeding without the extra bottles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205052 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:45:22 +0000 nana87 2205052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boopers: ugh it was so hard! For awhile I did try to pump after nursing to boost my supply, but lo often fell asleep while nursing so it was hard to transfer her and then it basically meant I spent all of my time either nursing or pumping. I would pump after she went to sleep for her longer night stretch/before I went to sleep, and after motn feeds when she fell asleep more quickly than daytime naps/was easier to transfer. I did that for longer than daytime after-nursing sessions, but still only for a couple motnhs. I also used formula. I could have tried harder to lose the shield sooner, but the LC I saw was a bad fit for me personally (I found her really abrasive and not supportive...) and I didn't want to keep seeing her to work on our latch issues and it was too overwhelming to find a new person. And, I wasn;t sure if the shield was the problem or something else (I had also had mastitis before my supply dropped). Feeding her small amounts of formula or pumped milk after nursing worked fantastically for us.</p> <p>ETA: I found an old thread where I wrote about our shield/pumping/supply issues: <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-not-gaining-enough-weight" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-not-gaining-enough-weight</a> I was so heartbroken then, but I promise everything worked out beautifully! Lo loves nursing still! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205038 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:36:33 +0000 Boopers 2205038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: were you doing any pumping to keep supply up? It's so long and exhausting to nurse, then give him extra breast milk (per my dr recommendation) then pump to keep supply up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205024 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:25:39 +0000 nana87 2205024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This probably isn't what you want to hear, but I couldn't get rid of the shield until my lo was around 5 months and big enough to get a good latch without it. She fussed so much without it, and I didn't want her to associate nursing with frustration so I didn't try hard enough to nurse without it, I just gave in and used it, until one day I forgot it when we were running errands and just went without it and never went back. I do think it affected my supply--I had to supplement starting around 2 months--but lo is 14 months now and we still have a wonderful nursing relationship! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-weaning-off-the-nipple-shield#post-2205012 Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:15:28 +0000 Boopers 2205012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took LO to his 2 month checkup yesterday and he weighs 9 lbs 13 oz. He only gained 19 ounces in a month and dropped down from the 25th percentile in weight to the 10th percentile. </p> <p>From the time he was born to his one month check he was gaining really quickly and averaged 1-2 ounces a day. Since then I've been exclusively using the nipple shield due to nipple pain, a shallow latch, tongue and lip ties which have been revised, and a high palate. I think that the nipple shield has slowed his weight gain. I make sure to finish him on one breast before moving him to the second and he always seems satisfied. </p> <p>I called my IBCLC for tips and she had good advice, but I'm hoping too see what worked well for others. I've tried starting with the shield then taking it off after a few minutes. He doesn't want to open wide enough and becomes inconsolable until I put the shield back on and he relatches without any problem. </p> <p>I'd really like a nursing relationship without the shield! Thanks ladies! </p>