in February 2024 Babies 🇬🇧

Anyone has managed to wean from nipple shields?

My baby girl is about to be 5 months old and she has been using the shields for 4. I started using them only because she didn’t want my nipple and would stop latching so that saved breastfeeding for me. She is growing perfectly well and feeds absolutely fine but it is a big pain to use them. I am used to them now and won’t stop me feeding anywhere but would looooove to stop using them. Anyone that has been in a similar situation and could give me any tips?

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So I had to use a nipple shield from birth because he wouldn't latch and it was the only way that I could breastfeed and I'm so thankful for that but I felt the same way you do and the lactation specialists were like you gotta get him off of it you gotta get him off of it but I couldn't like it was a struggle busssss But things I tried: 1.got him to latch with the sheikd then slowly slipped the shield away to get him to latch 2. Fed him with the shield on one side when I went to switch sides I'd try to him to latch without it first 3. Just offer it to him without the shield and some hand expressed milk on my nipple so he understood that's where milk is coming from He ended up finally taking my nipple around 4 months of age and we have been good ever since but I would just not stress because they can feel that and I think a big thing that helped was his suck got stronger so it was easier for him to latch

Just be mindful that it's probably going to hurt again because your nipple has been protected this whole time and the suck is stronger so make sure they have a good latch so it doesn't hurt even more maybe see if you oh can reach back out to the hospital and see a lactation specialist who can show you tricks

Yeh I think persistence is key, I weaned my girl off them after 4 moststarted by taking them off midway through a feed, and also trying without for feeds where she was calm, relaxed and not tired. Took just over a week to wean her off them completely, but worth it as it cut down feed time loads and her weight is still tracking.

I weaned mine off when she was around 10 weeks old. I tried a few times before that stage but it didn’t click. I did some shaping while latching her on but she took to it randomly one day so we ditched them cold turkey. I think keep trying and once you get a full feed without one you know you can do it! It might happen in stages where you need the shields for part of the feeds, but I think every baby is different and you shouldn’t lose hope that it won’t happen!

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