# flat nipples! Baby won't latch!



## JessJoy (May 5, 2005)

How long will I not be able to leave my house because I am ether pumping, feeding or training my daughter with a nipple shield? I am about to lose my mind!! She's 3 weeks and can't seem to latch to my small flat nipples. I am very large breasted as well.

Advice? Hope from others who've been there?

Jess


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## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. The new-baby period is enough of an adjustment without breastfeeding problems as well. I am sorry that I don't have any experience to offer in this, but I know someone will. Bumping this up to the top for you.


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## loon13 (Dec 2, 2002)

Jess, I'm sorry you're having so much trouble.









How old is your babe? Hang in there just a bit!

I had flat nipples too. The LC noticed it right away after dd was born. DD didn't nurse much while I was in the hospital (2 1/2 days), she slept a lot. So about twice a day, the nurse would come in with a hospital grade breastpump and put me on for 20 minutes to pull out the nipple.

She also gave me a syringe type mini-pump. It covered only the nipple. She said before I latched dd on to pump with this a few times and it would pull the nipple out.

After dd and I got a good breastfeeding thing going (and it took about 3 weeks because I was too stubborn to get help for the latch problem, thinking I could figure it out







), my nipples were fine because she did the rest of the work.

Actually, I don't think my nipples will ever be flat again.


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## soulsistah (Apr 21, 2005)

Jess from one big bosomed momma to another...try:

*Pumping or Gently Pulling, Rubbing up your nipples
*Get DH to roll his tounge & suck on the nipple at the same time (Possibly TMI but it worked!)
*BF side lying or football hold, with the football hold you can control babies head and mouth placement
*Stimulate the babies mouth, wait for a big "O" and then (In the football hold) QUICKLY place the mouth over the nipple
*Ice...never tried but almost did
*Stand in front of the freezer topless...also never tried
*Call your LLL, they are up for all of this and will help you and the baby to relax

You can do it momma!


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## bleurae (Feb 25, 2005)

I used the nipple shield for 3.5 months every time I nursed my son. I also have large breasts with flat nipples. I was able to wean him to nipple at 3.5 months and he is still nursing like a champ today at almost 3. I also no longer have flat nipples as nursing will eventually change that. Keep with it mama, it will get easier and better and be so amazing to share it through the months and years. It has been worth every early struggle and then some


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## katerkat (Aug 13, 2005)

I don't have large breasts, but I did have an inverted nipple and couldn't get my darling to latch. He breastfed fine until the milk came in and made me so hard that he couldn't get a grip! Pumping a bit right before he ate helped pull out the nipple and reduce the engorgement so he could get a grip. We ended up on a nipple shield for about 2 months which helped pull out the nipple and forced him to eat right. (He also was trying to nurse from the tip, not the whole nipple. And he would suck his lower lip in. He was just a troublesome little nurser!)

When we weren't using the shield, we used the football hold - it seemed to work better. With the shield, we use the cradle with pillows and Boppy propping him up so he was really close. (But he also has a neck problem so he needed to be flatter.)

With the shield, I always tucked a burp rag underneath because so much leaked out of it. For us, the shield was easier than the pump. (He didn't like waiting for me to grab the shield when he was hungry, much less pump!) It was a pretty bad two months as we got adjusted and he learned how to eat correctly, then we were able to wean off the shield in a week. (It was great to go from 1 hour nursing sessions to 30 minutes because the milk was dripping out!) We're nursing strong still at 6 months.


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## JessJoy (May 5, 2005)

Thanks everyone for the advice and anecdontes. Today little Kay finally latched on to te nipple shield and will even nurse on it in ANY position! My milk supply went down, so I'm pumping more. Nipples are a little sore, too. However, I am happy! It is a little scary to think that I may be using this shield for anothe month! Well, whatever, it takes, I guess!

Jess


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## loon13 (Dec 2, 2002)

Yay for latching!!!




























: Glad to hear it Jess!


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## 2crazykids (Jun 19, 2005)

I had this same exact situation with my first...however, he never did learn to latch. I ended up getting mastitis then an abcess which required surgery and hospitalization when my ds was only 3 weeks...









Now, with my second, I got well prepared in advance and wore those breast shields by medela called bobbits, I think. I wore them as much as I could and it pulled my nips out just in time for baby to arrive. So, I didn't need nipple sheilds with my dd.







Yay!!!!

It sounds like your supply is waning a bit...try some mother's milk tea(lots of it) and some fenugreek. I loved a supplement by vitanica called lactation blend, I thought it worked better than anything else.

My only advice from my own experience is to keep everything(including those shields, breast pump things) SUPER, SUPER, CLEAN!!!!!! So important!! that's where I got my infection....


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## bleurae (Feb 25, 2005)

Congrats Jess. When I look back I cannot even remember the feeling of using the shield now, even though I did for 3.5 months, it will fly by and will be a distant interesting memory before you know it and then a few years from now you will be here giving some other new mom the support and info yourself.
Take care


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