# weaning baby off nipple shield/long feeds *UPDATE*



## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

I'm new to the bf boards...









I have a baby, my first, who will be 7 weeks in a few days, and am _about_ ready to tackle our bf issues.

*Background:* I had an unplanned c/s, and ds spent 7 days in the NICU due to meconium aspiration. Also, my c/s incision has had a nasty surface infection that only now is starting to look better. I've had to tend to wound care (hot compresses several times a day), plus pump, since the only way I could get ds to nurse was on the nipple shield. He screams bloody murder if I try to get him on my breast - tears, arched back, beet red face. It breaks my heart, and brings back terrible memories of his time in the NICU (same reaction to his heel blood draws, IV changes, feeding tube changes...) He is a cuddle-needy baby, and without my mom spending a lot of time with us, I would NOT have coped. Also, ds appears to have joined the slow food movement







We're talking 2-3 hour sessions when all is said and done - nurses for a half hour + on each side, burping, diaper changing, settling back to sleep...Daytime is another issue - he doesn't settle as well as at night, so I generally have to hand him off to dh or my mom if I hope to get any pumping or wound care in. Not to mention my own care (eating, showers, sleep).

Hope that covers it...

I will be getting back to working with a LC, once I can ditch the wound care off my list of obligations (hopefully this week), but in the meantime, my questions (no, I'm not just here to whine







) are:

Any btdt moms with suggestions for weaning babe off shield?

Any btdt moms whose slow-eating babies eventually spent less time per nursing session?

It's tough - I really hope to get out and about more sometime soon, but right now, I find it so hard to risk going out.

**updated post further down**


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Hugs! Sounds awful. I don't have any experience with the shield but I'm right there with you on the long feeds. My dd ate forever in the beginning. It took a few months but now most of her nursings are about 5 minutes. It gets better- I promise!

congrats to you for hanging in there.

-Angela


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## ldsapmom (Apr 8, 2002)

The fact that he is taking so long to eat makes me think he is not getting very much -- I would just guess here without having more info or seeing him nurse, not a great latch. A good latch is key not only for mom's comfort, but also for baby's ability to effectively get milk from the breast.

About the shields: They can be a huge bother, and they can really undermine a mom's confidence, but as someone who helps breastfeeding mothers, I really don't see older nurslings using nipple shields. What I mean is: Babies usually get to a point developmentally where they will stop using them. You just need to keep trying. And try to nurse him in different places and situations. Watch for his cues, 'cause if he's starving and screaming he will not want to try and latch on without the shield (no time to be trying new things).

Try feeding him when he is sleeping but getting restless without the nipple shiled. You can also try in the bathtub with the lights low. Make sure you have direct skin-to-skin contact every time you nurse.

Is he having enough wet/poopy diapers? At this point his poops might be spacing out, but he should still be having lots of wets daily and poops every few days. Has his weight gain been okay? SOmetimes it is harder to tell weight gain while a baby has an IV, so he may not have had those initial fluctuations while in the NICU.

If you were my friend or daughter, I would have you locate a LLL Leader near you (http://lalecheleague.org/leaderinfo.html) and see if you could get help and information from her. LLL also has online chats (one tonight even) for moms who might not have a local group or maybe can't get out of the house very well (http://lalecheleague.org/chat/chat.html). Everything LLL Leaders do is volunteer, and not only that, they pften work with lactation consultants and IBCLCs in the community so they can steer you in the right direction if your problem is out of their scope.


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## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

Thanks for your responses.

ldsapmom - I became a member of my local LLL towards the end of my pregnancy, and have spoken on the phone once with one of the leaders. I do plan to reconnect with them soon - maybe even this week if I feel things are more mamagable. I've heard about a good LC who does home visits from another member.

He's still pooping every day and wetting diapers at a good rate, and is putting on about an ounce a day, chubbing out nicely. When I pump, I get about 3-4 ounces in a 15-20 minute session. It's better when I've had more sleep/am more relaxed.

oops - gotta run!


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## FancyD (Apr 22, 2005)

I had a similar situation w/ my son, he screamed every time I put him to the breast (also in the NICU). I ended up trying when he was sleepy, especially during the middle of the night. It tooks until he was 7 or 8 weeks old (several weeks of trying) until he took it. Also, I had just given up, didn't care if he took it but tried anyway. Maybe I relaxed about it, so he did too, don't know. Be casual about it, and if he won't take it, use the sheild.


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

My oldest loved to nurse her sessions where about 45 minutes then a hour and 15 minutes later she was ready to nurse again. She didnt sleep well at night and we often didnt go to sleep till between 1-5 Am. I had over supply issues and she of course had problems from that. I am so grateful she was my first so I could devote all my time to her.

All of that to say some babies just love to nurse. 7 weeks IMO the baby is still getting use to nursing IMO its doesnt get easy till about 4-5 months at least it has been that way for my 3.








and just take care of him and yourself


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## sparkprincess (Sep 10, 2004)

Wow! Your post brought back some memories!

DS was not very interested in eating as a nb. He would arch and scream everytime I tried to feed him. He ended up in the special care nursery where they gave him formula and a paci.

As soon as we got him home we got him off the formula by using a nipple shield. It was the only thing that worked. It took 8 weeks of heck to get him to latch right and wean him off of the shield.

Around that time he was diagnosed with reflux. Arching is often a symptom of reflux as well as crying at feeding.

As far as weaning, I would just try different things. Eventually what worked for us, is getting him on and getting enough milk in him so that he wasn't frantic, but wasn't full yet. Then as quickly as I could, I would take off the shield and put him on the breast.

It was weird because just as I was thinking he would never wean off of it, he did! Just like that!

Ds did nurse all the time and he was a fairly slow eater, but not as long as your little one.

I would say to keep a very close eye on the output and make sure the latch is correct, and then just stay the course.

Our LC said that ds was taking too long and she was afraid he wasn't getting enough and that we should substitute with formula, but ds was gaining well and his output was right where it should have been so I kept doing what I was doing. I just couldn't see how giving him a BOTTLE was going to help him get used to the breast. I was afraid it would complicate matters further.

Best of luck to you mama!

PS Ds is now a champion nurser! Almost 10mos old and wants nothing but boobie juice!


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## Hawkeyemama (Feb 8, 2005)

I used a nipple shield briefly when dd was having trouble latching on about a week after birth. She would be hungry, but repeatedly pull off and shake her head back and forth. One little trick that helped me get her to latch on without the shield was to put my pinky in her mouth, curled up to touch her palate in the same place the nipple shield would have touched, and get her sucking strongly on my finger. Once she got a good sucking rhythm going, I'd pull my finger out of her mouth and try latching her on the breast again. I think she just needed to "remember" how to suck correctly before she could latch onto my nipples, and it was easier for her to get the sucking going with something longer and firmer in her mouth.

I'm sure the LLL folks would have good advice.
Best wishes to you and baby!!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

We had to work with the nipple shield too - not fun! I worked with a LC and the main thing she had me do was feed my ds with the shield for a bit, get him off and back on without the shield as quickly as possible. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. If he got upset I put it back on as quick as possible. Also, only bother with this for one or two feedings a day and work up to doing this at more feedings. And, don't bother at night until your dd can nurse during the day without it. I did this and eventually got to doing some complete feedings during the day without it. One day, he just didn't want it! Also, as for duration, for me around 10 weeks my ds greatly reduced how long he nursed each time - so it will happen.

It's tough, but hang in there. It will get better!


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## milk_maker (Jun 24, 2004)

I posted your questions on a militant bf group I belong to. Here's what they said:

My son was born at 35 weeks and spent 8 days in the NICU. We used a nipple shield for 6 weeks after he came home from the hospital, and he didn't become an efficient nurser until 3-months of age or so. So, although I didn't have the c-section complication, I've definitely been where you are now w/ the nursing.

My advice is really just to stick it out and not stress about either your need to use a nipple shield or his need for longer nursing sessions. It will hammer itself out in time. Invest in a couple of nipple shields and just keep doing what you are doing. He'll eventually be able to cope with the change of nursing directly from the breast. At the advice of my LC, I switched to using a larger nipple shield and then just started trying to get him directly on Babies have so many learning curves at this stage of their lives -- it's OK to let him take the lead and not push him into something else new at this stage.

used a nipple shield with my first, because we had latching problems from inverted nipples. What I did to get him off of it was to start sessions with it, and then de-latch, drop the shield, and quickly latch him back on again before he had time to get upset. A towel is useful for the drop-the-shield part, because literally just dropping it is best -- if you take the time to put it down carefully, he may be upset before you can get him re-latched, but just dropping it does tend to scatter milk a bit. It only took me a couple of days of this before I was able to latch him on directly -- initially I would hand express a few drops and smear it on the nipple so he'd taste milk immediately and that helped with his willingness to open up and latch on properly, but I only had to do that for an additional couple of days also, and then he was latching on straight on the breast from then on.

I definitely would advise you to keep up the pumping after nursing sessions until you do manage to wean from the shield. A shield really cuts down on the amount of stimulation your nipples get, and that can cause supply problems --
I ended up weaning off the shield on kind of an emergency basis, because I just about had a supply collapse.

a good resource for weaning from a nipple shield:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...d.html#weaning

HTH


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## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

wow - thanks for the outpouring of responses and support! Thanks, Monica, for doing extra research!









We've tried the slip away method...I am probably too slow at it - I'll try the drop method. We've tried a syringe and pinkie method, too - although not in a long time - he is much older already - I should perhaps try again.

Today he had a few strong sucks at the breast with the slip away method...I didn't force it when his protest turned more serious...calmed him down, then got him back on his good ol' friend the shield...

well, I'd better go pump, before it's already time for his next feed!


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## Hawkeyemama (Feb 8, 2005)

Keep us informed









off topic-I just looked at your photos, and your son is a sweetie! I was wondering what you put in his herbal bath? He looks SOOO peaceful!


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## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

Thanks, Hawkeyemama. The herbal bath was what my mw had given me to use right after the birth, but I ended up using it the day after we returned home from the NICU. It's from here: http://www.yemaya.ca/natal.htm


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## Hawkeyemama (Feb 8, 2005)

ooh, it looks like a nice herbal mixture- thanks for the link!


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## momofelise (Apr 13, 2005)

I also had a lot of breastfeeding problems (mine due to pain from a nipple that wouldn't heal properly and thrush). I had to use a nipple shield for a few weeks. You might want to try putting your baby on with the nipple shield, and then after a few minutes take it off (your baby should be relaxed, but hungry enough to still take the breast). Good luck!


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## Mizelenius (Mar 22, 2003)

I don't have experience with the nipple shields, but DD 1 (and now 2, it seems) was a constant nurser, too . . .she never fit the textbook description of every 2 hours . . .she just wanted to nurse ALL THE TIME. I'd like to say this changed as she got older, but this continued even when she was a toddler. I weaned her because it was really affecting TTC. Now that DD2 is here, she says she's a baby and when I ask her what the best thing about being a baby is, she says "leche de mami" (mommy's milk). :LOL


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## plantmommy (Jun 7, 2004)

Arching and pulling at the breast are also signs of nipple confusion... long nursing sessions could be due to the shield keeping baby from effectively milking the breast.

Some moms have had success by cutting off a tiny bit of the tip of the shield, a bit more each day, until there was little left of it.


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## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

Hi everybody! Thought I'd update...

Ds is now three months old, and I am happy to report that he is nursing about 90% of the time on the breast exclusively!









I kept trying, when he was relaxed and partway into a feed, by sneaking away the shield. Sometimes it worked, often it didn't. Some days I didn't have the energy to even try once.

Then at one point, about 2-3 weeks ago, he seemed to be going through what I thought was a transitional stage, where he would have trouble _at the beginning of a feed_, getting things going, getting a good latch. I would have to _start_ the feed directly on the breast, but then about 5-10 minutes in, he would get ornery, as if he realized he wasn't on the shield. Nighttime feeds in bed were so peaceful, so I didn't feel like trying anything different - ie, he continued to nurse only on the shield.

About a week ago, I started trying him on the breast for nighttime feeds. Sometimes he would protest, at which point I gave him back his shield.

At this point, he mostly nurses without the shield, both day and night. In fact, for the last few nights, night feeds were shield-free! During the day, he sometimes expresses difficulty on the breast by crying and popping off, and when I don't think it's due to tiredness or burps, I give him the shield, and he nurses peacefully.

To think that I now settle in for a feed, often without even making sure I have the shield at hand!! Far from the teary (me), red-faced, screaming (him) days of not that long ago!

Also (and this worried me at first, but he remained a prodigious pooper and peer :LOL ) he's become a snacker for many of his feeds! His half-hour to forty-five minute sessions per breast have been reduced to sometimes 10 minutes!







I now am less stressed about getting out with him, for fear of being stuck somewhere for a 3-hour feed!

Anyway, thanks so much for all your ideas and support!!


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## Hawkeyemama (Feb 8, 2005)

Yay! You sound so upbeat and happy. Wonderful to hear your update!


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## KateSt. (Nov 25, 2003)

Yay, Heava and Marcus!!!!!!














Your wonderful perserverance has definitely paid off....


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## heveasoul (Sep 27, 2003)

Thanks, mamas!


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## bleurae (Feb 25, 2005)

Hi, I am so happy things are better. I wanted to mention my experiences for anyone alse viewing this thread. I had an unplanned c/s after 4 days of labor (3 at home, planned a homebirth) and absolutely NO dialation. My son got nipple confusion due to allowing him to suckle my finger often the first few days. My nipples were not very pronounced back then (boy how that changes). I used a nipple shield for 3.5 months exclusively, along with pumping enough to syringe it and squirt it in the shield at every begining of a feed because he HATED waiting and sucking to get the milk down and would scream off if he didn't get milk immediately. Impatient lil guy. At about 3.5 months he suddenly wanted no shield and weaned naturally all on his own. He also had 2-5 hour feedings numerous times a day where he was actively drinking and swallowing the entire time. I read many many books during the first 6 months during those looooong feedings. Looking back as a no-longer-brand-new mother I would probably had aneasier time if I had not been so worried (read, terrified) he would not eat if I did not meet those needs and been a lil more stubborn working on weaning off the shield earlier, not squirting in the primer milk etc. But, I really didn't mind doing those things and he is still a GREAT bf'er eating still 6-8 times a day at 2.5 yrs old.

Bleu


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