# Long term use of nipple shield?



## yasinsmama (Mar 9, 2008)

What is the longest you've used a nipple shield to nurse your LO?
Are there any ill effects to using a nipple shield long term?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Ill effects will be a reliance on it and a possible reduction in supply.

good luck!

-Angela


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## nevaehsmommy (Aug 6, 2007)

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...an-shield.html


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

I do know someone who was using one long term and had no supply issues. The supply issues were with the old fashion ones that were much thicker and didn't have the cut out part for the skin to skin contact. There are breast shells now that help with flat nipples if the shield is being used for flat nipples. I used the shells for the first few days with my ds.

Some people don't mind having to use them long term, it would drive me insane to have to use one long term. But I would if that is the only way I can get the baby to latch. If the reason for using it was pain I would try to get away from it so baby can learn to nurse better so the pain would diminish.


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## Chinese Pistache (May 29, 2006)

One of the LCs I saw said that she has women that have used them exclusively with no supply issues. She mentioned that the older, thicker shields caused a lot more problems.


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## fresh_water (Feb 29, 2008)

I used one exclusively for 3 months with DS and had absolutely no supply issues. I could have breastfed octuplets. Srsly.

He took himself off at just under 3 months (like a week shy) and we only used it another week when he was too tired to properly latch. I threw it away when he was 5 months old.


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## tree-hugger (Jul 18, 2007)

I've used one exclusively for 4 months (and am still using it)and have had absolutely no supply problems.


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## KiwiWonder (Sep 17, 2006)

The LC I saw said that the only thing to be aware of with the nipple shield is that using it doesn't empty all the breast as effectively, so she reccomended breast massage and pumping once a day to make sure there aren't any ducts getting blocked etc.


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## Lorelai's mom (Jul 30, 2007)

I used one with my first child for her entire first year and had no supply issues. My thought about it was that if that was the only way I could get her to nurse, then I was willing to do whatever it took even if it seemed like a pain.

I am having another baby within the next few weeks and hope nursing will go a little smoother this time, but will do what I have to even if it requires carrying nipple shields around with me again.

Good luck!


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## sparklett (Nov 25, 2006)

We did it for eight and a half months before DS decided he didn't need it anymore. They are a HUGE PITA. They always have to be cleaned, they always seem to get lost, and then you panic at the thought of, "What if DC needs to nurse and I can't find a shield??" It also made nursing in public a hassle, since I always had to fumble with the stupid shield. I wouldn't use one unless it is the one and only thing that will save your nursing relationship, and they should only be used under the supervision of a LC.

Oh, and I was very prone to plugged ducts when I was using them.

On the bright side, the shield absolutely saved our nursing realtionship, and we have been nursing for over a year with no sign of DS giving it up. He weaned off the shield on his own, when he was ready.


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## starflower1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Nipple shields saved nursing for me. I had extremely painful, cracked and bleeding nipples that kept getting worse rather than better. Finally at 4 weeks, my daughter was diagnosed with a slight tongue-tie. Her frenulum was clipped, and after that nursing slowly got better. We continued to use the shield for a while especially at night when we were both tired, but I haven't had to use it for about 2 weeks now! My dd is now 3 months. It is very liberating. I had no problems with milk supply or plugged ducts.


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## starflower1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sparklett* 
We. They are a HUGE PITA. They always have to be cleaned, they always seem to get lost, and then you panic at the thought of, "What if DC needs to nurse and I can't find a shield??" It also made nursing in public a hassle, since I always had to fumble with the stupid shield.
.

The shield saved us too! It was as pain, but way less of a pain than pumping and bottle feeding which is what I was doing before I got the shields. Nipple shields often get a bad rap, but they saved me!


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## tree-hugger (Jul 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *starflower1* 
Nipple shields saved nursing for me. I had extremely painful, cracked and bleeding nipples that kept getting worse rather than better. Finally at 4 weeks, my daughter was diagnosed with a slight tongue-tie. Her frenulum was clipped, and after that nursing slowly got better. We continued to use the shield for a while especially at night when we were both tired, but I haven't had to use it for about 2 weeks now! My dd is now 3 months. It is very liberating. I had no problems with milk supply or plugged ducts.

I'm using the nipple shield for the same reason--tongue tie. It wasn't diagnosed until she was 3+ months even though she had been seen by multiple doctors and lactation consultants prior to that. We are eagerly awaiting a visit to ENT to hopefully get her frenulum clipped and put an end to the nipple shields.


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## joannejoanne (Mar 16, 2007)

Nipple Shields saved my nursing relationship with my DS!

My DS had a tongue tie and jaw/suck issues so we pumped and bottle fed him my milk for his first month until we finally got him to latch on a shield.

We used them until he was 5 months old when he spontaneously, on his own, decided to come off them in a matter of days.

I NEVER had any supply problems. In fact, I STILL had such an oversupply and overactive letdown after we came off the shield, I had to nurse in 4 hour blocks and uphill (still do!) to help my DS deal with my milk flow! I also never had any issues with plugged ducts while using them (in fact, I only had plugged duct issues that first month when I was pumping every 2 hours!).

Also, the breastfeeding specialist we saw for my DS's tongue tie AND the occuational therapist/LC we saw for his early sucking issues both said the new nipple shields are fine long term and DO NOT IMPACT SUPPLY. They both had patients who had to use them for their entire nursing relationships (some for 2+ years) and it was fine.

I did think they were a bit of a pain at the time but I was so happy to have them too since without them I am sure I would currently be an exclusively pumping momma (and I HATED pumping).

I bought about 12 of them and kept 3 in my purse, 2 in my diaper bag, and the rest of a container with two sides that I labeled "clean" and "dirty". I would use a "clean" one and then put it on the "dirty" side and when I had used up all the clean ones I would take the whole container to the sink and wash them all up. Made it easier to deal with rather than cleaning one every time I nursed and also it kept them all in one place so they did not get lost.

I got really good at using them too and within a month or so was NIP nipple shields and all.


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