Making the decision to breast-feed your baby is not only a personal one, but when it comes to nutrition, it can be the best choice that you make for your baby’s health. For all of the health benefits that go along with breast-feeding, there can be some disadvantages.
One disadvantage can be that the baby cannot latch on to the nipple of the mother’s breast properly. There can be many reasons as to why an infant may have problems latching. This can be a result of the mother’s nipple being inverted, or the baby’s mouth being too small for the size of the mother’s nipple, which may not allow the baby to suction properly. Early latch on problems for a newborn are not unusual, however it can be very stressful on the new mother as well as unhealthy for the baby. Using a nipple shield can help make the feeding process for mommy and baby a little bit easier.
What is a nipple shield?
A nipple shield is a thin piece of silicone, similar in the appearance of a bottle nipple, which is placed onto the breast covering the nipple. The baby then sucks onto the nipple shield instead of directly onto the natural breast. In the case of using the nipple shield for an inverted nipple problem, the baby’s suction causes the inverted nipple to pull up into the shield, allowing the baby to nurse without the trouble of losing the nipple. The nipple shield can also be used when the mother’s nipple is soar due to nursing.
There can be some problems associated with using nipple shields. One example can be the breast not getting the stimulation it would otherwise get by the baby sucking directly onto the mother’s breast. Stimulation of the breast is very important to help produce breast milk. The baby may also get used to latching onto the nipple shield instead of the breast, which could cause problems weaning the baby from the nipple shield. For these reasons, the nipple shield should be used sparingly.
Nipple shields are mainly used by mothers of pre-mature babies under the advice of their physician. The nipple shield does come in various sizes; and it is important to choose the correct size for your baby. Choosing one too large for the baby’s mouth can cause the baby to gag, or not allow the baby to draw up an adequate amount of milk. When using a nipple shield for a pre-mature baby, the baby should be weaned off the nipple shield once the baby reaches its actual birth date or when the baby has the strength to nurse properly on its own. If a nipple shield is being used for latching problems on a full term baby, the shield should only be used until the baby has a good suction going. Once the baby has good suction, the nipple shield should immediately be removed so the baby can begin to suck on the natural nipple of the mother’s breast.
To determine which size shield you should use, you should take the shield (preferably the smallest size first) and place the shield directly onto the breast. If the nipple does not fit into the shield, try the next larger size. Some mother’s nipples are larger than others; however it is important that the shield is the right size for the baby. Using a nipple shield may not help solve your nursing problems, so it is advised that your talk your nurse or physician about other appropriate methods.
