Nipple shields

Hey girls I have a quick question I wanted to see if any of you have had any experience with. Please feel free to use as an open forum as well. My baby was born premature and due to the small size of her mouth I was told to use a nipple shield while breast feeding until I hit her orginal due date, then I could stop using the shield. Well ds wants that shield... she wont latch on with out it. I dont know how to get her off of it. Does anyone have any suggestions? I dont want to have to use it forever, and because I am using the shield I was told to pump as well to keep my supply up. Well it seems this is all I do is breast feed then pump, then a half hour later the cylce starts all over again. I stuck it out all this time because I wanted to breast feed and ds being so little I new this would be best for her. However now that she is big enough to stop using the shield I would really like to just nurse with out the it.

[AndiJ78]

My only advice would be to continue to try and nurse without it. Perhaps you could start with it, let her nurse for a while, break her latch and let her try to latch without it? I wish I had more advice, but I don't have any experience with the shields. My experience with them is limited at best as I could never get it to work.

[myazia]

i just recently went through the same thing, my daughter was also premature, and i used the shield as well.  I was told to latch her onto the shield and after so long take it off and try without it, if she has the suck, swallow, breath pattern together.  they also said that i should use it until her due date of april 21, but i stopped about two weeks ago because she no longer needs it so, try to take it off before you are done with the feeding to see if the baby will latch on with out it. best of luck.  

[neparker]

I have no experience at all, but I'm wondering, just from curiosity, how early was she born?  I've had lots of friends babys born premature, but never did they have to use the shield.

[dodgeti]

Even though my dd was full term because of her low birth weight they suggested using a shield and she became very attached.  I also pumped to keep up my supply.  I tried to get her off but it was SUCH a struggle at every feeding I kept putting it off.  IIt wasn't until she stopped gaining sufficient weight that I became serious about getting her off of it when she was 2 mos old.  Working with a lactation consultant really helped me - this was a free service at one of the pediatric clinics in my city (not where my daugther went).  Maybe your hospital can give you a referral.  The La Leche League is also a great resource.  I ended up breastfeeding her for 15 mos.  Pumping while working full-time and breastfeeding while at home.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!    

[tmv]

I haven't used the nipple shield, but the la leche league is very against them because of the nipple confusion that you are describing. The advice that you got about starting out on the shield and then switching sounds very reasonable.  You may want to pump just enough to pull out your nipples in order for the latch on.  Try not to get upset about it, make sure you are comfortable sitting, etc. I firmly believe that babies can sense your feelings and then it is more difficult. Hopefully with a lot of patience, you will be on your way to successful breastfeeding. Best of luck, tmv

[mum2beagain]

I was given this advice when my first son was in the NICU; take some sharp scissors and cut a tiny bit off the end of the nipple sheild, a few days later cut off a little bit more, and so on until eventually you have cut pretty much all of the nipple away and it is your nipple baby  is drawing into the mouth, then do away with the whole thing. Give it a go I hope it works!

[myazia]

not sure if you were asking me but my daughter was born at 34 weeks