Nipple Shields: What They Are, How and When to Put Them on, How to Remove Them
Introduction
Nipple Shields : If you are pregnant or just starting out with breastfeeding, you have no doubt heard of them.
If you are wondering what nipple shields are for, how to choose them, when to put them on and when to remove them, you are on the right page.
As you can see, this article is preceded by an index, inserted to give you the opportunity, if you wish, to delve into the various declinations of the theme in detail by clicking on the title of the paragraph that interests you.
To discover further scientific information on the world of breastfeeding, I recommend the video course “Al Profumo di Latte” , curated by Doctor Maria Chiara Alvisi, the midwife of the DrSilva team.
If, instead, you are looking for tips to accompany your little one along his wonderful development, you can come and find us on Instagram on the profile @drsilva.com_official .
What are nipple shields for?
Nipple shields are devices that mimic the shape of the mother's nipple.
Nipple shields are used to protect the breast (when the mother has cracked or painful breasts) or to increase the size of the nipple, thus making it easier for the baby to latch on to the breast and suck (in cases where the baby has difficulty latching on to the breast).
Nipple shields can be made of different materials, from silicone to rubber, to best fit the shape of your nipple.
Nipple shields should be applied to the nipple before the baby begins to suck.
Please note that nipple shields should be used, following the advice of your midwife or breastfeeding consultant, to temporarily resolve a breastfeeding problem.
The most common reasons why mothers are forced to use nipple shields are the following:
- Pain on breast attachment and cracks
- The newborn has difficulty latching on to the breast
- Small mouth or mandibular retrognathia in newborns
- Flat or inverted nipples
Generally, once you have resolved the reason why you were forced to use them, it is advisable to remove them .
PS: Nipple shields do not cause colic .
Nipple Shields for Breast Pain and Cracks
In most cases, nipple shields are recommended to the mother when the newborn opens his mouth too little, causing pain when latching on to the breast and cracks.
In this case it is essential to evaluate the newborn's mouth muscles to understand if there are contractures that limit its opening.
Only by resolving the tension in the baby's mouth will the mother be able to latch on the baby without pain, avoid cracks and stop using the nipple shield.
Nipple Shields for Difficulty Latching on to the Breast
When the newborn opens his mouth too little or the mother does not support him properly to guide a deep latch, the baby may have difficulty latching on to the breast and staying there.
In these cases, especially if the newborn is irritable at the breast because he suffers from colic or reflux , the mother uses a nipple shield to help the baby remain attached to the breast.
In these cases, it is necessary to evaluate the position of the breast attachment, the baby's mouth muscles and resolve any gastrointestinal problems.
Nipple shields because the newborn has a small mouth or mandibular micrognathia
Another case in which nipple shields are often recommended is when the child is small and has difficulty opening his mouth.
In these cases the mother is told that the child has a small mouth (suffers from mandibular micrognathia).
In these cases, it is not so much that the child has a small mouth but rather that there are contractures in the mouth that limit its opening.
In some cases, it is seen that, due to mandibular compression during birth or due to an intrauterine malposition, the newborn's mandible is posterior (retrognathia).
In other words, you will see that the upper lip is much more forward than the lower lip because the jaw has been compressed (retrognathia).
In these cases it is essential that the pediatric osteopath massages the mouth muscles and improves the mobility of the jaw.
Only in this way will the baby be able to latch on to the breast correctly without a nipple shield.
Nipple Shields for Flat, Inverted Nipple or Large Breasts
The myth that it is impossible to breastfeed with a flat or inverted nipple is one that needs to be dispelled.
In fact, a flat or inverted nipple is a simple problem that could cause initial difficulties but is easily solved with adequate support focused in particular on the adequacy of the positions of the baby and the breast during latch-on.
In fact, even if the nipple is flat or inverted, it will be the baby himself who, by sucking correctly, extracts the nipple.
Making it easier to latch on using a nipple shield could be a counterproductive choice, because once the baby gets used to it, he will struggle to latch on without it.