UPDATE: Nipple shield ??'s

I am trying to wean dd off the nipple shield (ds did it easy) and she won't have any of it- I mean she gets histerical when I offer her the naked breast. I know all the "normal" tricks for weaning off it, so.......

1. They say not to trim it (slowly exposing more nipple) and I wonder why and if anyone has actually done this?

2. Has anyone tried just giving them the naked breast until they take it? Meaning she may not eat for a feeding but will "give in" at some point??? (I know I sound like a horrible mother, but I really do love her!!)


UPDATE:Tonight is hopefully the beginning to the end the shield!!! She has nursed twice w/o it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooooo happy!!!! Lately (for about a week) she has been pulling it off and playing with my nipple, but still refusing to nurse w/o the shield, but I thought we may be close and we were!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
Kristi
Molly and Zach 4 1/2 months (now 6 months and hopefully shield free)

 

I am trying to wean dd off the nipple shield (ds did it easy) and she won't have any of it- I mean she gets histerical when I offer her the naked breast. I know all the "normal" tricks for weaning off it, so.......

1. They say not to trim it (slowly exposing more nipple) and I wonder why and if anyone has actually done this?

2. Has anyone tried just giving them the naked breast until they take it? Meaning she may not eat for a feeding but will "give in" at some point??? (I know I sound like a horrible mother, but I really do love her!!)


UPDATE:Tonight is hopefully the beginning to the end the shield!!! She has nursed twice w/o it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooooo happy!!!! Lately (for about a week) she has been pulling it off and playing with my nipple, but still refusing to nurse w/o the shield, but I thought we may be close and we were!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks,
Kristi
Molly and Zach 4 1/2 months (now 6 months and hopefully shield free)

 

My DDs didnt like the nipple shields so I dont have any experience with them to share. But I thought that maybe you could give her just your breast when she isnt hungry so that she isnt wanting to nurse and so anxiuos about eating. Its hard to get a hungry baby to do anything but eat when they are wanting to eat, Try offering it between times that you normaly breastfeed, while she is calm. You can also try doing it when she 1/2 asleep, express BM directly from your breast so she gets a taste of your milk and since she is falling asleep she may just be to tired to fight you. It wont probably be something that she does right away but if you go about it perhaps this way maybe she will start to give in. You so dont sound like a horrible mother in any way. I can imagine its inconvient and bothersome to have to use a nipple shield. You just want this to be a good experience for the both of you.

 

Kristi,
I have had nipple shield issues for a while now too. The only way I could get my twins to nurse without was to consistently offer the breast. Sometimes I would nurse with the shield and half way through offer the breast. I could never "force" either one to take it. I didn't want to create any 'breast fears'. Finally after offering it to them consistently, they both eventually began to take to the breast. AS a side note, I started pumping more at this point and feeding into bottles for various reasons. They weren't on the breast as much as normal and suddenly they started to refuse the breast, so I had to resort to the shields from time to time to get them to latch. So my advice is really try to steer clear of too many bottles until you have the latch down perfectly without the shields.

Melissa
P.S. I live in Fort Collins for 6 years and hope to return there soon! Hope you are surviving the snow.

 

Thought I would celebrate!!!!!

UPDATE:Tonight is hopefully the beginning to the end the shield!!! She has nursed twice w/o it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooooo happy!!!! Lately (for about a week) she has been pulling it off and playing with my nipple, but still refusing to nurse w/o the shield, but I thought we may be close and we were!!!!!!!!!!!!


Kristi
Molly and Zach 6 months

 

WooHoo!!! There will probably be good & some bad days, but WTG for not needing them so much anymore!

 

She nursed w/o it all day yesterday, last night and today so far!!!!!

Kristi