Nipple Monologues: Part 5: Beware of Nipple Add-Ons
Human breasts and nipples come in different shapes and sizes. The function of the mammary glands remains a constant, but their form has great variability. It is a modern paradox that the visuals often stop breastfeeding success in its tracks.
Never before in human history has there been such a lack of faith in the packaging and delivery system of direct breastfeeding.
Nipple Shields are fake silicone nipples which a mother can use over her own nipple. These nipple “condoms” are intended to protect the mother’s nipples. In some instances, they are used if the nipples are less prominent or inverted to get the baby onto the breasts.
The problem with shields is that they are huge and get dirty; they can complicate the latch issues by not helping the baby to learn to latch directly onto its mother’s breast. They have been associated with low milk supply. The baby using the shield with a shallow latch gets a diminished amount out of the breasts and over time this has a negative impact not only on intake, but on overall milk production. In addition, this poor latch can cause bruising beneath the areola and increased intake of air by the baby.
Gadgets such as tube feeding systems (SNS) have gone in and out of fashion over the past 20 years. They can interfere with getting a proper latch. When the system is used at the breast, babies can learn to by-pass a deep latch, opting instead to sip while hanging out on the tubes and their mother’s nipples.
A mother can experience a sense of redundancy, guilt, overwhelm and increasing nipple soreness when using the SNS. She is breastfeeding and pumping, often supplementing with formula; her focus is on ensuring intake of measurable volumes rather than perfecting her latch.
There are instances where the use of both Nipple Shields or the SNS may be appropriate. However, these tools were never meant to be the first line of defense. They were intended to be a bridge to success while the fundamentals of latch and Conscious Breastfeeding connections are optimized.
Beware of these nipple add-ons. They will have an impact on the quality and duration of your breastfeeding experience.
3 comments
Nipple shields are NOT for protecting a nipple. They are for women with inverted or flat nipples- it is a breastfeeding air. Without a nipple shield I would have have been able to breastfeed my daughter at all. A nipple shield saved her from a life of formula. Yes, without proper supervision by an LC they can be a problem but the new nipple shields don’t impact milk supply as much as they used to. They have a place in helping women BF their babies if they otherwise couldn’t.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Máire Clements, Máire Clements. Máire Clements said: @JeanetteCates (#11) Nipple Monologues: Part 5: Beware of Nipple Add-Ons http://budurl.com/cbc30day11 #blog30 [...]
Thanks for your comment. I am happy that you were able to successfully breastfeed your daughter. You are absolutely right that nipple shields are not for protecting nipples. I was reporting on trends of use that I have seen in order to spark a conversation. Moms are being told to use them, even by LC’s, although they could actually could have gotten their babies on their breasts. The problem was that the assessment stopped at the visuals. Nipples that are less prominent or inverted can pose latch challenges; using nipple shields should be a breastfeeding aid of last resort. Any gadget, including a nipple shield, should be used judiciously to advance the skill of breastfeeding. Ultimately, a positive breastfeeding relationship should always be the goal.
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