Nipple shields are often introduced by lactation specialists who go in to help a new mom breastfeed and she observes that the nipples are a little bit flat. This makes it very difficult and sometimes impossible for a baby to latch on. Because they're stimulated to latch and suck once the nipple touches the top of their mouth and if there is nothing there to do that then breastfeeding is very difficult. So the nipple shield is put over the real nipple and the baby can suck on that, which draws the real nipple out and the baby is able to nurse well. But at some point the baby has to be weaned off the nipple shield, and it's very frustrating as a mom if that's the only way your baby will eat and you can't find the nipple shield, that would be a disaster. So I hope that the tips and the tricks that I'm going to give you will help. First of all, persistence is going to pay off and be the best thing for you and your baby. During each feeding, feed your baby with the nipple shield, and especially if it's still required to help draw the nipple our, start with the shield. But then pull your baby off and try to re-latch her on with just the real deal. It may take some persistence and it may take some time for her to actually be interested in this but eventually hopefully she will latch on to it and not need the shield anymore. You may also try nursing with the nipple shield and then one to two hours later, if the nipple is still everted enough that she can latch on, do it one to two hours later when she is awake, happy, and more receptive to trying new things. If you try to nurse her without the nipple shield and she's very frustrated and she's starving it probably won't go well. With every single feeding just try it, see how it goes, and hopefully it will help and she'll eventually latch on. Also, lactation specialists are available to help you do just this and so call the hospital that you delivered at and ask to speak to a lactation specialist and they can either make an appointment with you in a clinic or at the hospital just as an out-patient visit. They will watch you nurse your baby and they will be able to make adjustments in person and help you one on one. I hope that this helps and if you have any other questions for me feel free to ask them on our Facebook page and recommend us to your friends and family too.
