If having problems latching on breast,are there any pros/cons of 100% using nipple shield, or 100% using pump?

Answer 1

There are some with just pumping because you can loose your supply. Just keep trying and if you need the shield then use it. If you go to babyzone.com they have a breastfeeding board that will give you tons of info I believe several women on there are pumping exclusivly, Also Kellymom.com will help you out as well. GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATS

Answer 2

I have four true stories...

1 - Turned out I had flat nipples... So I used the breast shield for the first 3 and a half weeks and then aggressivly worked on the latch with a lactation consultant at the hospital I gave birth at (covered by insurance). After trying to do a slow wean to my breast I ended up going cold turkey at my sister's advice. Baby breast fead exclusively for 11 months.

2 - Had a good friend who chose to use the nipple shield exclusivley. She learned (too late) the stimulation is not as strong as breast feeding and that the baby was not getting enough milk. She had to go to pumping, breast feeding and formula supplement every 2 hours with a 3 and a half month old. She never got her supply back.

3 - Had another good friend who immediately gave up breast feeding and tried pumping and had stimulation problems as well. She barely lasted a month.

4 - Had another good friend who pumped exclusively for both of her children for 6 months and had breastmilk supply that lasted 9 months in the freezer.

Hopefully one of these scenarios works for you... But whatever you do, you have to be aggressive at it and believe strongly in what you are doing. Honestly, your baby can be trained right now, so do what you can to train him or her. If your breast are raw and sore, then give them time to heal, but persistently try to move to straight breastfeeding.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Ugh, I pumped for about eight months with my daughter who wouldn't latch. It was awful! I hated the pump so much, but it was better than buying formula. The pump is loud, uncomfortable and time consuming, but it does mean that someone else can feed the baby if you wanted to leave his or her side for more than five minutes. I also used a nipple shield, which was great for me for awhile. I was told that the shield was bad because kids grow dependent on it and supposedly your milk supply will decrease without the direct mouth-to-breast contact. I didn't find that to be the case, and was delighted that the shield worked so well. Try them both; each has its cons. I'd prefer the shield to the pump, myself.

Answer 4

From what I stand, there are no real cons to useing a nipple shield all the time, if that's what works for you.

With pumping, it CAN fail to keep your milk supply up as high as it should be, so you may need to supplement with formula.

Pros of both are that your baby is getting breastmilk, and breast is best. However, if neither of these work for you, don't stress! Just switch to formula because as good as breastmilk is, the stress that breastfeeding can sometimes create can be bad for you and the baby. Try, but don't pressure yourself.

Answer 5

i pumped every bottle from the time my son was three months old. if i had it to do again i would have tried a shield. as stated earlier pumps are loud and bulky its hard to carry around to the mall. i fealt weird at the airport "mowing" my boobs. (thats what my little nephew thought i was doing. ) while i was glad that i supplied my son with good nutrition, the constant pumping got frustrating. you spend like an hour a day just trying to sanitize the thing. this time if i have trouble nursing i will definately start with a nipple shield instead of a pump.

Answer 6

More info, please. I had trouble breastfeeding because I didn't realize you really have to jam the baby's mouth on there quickly so they get as much of the aureola in as possible. Good luck!