While breastfeeding your newborn baby is one of the most natural and tender gestures that exist, in some cases it can be difficult to achieve. Fortunately, there are currently accessories that make it possible to overcome the difficulties encountered and thus prevent young mothers from giving up. Breast shields are one of these breastfeeding aid accessories.

Behind this name with its bucolic sound hides a discreet but effective ally that nursing mothers particularly appreciate. Nipple shields are presented as a kind of tip that precisely fits the shape and size of the nipple. They are also rightly called “breast tips”.

Composition

The breast shields are made of silicone or soft rubber. They are transparent, which makes them almost invisible, or in any case very discreet. They are most often round in shape, but some have a cutout to allow contact of the baby’s chin with the breast.

There is a wide variety of breast shield sizes available that are suitable for all nipple diameters.

Breastfeeding is a perfectly natural gesture, but it can sometimes prove to be a painful experience or impossible to carry out without assistance.

Among the situations that may require the use of a breast shield, two are very common.

Nipple injuries

Breastfeeding can sometimes cause lesions or cracks in the nipple, making the experience painful. The use of a nipple can help to pass this delicate period while waiting for healing. The nipple then acts as a screen against pain, like a bandage.

However, the use of a breast shield should be occasional and temporary. It is indeed necessary to understand the origin of the lesions. Usually, they appear due to improper placement in the baby, which causes irritation and then injury.

Non-conforming nipples

Flat or invaginated nipples are not ideal allies for successful breastfeeding. The use of the nipple can help to compensate for this problem. However, this solution should not be overused and the baby should not be allowed to get used to it too much. Returning to breastfeeding could prove to be difficult for him, and could even lead him, in some cases, to refuse the breast.

Except in the case of premature babies or for those whose breastfeeding has been interrupted, the nipple should therefore not be used in the first days, and never in first intention. Infants must be given every opportunity to acquire their own sucking technique. If this is slow in coming, the use of a breast pump may offer a good alternative. In this case, the milk will be given by finger, spoon, syringe, dropper, but as far as possible not from the bottle to prevent the baby from getting used to this sucking technique and preferring it to the breast. .

Benefits of the breast shield

The nipple shield is therefore a good solution if it is used temporarily and temporarily. Its great advantage is that it will give young mothers and their newborn babies time to “perfect” their breastfeeding method so that the experience is warm and peaceful. The nipple helps the mother not to give up.

Improper use of the nipple can make it a worse remedy than the ailment it is supposed to cure. Certain precautions must be strictly followed.

Choose the right size

It is strongly recommended to seek advice from a midwife, nurse or lactation consultant to choose the appropriate nipple: the nipple must be able to move freely in the duct, without friction, and contact with the areola must be airtight. Sucking must induce a gentle and rhythmic movement, and allow the release of milk without constraint.

• A nipple that is too small tends to pinch the nipple and may compress the milk ducts, preventing the breast from emptying completely. Ultimately, this can inhibit the normal flow of milk reflex;
• If the nipple is too large, part of the nipple may be sucked into the duct, which can cause friction, irritation, and ultimately injury. An infection can then occur and develop into mastitis.

Position it well

In order for the nipple to be in airtight contact with the nipple, it is advisable to turn it halfway and place it directly in contact with the end of the nipple. Then, all you have to do is unroll the rest on the areola.

If the adhesion is bad, it suffices to slightly wet the nipple in lukewarm water before placing it.

Maintain it well

After each feeding, care should be taken to wash the nipple carefully with soap and lukewarm water, rinse it and air dry it. It should then be stored in a clean, dry place until the next feeding.

The withdrawal

Weaning should not be experienced as a traumatic moment for the baby as well as for the mother. You can do this in different ways:

• Remove the nipple as soon as the baby has started to breastfeed and the milk has started to flow, and put it back to the breast immediately;
• Restore skin-to-skin contact between mother and infant by placing it against the breast as soon as it wakes up, without waiting for it to cry out.

You have to be prepared for the idea that the withdrawal period may last a few days. The main thing is to be patient and stay calm. Some babies need more time than others to adjust to the changes.

Each woman is distinguished by nipples of different shape, size and umbilication. The diameter of the duct of the breast shields should be slightly larger than the diameter of their nipple. There are breast shields with duct diameters varying from 21 to 36 millimeters. To know which nipple to choose, add 2 millimeters to the measured diameter of the nipple at rest.

The different models

• Full breast shields are the basic circular models;
• Contact breast shields have a cutout on their lower part to promote contact of the baby’s chin with the mother’s skin.

Nipples and breast pumps

We also speak of breast shields in the case of breast pumps, by applying the same selection criteria.