Nipple Shields: friend or foe?

Nipple shields can be a genuinely helpful tool to enable your baby to latch well, but they should be viewed as a short term solution, and you should know the reason you and your baby need them so you can work towards feeding without them in the long term.

What is a nipple shield?

A nipple shield is a thin silicone cover placed over the nipple during feeding. They're commonly used when:

• Your baby is struggling to latch
• Your nipples are tender
• Your baby is premature or tires easily
• Your baby cannot create a good vacuum to achieve milk transfer
• There are anatomical challenges, for you or your baby, such as flat nipples, a receding jaw, or a high palate

In the right circumstances, a shield can make feeding more comfortable and allow breastfeeding to continue when it might otherwise stop altogether. That's a real and valuable outcome.

They're not a "set and forget" solution

A nipple shield should be a short term solution, and an IBCLC should be investigating why your baby is struggling to latch in the first place, rather than the shield becoming the permanent tool you and your baby need to breastfeed. There are many ways to help your baby transition off a shield once the underlying issue is understood.

Important to monitor….

Fit and size. A poorly fitted shield can affect how much milk your baby actually transfers. Shields come in different sizes and should be measured based on your baby's gestation and size, not your nipple size. Using a small shield with a big, healthy, term baby can cause clamping and a shallow latch, the opposite of what you're trying to achieve.

Your milk supply. If your baby has a weak latch and the shield is helping them sustain a vacuum, they may still not be very active at the breast underneath it. Expressing is often recommended alongside shield use, and this should be guided by an IBCLC.

Weight gain and feeding efficiency. It's important to actually know whether your baby is feeding well with the shield in place and removing milk effectively, not just assume it because the feed looks calmer.

The transition plan. Your IBCLC can support you through that transition rather than leaving you to figure out the timing alone.

Some babies use shields short-term and transition off easily. Others need them a bit longer. The key isn't how long you use one, it's making sure the shield is helping rather than quietly masking a problem that's still there.

If you're using a shield and feeling unsure, see an IBCLC for guidance

A shield without a plan behind it can become its own source of stress, wondering if it's actually working, if your baby's getting enough, or if you'll ever transition off it. Inside the Best Start Breastfeeding Membership, you'll learn how to recognise a good latch and effective transfer, understand what's actually happening at the breast even with a shield in place, and get guidance on building a plan to wean off one when it's the right time for you and your baby. You'll also have weekly group calls to bring this exact situation to, and a community of mums who've navigated shield use and come out the other side of it.

You get 12 months of access for one payment of $299, or $70/month if you'd rather spread it out.

Join the Best Start Breastfeeding Membership

If you're using a shield and feeling unsure, please reach out. We'll help you find out what's actually going on and build a plan from there.

Eve Coote Best Start Lactation — "Evidence-based breastfeeding support for you and your baby."