When to use a nipple shield

I used nipple shields for about a week after coming home from the hospital with grazed, cracked and bleeding "blender nipples". Like you I had a baby with a perfect latch, but I think the damage from the first few days in hospital coupled with a staph infection (no doubt from the hospital as well) meant I didn't have my first pain-free feed for nearly 7 weeks after her birth.

The shields got me through the week where I was ready to give up after every feed (and crying through most of them). I probably should have kept using them for another week but they were a PITA to use and sterilise especially in the middle of the night. Anyway, its worth a go if it means you'll be able to keep bf.

I've heard mixed reviews on different brands, I used medela ones and they were pretty good.

Another thing to try if you're confident which helped me a little is alternating feeding position so the nipple isn't experiencing pressure at the same angle every feed. I alternated between cradle and football hold.

I can't advise on nipple shields, but your nipple shouldn't be a different shape after a feed, so I think perhaps the latch isn't quite right.

I found that when I had a really sore bleeding nipple it healed really quickly after I gave it a quick wash in saline then used a lot of lansinoh.

karen also when my nipples were sore i would rub a few drops of breastmilk on and let air dry then apply the lanolin stuff, and i second that varying the position helps too, i feed lying down in bed for the first few feeds then cradle hold the rest of the day, just gives that side of the nipple a rest.    And if your using breastpads use cloth ones or ones that dont have plastic backing, mine were so sore untill i switched pads to non plastic ones, relief!

Edited by Marengo

Go for it, nipple shields saved our breastfeeding relationship! I was really worried about using them, but they helped SO much, and we came off them really easy.