Breast Feeding with Inverted nipples...Help!

It's not nipple shields that she needs, it's a product called 'breast shells'.They're hard plastic, worn between feedings and placed over the breasts so that they press all around the areola and the nipple protrudes into the hole.

She may not actually have inverted nipples (it was a popular misdiagnosis in the 90s, now it's rarely seen) but may actually be really engorged. The solution (to both) is to nurse really frequently. Like every 20-30 minutes during the day for the first several weeks.

Babies exert 90 pounds per square inch suction --that's a lot more than a vacuum does, so her dd will 'pull' the nipple out when she's latched on properly (big mouthful, with the nipple pointing up toward her ears, not to the back of her mouth).

It's a good idea to have no one but mom handle the baby (or mom's breasts) while the babe's investigating things. Too much stimulation from too many people actively interferes with her instincts, which prevent her from doing what she was born knowing how to do. Mom and babe need to spend huge swaths of time undressed (from the waist up) and just 'hanging out' together, to establish a physical communication style that suits them both. If the room is cool, the babe and mom can be covered up, but skin-to-skin will help a lot.

I used the nipple shield exclusivley at each feeding for a week - then would start the baby on the shield and half-way thru nursing would pull it off. It took about 5 weeks before my son got the hang of it. I wish someone had told me about the shells - I would have used them instead. It was hard to train my son to breastfeed without the shield - but now at 7 months old - he is a pro at nursing - he won't even take a bottle when I am not home.

Nipple shield can help draw the nipple out while pumping or nursing (don't use them excessively however). She should also try using breast shells to help bring out her nipples : http://www.amazon.com/Medela-Soft-Shells-Inverted-Nipples...

90% do eventually "pop" out.

Last time I counseled a mom with flat nipples, the nipple shield and pumping for about 45 seconds before she latched the baby on helped greatly. Now she doesn't need either. Your friend CAN pump with the shield on.

Here are some other great techniques: http://mymammasmilk.com/InvertedNipples.html

I get calls from moms all over the USA - she can call me if she needs further help (I own http://www.mymammasmilk.com)

Tell her to be persistent - it WILL pay off for her in the end. It took the other woman I worked with about 3 weeks, but now she has TWO BUTTONS as she likes to call them :)

Thatwoman gave GREAT advice!! Your friend needs breast shells to help pull the nipple out!

One of my daycare kid's moms had the same problem.. She would complain that it would hurt from the baby trying too hard to latch on. There are nibble shields that she can get to go over the nibbles to help the baby latch on and it wont hurt the mom. :) Ask her to give that a try before completely giving it up.

I just want to say that I used a nipple shield with great success, and I fit the same description as your friend. A little bit of a pain at the beginning, but no actual pain from nursing, which was awesome. She can get one for about $4 at Target, and her lactation consultant can teach her how to use it. Once my son was about 3 weeks old he figured out how to nurse without it. Good luck!

Have her try a nipple shield. It will help bring her nipples out. You can buy them at Target or Babies R Us for $7 or $8....in the baby section.
http://www.target.com/Medela-Standard-Contact-Nipple-Shie...

I had the same problem. My son was very difficult & I only wound up feeding on one side with him. He nursed until he was 10 months old & I got pregnant again. My daughter was more willing to work for it & got the other side going. She nursed for 8 months.
Although the lactation consultants don't like them, I thought the nipple shields worked great. The plastic nipples that go right on top of yours. This gave the baby enough to latch on to until mine got pulled out. Nothing else helps pull them out. The baby needs to do it.
Good luck,
A.

Def have her continue to consult and/or see a lactation consultant. She needs lots of professional guidance. My sister had that issue and used the inverter shield things with every nursing! Unfortunately she had a breastfeeding un-friendly ped. that urged her to quit at 3 mo ACK!!! But she had nursed successfully with inverted nipples until that point. Def get some good books, maybe from LLL and Dr Sears- and have her get a
lactation consultant she can chat with or see. Go to the next LLL near her, great support there as well as a nursing support group. Support from other moms is vital in those 1st months!!!

a friend of mine used these little plastic saucer like things that went over the nipple and just stayed in the bra when not nursing. they helped a lot w/ keeping the nipple out. sorry, can't remember what they are called but she got them from the lact. nurse at the hosp.

I have had the same problem and was able to nurse both my children past 1 year. With my first, I used a nipple sheild....HATED it. I don't recommend it at all. It took him 4 months to be able to nurse without it. With my 2nd, I had a wonderful lactation consultant who showed me how to have my daughter latch on by holding my breast just outside of the aerola and pinching, giving her little mouth something to grab a hold of. I did this for a few weeks, and soon enough, she was able to latch on without me 'making' a nipple for her. I hope this makes sense, it's hard to explain in just words!! Good luck!