J.
Congratulations on your son! And big kudos to you for sticking with it through a rough spot & nursing!!!!!!!!!! Very few women make it past the first hurdle these days!
I totally agree w/ Donna--you need to talk to a good LLL Leader. If you can make it to a meeting, that would be even better!--I can't tell you how priceless the support & info is!
Nipple shields, in my opinion, are used FAR too frequently & really can have a lot of negative side effects (blocked ducts, leading to mastitis, decreased milk supply over time, etc...)
I prefer to suggest a BREAST SHELL instead--Medela makes them & you can often get them @ Babies R Us. These are usually used for women who have flat or inverted nipples. If you don't have those problems, shells & shields would be of little benefit to you.
There are so many things that you can do to correct the latch, which really is what needs to be done.--A shell or shield is just a band-aid for the problem, NOT a solution.
Chiropractic adjustments are often helpful for newborns too. Especially if there was forceful pulling during the birth (either by doctor's hands, a vaccuum, forceps or c/section). I have an excellent one in Forks Twp if you live close to there.
Good luck & congratulations again!
A.
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