Have appreciated the thread on nipple shields -- at the ILCA conference there was also much discussion, to the tune of it is not as horrible as we all used to think.

One issue I have not seen addressed is that of the use of shields for extremely sensitive nipples.  I have recently talked with several moms who have done a lot of reading and still chosen to bottle feed that other stuff, due to extreme nipple sensitivity, even when they are not pregnant.  One of them started to ask about maybe starting to BF at home, once she was in a more comfortable and less hectic environment.  We talked a lot about milk production, and enhancing milk production, and the use of pumps.  She even suggested that using a pump might help her to desensitize.  Needless to say, I encouraged everything I could towards providing the EBM for her baby, and maybe even eventually the breast itself.

So my question -- do any of you have any experience with using shields as a buffer and a way to desensitize the nipples over time?

Thanks, Chanita, San Francisco