I'm following this topic (again) with interest.  I saw the glass and rubber
shield Cathy describes in use in a UK hospital more recently than I care to
remember.  I also supported a mother last year who had had trouble with the thin
latex shield (because the baby was not feeding correctly) and so was encouraged
to use a bottle teat on her breast.  This contributed to her comfort (because
the baby was no where NEAR the distressed nipple!!) -- but not to the
continuation of bf.

I guess if nipple shields are out there and used by some practitioners respected
in the field, and some people don't understand why  putting one thing on the
breast is different from putting another -- to them similar object -- this sort
of usage will continue.  Maybe we need an information campaign -- analogous to
the one about not using second hand baby car seats.  Trouble is, can't we just
guess who would pay (in the UK, I'd guess a certain chain of "Chemists" -- wanna
bet???) and how we might feel about the result.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter
The Breastfeeding Network, UK