I am trying to convince the staff in our hospital that nipple shield use in
the first 3 days is actually dangerous.  Milk transfer is often limited, and
adding another barrier to the infant's ability to grasp onto the lower part
of the areola prevents the baby from getting his dose of colostrum.  The
mother thinks that just because the baby is sucking on something adjacent to
the breast that he is breastfeeding.  Often, some of the baby's saliva is
sucked back into the shield, and this gives the impression that there is
milk removal.  Most of these babies lose more than 7% of their birth weight,
and some dehydrate.
Have any of you found any use for nipples shields in the first 3 days post
partum? I think they should be banned in the hospital, except in the NICU,
of course.

Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel

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