I did a 9 month check up yesterday for a baby.  His mom had some trouble
initiating breastfeeding in the hospital (probably due to baby being sleepy
after birth.  She had an epidural, long pushing stage, complicated by
non-reassuring fetal heart rate pattern at the end, and I finally vacuumed
him in the end.)  Unfortunately, one night one of the nurses decided maybe a
nipple shield would help him latch.  His mom was so relieved to have him at
the breast, she used the shield religiously at first.  I tried to encourage
her to wean him from the shield, and followed his growth very closely.  He
grew beautifully, mom's supply did not seem to be compromised, she had very
little interest in weaning the shield, so I gave up arguing with her!  Fast
forward to now, and this little guy is still nursing only with a shield!  He
is now eating some solids, but has never needed ABM supplementation.  Mom is
now wondering if it's still possible to wean from the shield, as it makes
night nursing, public nursing, and even quick comfort nursing pretty
difficult.  Her goal is to nurse to 1 year, but I think if it were less of a
hassle, she may consider continuing after that.  She has tried just offering
the bare breast, and he is not interested.  She has tried while sleepy, or
even sleeping, but no other methods as of yet.
Any ideas of how to wean an older baby from a shield?
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 4, including my toddler nursling Caroline Rose

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