I did and was I surprised.  I was working with a mom and a 4 day old baby
(I've worked with her and baby every day since birth). Mom had a 3.5 hour
pushing phase with a posterior delivery--4th degree laceration. All this with
no medication!! Plus baby was mec stained, so there was deep suctioning
immediately after birth. The baby is guarding her airway with her tongue.
 She has never latched on since birth.  Mom has flat nipples with a
non-pliable areola. Even with pumping the nipples will not come out.
By day 3 the she was down over 1 pound from birth weight, and getting very
lethargic. Mom and dad had trie ABM but she would only take sips. Switched to
a premie nipple and a minimum of 1.5 ounces every 2 hours and the little gal
was up 7 ounces in 24 hours.
I was sure that given time and patience she would eventually latch on but mom
was gettting really depressed. Out of despiration and the fear that if I
didn't get baby on the breast right now, they were going to quit, I pulled
out a nipple shield and tah-dah she latched on.
Only, mom was in agony after about a minute--her nipples were almost purple.
The nipple was not being pulled into the shield.
 "Wait,"  I said "let me try something I heard about on lactnet." I turned
the shield inside out  (it was easier than I thought) as I placed it over
mom's nipple. It pulled both the nipple and areola into the shield. Baby
latched on and went to town.
While we all watched her nurse peacefully for the very first time, mom cried
and I explained to dad what lactnet is.
Next step wean the baby off the shield.
Isn't technology wonderful!!!!
Thanks
Marie Davis
Moreno Valley, CA