>A colleague of mine wrote the following to me, asking if Lactnetters could
>help her out:
>
>"I need a quick clinical estimation from practicing LCs on the bfg success
>rate of moms with inverted nipples.  I was challenged by a doc today on the
>floor.  I said there were no studies so he asked about clinical experience.
>"
>
>She needs feedback ASAP. Please send responses to Lois: [log in to unmask]

Oh, but there are studies! The best ones I know of are:
Alexander JM et al, 1992, Randomised Controlled Trial of Breast
Shells and Hoffman's Exercises for Inverted and Non-Protractile
Nipples,  BMJ 304: 1030-1032
The MAIN Trial Collaborative Group, 1994, Preparing for breast
feeding: treatment of inverted and non-protractile nipples in
pregnancy,  Midwifery 10: 200-214

There didn't appear to be much of a difference between the mothers
with inverted nipples and their study controls.

In my experience, most mothers with inverted nipples, with whom I
have had contact, go on to breastfeed - some with only one breast, if
one is more severely affected than the other (which is common). The
most important factor is the mother's determination! This would be
followed by good help in the early days.

I also think that the term 'inverted nipples' is very broad in
meaning. There are so many degrees of inversion, from mild dimpling
to totally inverted, so that the nipple cannot be drawn out at all,
ever. So this also would obviously affect the success rate of
breastfeeding.
******************************************************************
Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
******************************************************************

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