Nipple Shields for Nursing

Give some relief to your irritated skin and increase your comfort during breastfeeding! Nipple shields are a great tool for nursing mothers. These shields help your baby latch on while protecting sensitive, swollen and sore nipples. Nipple shields are made of a soft material that easily adjusts to your nipple and stays on throughout the nursing process.

Benefits of Nipple Shields for Nursing

• They help overcome initial problems with latching onto the breast.
• They prepare inverted nipples or flat nipples for nursing.
• They offer comfort during nursing or in cases of cracked and swollen nipples.
• They’re made of a very soft, flavourless and odourless silicone.
• They’re anatomically shaped to help your baby suck milk from the breast while allowing a natural contact with the mother’s skin.
• They can be used repeatedly.

How to Choose Nipple Shields

There are a few different types of nipple shields specially designed for different needs of babies and their mothers:

• Nipple protectors were created to protect sore nipples while making the nursing feel natural.
• Nipple formers help your baby latch on correctly and make nursing easier when your nipples are inverted or flat. A nipple former applies pressure to the ligaments of the areola and gently forces the nipple into the right shape.
• Breastmilk collectors or breast shells can be used to collect excess breastmilk.

Size of Nipple Shields

Nipple shields usually come in 3 sizes marked with letters S, M and L, or with numbers. The size of the shield comes down to the opening for the nipple which is always stated on the packaging in millimetres. The shield should adhere to the nipple comfortably and loosely. You can determine the right size by comparing the size of the nipple to the size of your fingers:

• Little finger: size S
• Middle finger: size M
• Thumb: size L

If you’re not sure how to choose the right nipple shields, ask your doctor or a lactation counsellor.

How to Put the Nipple Shield on

• Read the instructions before using the product.
• Wash your hands thoroughly.
• Wash your breast with warm water and dry it gently.
• Wet the nipple shield with water to increase its adhesiveness.
• Gently massage the nipple to make it rise.
• Press the tip of the shield down so you almost turn it inside out, and grab the edges of the shield.
• Cover the openings in the shield with your finger and place it on the centre of your nipple.
• Pull the edges of the shield in while the openings are still covered, until the shield adheres perfectly.
• Release the openings and you can start nursing your baby.

Cleaning Your Nipple Shields

• Boil the nipple shields clean before the first use and then at least once a day for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Wash the nipple shields carefully with water straight after use or boil them clean to prevent dry milk residue.
• Some nipple shields can be also put in the dishwasher along with their protective case.

Our recommendation: Nipple shields are designed to solve initial problems with nursing and for bringing relief in case of irritated nipples. They should only be used as a temporary solution.

The mother and child category at Notino includes other amazing products such as nursing pads which discreetly protect your clothing from breastmilk, or breast pumps that help you relieve tension in your breasts between nursing.