Inverted Nipples

[Muppity]

Hi everyone

Wondering if anyone had any experience with feeding with inverted nipples. I have a friend who is due in three weeks and has been advised that she shouldn't bother trying to BF and should just start with the bottle as this will reduce her stress levels when she fails. I can't believe that she is being set up to fail before she has even tried.

She was keen to try bf but is now a bit worried that she will be harming her baby by not taking the advice that she has been given (I think by her GP).

[Soph]

TaffyLou - I have this problem too. I wasn't able to bf Lucie, although I had enough milk to feed the entire ward I think! But then Lucie had other problems including jaundice which contributed to her tiredness and inability to suck. I certainly don't think it means a definite no to bf, it may just be a little more difficult. I am hoping to bf #2. I actually saw a lactation consultant before Lucie was born and she didn't seem to think I would have a problem. I can recommend your friend maybe calls the Australian Breastfeeding Association line - they were great and put me in touch with the lactation consultant that I saw. She also may want to consider using nipple shields, or at least grab some to take to the hospital just in case. I hope this helps. Just make sure if your friend can't bf, she has lots of support and doesn't put herself through all the stress and guilt that I did, it was tough. And if worst comes to worst and she really wants bubba to get some breastmilk in the early weeks she can do what I did and express and then bottle feed the baby. But fingers crossed she will be fine!

[sunnymel]

i had inverted nipples & was worried i wouldnt be able to breastfeed - i used a nipple shield for the first few days & 15 months later im still going!! tell your friend to try & fingers crossed it will work

[Fenella]

I have slightly inverted nipples and have had no major issues with breastfeeding. I would suggest your friend at least try if she wants to breastfeed - maybe contact the ABA for support and make sure her attachment is as good as she can get it too. Maybe her GP was just trying to stop her getting too stressed if she can't BF, in which case she could just ignore the advice if she feels confident to give it a go anyway? I'm sure that if there is a real problem with her feeding she will know about it well before it harms the baby!

[Tracey]

A friend of mine has inverted nipples & saw a lactation consultant leading up to birth, that gave her some tips/pointers (maybe not the best term to use) so as to encourage the breast feeding so to speak...
She has been feeding succesfully for 4 months....

Tell her to get in touch with someone now... It obviously is possible...

[Trillian]

My friends daughter has inverted nipples and used a shield for awhile, but bubs didn't like it so she just expressed for a few months before swapping to formula. Her second bub wasn't BF at all though.

Make sure your friend finds out as much information as she possibly can and I'd do what Barley1's friend did and see a lactation consultant before bubs arrives for advice.

[christy]

My friend has 1 inverted nipple and for the first 6 weeks it was hard, but after that they are still going at 11 months. HTH!

[Ambah]

I have one inverted nipple, and to be honest I actually dont know if that contributed to our difficulty with BF, as Aidyn hated attaching, he would scream and scream but I think he was like that no matter which breast he was on.
I gave up BF at one week, then expressed for another 3 weeks, then he went fully onto formula at one month.
I think next time I will be asking for advice and pointers, and maybe trying those nipple shields to see if they help.

[Muppity]

Thanks girls

I will pass this onto her. It is good to know that there are people out there that have been successful with it.

I hadn't even thought of the idea of expressing and then giving it with a bottle - I will suggest this to her as another option.

Taff

[Liz]

Aren't there things that can help extract the nipple before feeding? A friend of mine also said that she just worked the nipple out herself before the baby was born and it improved it for feeding. As far as I know it is very possible to bf with inverted nipples.. just takes a little more effort getting it going.

Found this is on the Avent site about their Niplette:

Women who are concerned that they might find breastfeeding difficult can use the Niplette(TM) in the first six months of pregnancy. If the breasts are too sensitive during pregnancy, it can be used after the birth of the baby, for a few minutes only, before each feed. The Niplette(TM) will suck the nipple out enabling the baby to latch on easily. Used for the first few days it will help get breastfeeding established.

When the milk supply is plentiful, the Niplette's(TM) suction will be impaired. However, by that time the baby will be used to feeding and will be able to suck the nipple out itself. Once breastfeeding is over, the Niplette(TM) can then be used to achieve a permanent correction.