why are nipple shields not recommended?

[Ginger]

thanks for all your help everyone. i have been trying a couple of feeds a day without the shield and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. he just seems to attatch so much easier with it on. the other thing i have been doing is using it for the first few minutes until the nipple is sucked out and then unattatching him, taking the shield off and reattatching him. this seems to work ok. i think he just likes long feeds? it is driving me a it crazy though. he seems to spend so much time on my boobs, and when he's not asleep he seems to be crying and unsettled. he's also got really bad wind and diarreaha. he has so many wet nappies i can hardly keep up...i am going to see the child maternal health nurse this afternoon so i will be asking her for some help and she will be weighing him so i'm really really hoping he's put on some more weight. i really don't want to switch to ff..

[Janie]

Gracie, pop back in and let us know how you go with your MCHN. I don't see any reason ATM why you would need to switch to FF, so don't worry about that. You're doing a great job hun, and the fact that he can attach after the nipple is drawn out is fantastic! Just a thought, can you physically draw the nipple out by hand expressing a little before attaching him? I'm sure someone's already shown you this, so sorry for repeating it!