Medela offers a wider range of sizes for its nipple shield sizes, and has a good sizing guide that can help you find the right fit. For parents who wish to breastfeed, using a nipple shield can let them continue breastfeeding and avoid pumping into bottles or switching to formula. Different brands carry different sizing, and knowing where to look for your size can be challenging. At Untied Latch, we carry a variety of shields on hand to ensure that any parents we see that need one get their proper fit without the struggle of searching online for hours.

We are pleased to offer our customers the chance to recycle their old electrical items. When buying a new electrical item from us you can return your old one bought in the online shop on mambaby.com/gb to us and we will ensure it is correctly recycled. Postage and customs duty is at your own cost. You can return your item to: Ultimately, however, you have to weigh the pros and cons and determine what is best for your situation and feeding goals. Nipple shields can be the brilliant answer to so many breastfeeding problems and yet many mothers have never even heard of them, let alone know how or when to use them. Moreover, many of mothers who have tried using them, have only done so on the recommendation of friends or family, rather than at the suggestion of their midwife or breastfeeding counsellor. A lot of lactation professionals will avoid using a nipple shield unless it’s necessary. Some of the disadvantages of using a nipple shield are: Like breast pump flanges, nipple shields are made to fit nipples of different diameters, measured in millimeters. You can find out how big your nipples are by measuring them side-to-side, across the whole nipple, without including your areola. Then compare your size to the size charts from nipple shield manufacturers.

MAM Nipple Shield - Small

Silicone is a great material for a nipple shield as it’s water-resistant and flexible, allowing the shield to fit perfectly and comfortably. It’s also more durable, so the shield should last throughout your breastfeeding journey. And, when compared to a material like plastic, it’s more eco-friendly, too. There are many things to consider with nipple shields. While nipple shields are highly accessible and relatively easy to use, there is a wide variety of shapes & sizes, making finding the right fit for your and your baby quite challenging.

Example: Your nipples measure 15 x16 mm. Your nipple shield size would be 20 mm. For inverted nipples, you can trial 18-20 mm nipple shields. Cherry-shaped nipple shield are also extremely helpful for babies with tongue ties, something we here at the Untied Latch specialize in managing. If your baby is getting plenty of milk and feeds are not taking too long, you can carry on using them indefinitely. But if feeds become significantly longer, your baby is not settling after feeds because he is not getting enough milk through the shield and/or you notice that your milk supply is reducing, they are clearly not working and you should stop using them. Your nipple shield will come with instructions you can follow. If you’re working with a lactation consultant, ask them to show you how to put on the nipple shield. How should a nipple shield fit?The most common nipple shields are the 24 mm size, but they do range in size from 16 mm to 30 mm, depending on the brand," says Dr. Madden. Of course, a lactation consultant can best help you choose and use a nipple shield correctly. Do I need nipple shields? Turning your nipple shield inside out before applying helps draw your nipple into the cone-shaped area of the shield better. In the U.K., the standard sizes are 16mm (small), 20mm (medium) and 24mm (large). A larger 28mm size is available online but can be difficult to find. To determine your nipple shield size, grab a ruler or measuring tape and measure the diameter of your nipple at the base, but be sure to not include the areola and measure in millimeters. If you find yourself confused, just remember that 1 centimeter is equivalent to 10 millimeters. A shield will reduce a mothers’ milk supply as her breasts will not be as fully stimulated and emptied as they would be with “normal” breastfeeding.

If you’re unsure what size you need, talk to your lactation consultant. They’ll guide you on selecting the correct size and even demonstrate how to put on a nipple shield. How does a nipple shield work? You may be able to remove the shield part way through a feed and continue without. You may only use a shield on one breast, or for the first few minutes. Some babies need only one or two sessions with the nipple shields, while others may need more. Nipple shields can help establish breastfeeding with some babies who seem to have difficulty achieving and/or maintaining attachment to the breast. However, very few benefit from using a nipple shield. Please consult a breastfeeding counsellor or health professional for one-to-one support before you use a nipple shield. A nipple shield can be a temporary solution but not a permanent fix to an underlying problem. They may affect transfer of milk to the baby which may contribute to poor weight gain and health problems for both mother and baby. I rarely recommend nipple shields for long term use due to concerns about a decrease in breast milk supply," says Dr. Madden. Though some research supports this, other research has found that nipple shields don't impact supply. Getting fitted for a nipple shield is pretty straightforward. The first step is to measure your nipple using a standard ruler, circular ruler, or calipers. To get an accurate measurement, you may find it helpful to finger stimulate your nipple to get it as erect as possible.Conical nipple shields are the most common; the nipple projection is a similar shape to a thimble. Cherry-shaped shields are made by only one company but are a great alternative if your baby can't keep the nipple shield in their mouth while feeding, even with proper sizing, attachment, & positioning. Most nipple shields are designed to be longer, which doesn’t work for women who have nipples that, while not flat, don't protrude a lot, either. Fortunately, many of these women have found their small nipples fit well in Lansinoh's shields. Other experts have expressed concerns that babies get "addicted" to nipple shields, which makes it harder to breastfeed without them, and may contribute to earlier-than-planned weaning. The smallest size of these shields fits nipples up 20mm, so if your nipples are smaller across rather than shorter, Medela's small shields might fit better. There are some videos online that show you how to apply a shield with this ‘slightly inside out’ method.