Flat and Inverted Nipples
If you have flat or inverted nipples when your baby is born you might need some extra help in the early days. It's usually in these first few days that your baby is learning to draw out your nipples while he or she is feeding. Don't forget that your baby is an individual and will learn at their own pace so while it may take some babies a few days it can take others a little longer, but with the right support it's likely that you will get passed it.
Lots of mums with flat or inverted nipples, as well as those without, find that skin to skin contact within the first hour of birth helps them to establish breastfeeding. This is usually when babies are most alert and have the strongest instinct to suck.
Many babies who have been left to lie naked on their mum's naked chest in their first hour have actually made their own way to the breast, attached and began sucking all on their own. This absolutely blows my mind. Imagine a new born wriggling their way to the breast and drinking all on their own!
Sometimes babies can be sleepy from drugs that may have been taken to help with delivery but they may still be able to enjoy the intimacy of skin to skin contact and try to breastfeed a little later. The skin to skin will still help.
If your baby has had some difficulty attaching you may be able to find support and ideas from the health professionals around you. There are lots of different things you can try to help your baby attach and there are lots of solutions for inverted nipples, after all your baby does'nt know they are inverted, to your baby they are what they are.
You might like to try using a breast pump before a feed to help bring out your nipples. Doing this might help you remove a little bit of milk too making it easier for your baby to attach by softening the tissue under your nipples. Expressing some breast milk - or colostrum if your milk hasn't come in yet - before a feed and feeding it to your baby can also help calm your baby if they are extremely hungry…a relaxed baby and relaxed mum are likely to breastfeed more easily than a stressed baby and stressed mum.
When feeding your expressed breast milk to your baby try it can help to avoid using bottles, as this may lead to nipple confusion. Instead, some mums try and use a supply line, which is basically a thin tube taped above your nipple. Your expressed breast milk is fed through the top of the tube so that it drips out onto your nipple, encouraging your baby to suckle at your breast while feeding. The hospital where you delivered your baby or a lactation consultant can help you with this. Another option may be to spoon feed the milk to your baby, even brand new babies are able to drink this way.
If you have tried the suggestions above and are still having problems please see a lactation consultant or a midwife as soon as you can. They will probably watch you feed and give you advice that's specific to you and your baby.
They may suggest using a nipple or breast shield for the first few minutes of each feed to help draw out your nipple. In other words you would put the shield on, have your baby attach and suck so that he or she draws out your nipples. You then take your baby off the breast shield, remove the shield and have your baby reattach to your drawn out nipple.
Lots of mums find that wearing Soft nipple shells when they are not breastfeeding helpful. They have a soft backing which sits against your nipple, and washable inserts to soak up any leakage. They are discrete and help to draw out the nipple while you wear them.
When you find the right support, stay open to trying different things until you find what works for you, and remember that this is something you can overcome, it's likely that you will – like many mums – have a great breastfeeding relationship in spite of your flat and inverted nipples.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
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