Hiya Girls,

I'm dipping my toe in from Third Tri, I'm planning on BF'ing, but just wanted to know.. I only have reasonably small boobs, literally a handful (which havent changed at all size wise thru preg!) but I have quite flat nips, and I'm stressing that i wont be able to do it! esp after seeing the size of the teats on the newborn bottles!!!!

So anyone else with not so great, un-bottle teat like nips got on ok? I have bought the Avent Nipplette, but find the suction just wont hold under clothes and usually end up on the floor looking for them!

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

one of my boobs has a flatish nipple and when using a pump is diff, i have to hold it on! and that boob my lo like less than the other, but it is pos! anything is pos with determination. i have to make sure he is latched properly as he keeps taking himself off. x

I've found that I have to do breast massage and nipple twiddling to make mine stick out far enough for baby to grasp! I've got some shields but haven't tried them yet - I keep looking at them thinking "my nips are meant to stick out THAT far?" !!!!

I had flat nipples. With pumping and breastfeeding, they now do stick out a bit, if stimulated, but they are still flat most of the time. I've never had the 'nipples like bullets' that you see in pictures and instructional videos. My LO couldn't latch at birth due to other problems (tongue tie, being early, traumatic birth) but even with my flat nipples, he got the hang of it! If it doesn't happen straight away, don't give up. Get in touch with La Leche League and get proper, informed advise. Unfortunately a lot of Midwives don't know enough about breastfeeding. If someone tells you to give up, don't listen to them, and get real advice!

There are several different types of flat/inverted nipples - some are tethered (meaning they never stick out), some can be coaxed out (personal question; please don't answer on forum, but does it come out during sex????) some are just a bit dimpled.

Babies breastfeed, not nipple feed. The key for every single mother is to get a good mouthful of breast tissue into baby's mouth. The baby then suckles effectively and removes the milk.

It's also normal for one nipple to be more protrubant than the other, so sometimes mums end up feeding exclusively on one side. That's fine, each breast can independently make enough milk for a baby (think of twins).

There's an excellent link here: http://www.llli.org/FAQ/flat.html. But I think it would be sensible to line up some help before the baby comes; find a local LLL leader or BF Counsellor or BfN Supporter, so you know how to access skilled help swiftly when you need it. Also, the link has reference to the Hoffman Technique which research has now suggested makes very little difference and so has been discredited. And nipple shields have so many, many, many problems associated with them that it is not a good idea to use them except in dire emergencies. The newer type, thin silicone, is better than the old rubber style; some have cut out sections for baby's nose but there's no research to say whether or not that helps.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on!

Melanie

I have flat nipples too - One of the reasons we had trouble with breast feeding in the beginning I think, but you can get a 'latch assist' to sort it out, or just stand in front of an open freezer before trying to feed, heh heh.

Honestly it shouldn't be a problem.

I have quite flat nipples too,my rights flatter than my left and we went through a few days of Ethan not being able to latch onto the flatter one and was getting stressed so I just fed him from the left, and expressed from the right, but I tried and tried again and he has now got the hang of it,think he knows now that he has to initially suck quite hard to draw the nipple out abit but sometimes he can be lazy and he doesn't suck hard enough so keeps falling off. It's just a case of being determined and keep trucking on with it! Good luck,I'm sure you will be just fine, there is so much help out there if you are willing to take it! xx

Wonderful, thanks girls, I'm def gonna persevere when the time comes, your replied have made me feel much more normal! and thanks for the link MelanieF, off to read now

The midwife told me i wouldn't be able to bf because of this, gladi didnt listen to her, 8wks and still going strong!