SoftShells Breast Shell Soothers - Sore Nipples

I have large breasts - DD normally without the added bonus of the milk. My son latched on great at first, but then got a cold and could not latch properly. He got lazy with my milk supply being very good and refused to open his mouth wide enough. Needless to say breastfeeding became torture. I was almost to the point of considering formula when I came across these.

Within just a few hours of wearing them, the pain decreased. The shells helped shape my nipples a little better and made it easier for my son to latch with little effort. After a full day of use, the pain has become almost non-existant.

I wish I had bought these for my daughter because I might have been able to breastfeed her longer than just 9 months. These shells have made breastfeeding the wondeful bonding experience it was meant to be. My son is still a little lazy with the latch, but he is getting better and opening his mouth wider now.

At first I was discouraged by...Read more

These shields do work very well. I have large breasts and large nipples (E cup when I came home from the hospital) my son lacthed on great at first, but then he seemed like he couldn't handle their size and when a baby latches on wrong your nipples get even more abuse. I could not stand for a towel, or my bra to touch them, I cried every time he tried to nurse. My husband bought me these shields and an adjustable nursing bra (so I could have more room for the shields). Instead of using the inserts included I used cheap disposable nursing pads (save the nice ones for using directly on your breast). With in days I was healing and feeling sooooo much relief. But when you are nursing, take the shield off the other breast too. I wasn't thinking about let down on the side not being nursed (I had pain on my mind) and the shield filled up with milk completely. The poor nursing pad inside tried to absorb, but with the shield preesing on my breast ang having let down, it got messy. I learned...Read more

My nipples were extremely painful in the first few weeks. My breasts were too large for my daughter to handle for the first 2-3 weeks, so I was pumping every two hours. Needless to say this wore my nipples out very quickly. These shells - which my mother (a lactation consultant) suggested - were a lifesaver. Allowing my nipples to air dry helped them heal and provided relief from the friction of a bra or nursing pad. HOWEVER, they also encourage excretion from the nipples and, thus, would fill up pretty quickly. If you didn't feed/pump frequently and/or check on them often, there was often a good chance that they would overflow, or be so full that the slightest leaning forward would cause them to spill. I think they would work better if you could find a material more absorbant than the foam inserts provided. Once you are aware of the problem, though, it's easily managed. Overall, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.