I am 5 months pregnant with my little girl and I have decided to breast feed, I do believe I have inverted nipples and have been told thete is no way I can breast feed, this is very upsetting to me because I have strong feelings against baby formula, I want to do this naturally, is it really true you can not breastfeed with this problem!

There's something called breast shells that help draw the nipple out. You wear them daily and gradually increase the amount of time you wear them.

Sometimes a high-grade breast pump will help with drawing the nipples out for breastfeeding.

Keep in mind, that your nipples "at rest" does not necessarily indicate whether they will protrude enough for your baby to suckle and feed. Proper positioning is key.

No, it's not true that you can't breastfeed with inverted nipples. Try hand expressing and see what your nipples do in response. If they are truly inverted, when you get closer to the end of pregnancy you can try the breast shells as nikosmom suggested. When you go prepare to breastfeed, hand expressing or using the pump just enough to draw the nipple out for baby to latch can help. Your daughter will do the best job of drawing the nipple into the back of her mouth once she gets going.

Here's a site that gives some more info:

Breastfeeding with Flat or Inverted Nipples

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nicckidoodle

i am 5 months pregnant with my little girl and i have decided to breast feed, i do believe i have inverted nipples and have been told thete is no way i can breast feed, this is very upsetting to me because i have strong feelings against baby formula, i want to do this naturally, is it really true you can not breastfeed with this problem!

---

The PP is correct about the breast shield. They work very well and you can nurse! You may also want to try posting on the La Leche League Mother-to-Mother Forums La Leche League Mother-to-Mother Forums. When I had my baby (now 2yrs) I thought LLL was "nursing freaks" but I had problems nursing so I posted a few questions. I found out - there are a few strong opinion people (like anywhere) on there both most are amazingly wonderful and will help you so much! Also, it is a little more private than this one so people post more freely. Good luck and you can do it.

Also, a Great website for new moms is kellymom :: Breastfeeding and Parenting

One more I loved early on: The Color of the Day: