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Medela Soft Shells for Inverted Nipples
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Manufacturer: Medela
Find all by Medela
Model#: 802.20
Weight: 2lbs
Height: 3" | | Width: 9"
Length: 12"
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Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Retail Price: $14.99
Online Sale Price: $12.50
Save $2.49 Today!
* Price is subject to change.
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Features:- Back disc of soft, flexible silicone for maximum comfort
- Work by applying gentle pressure to the aereola which encourages nippleprotrusion
- Vented shell provides for natural air flow
- Natural contour to be more discreet under clothing
- Includes 2 shells, 2 silicone backs and 4 absorbent and reusable foam inserts for breastmilk leakage
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SoftShells Breast Shells were created with working mothers in mind. Offering the same care for sore, flat or inverted nipples as Medela s other shells, the SoftShells offer increased comfort and a more flattering appearance. Soft, silicone backs on the shells flex to match the contour of a woman s breast, creating a more snug, comfortable fit. The fronts of the shells are vented on the top to provide proper air circulation. Highly absorbent foam inserts protect against leaking.
User Submitted Medela Soft Shells for Inverted Nipples Reviews
May 2, 2008
Not for large breasts.
These shells, although completely comfortable, simply don't have enough suction if you have large/extremely large breasts. I wore them for several hours the day I got them - at least six hours - and my nipples were not even potruding right when I took them out of my bra.
Also, as a word of warning, if you are pregnant and attempting use of this product, PLEASE consult your OB/GYN before purchasing. I was unaware that stimulation of the nipples can cause uterine contractions, and in some cases, premature labor. So, you want to be certain to clear it with your doctor first. I spoke to a certified lactation consultant that said anything of the sort should only be used after 36 weeks, but even then, you must have your doctor's approval to ensure everything is safe.
November 11, 2007
Not useful for intended purpose, other products better
Before breastfeeding, I had inverted nipples. My midwife suggested these. I started wearing them a few weeks before my due date. They didn't work at all. First of all, having the silicone surface against my breast, trapping sweat all day made my breasts get red and irritated, so I could only wear them every other day. Second, as soon as I took them off, my nipples would go back as flat as pancakes in a matter of a few seconds (far shorter than it takes to achieve latch-on). As far as I can tell, these shells have made no permanent change in my nipples at all.
I still use these guys but not for their intended purpose: when I nurse on one side, milk leaks profusely from the other side. So I use the breast shells to collect milk from the other side (without the absorption pads and after sterilizing them). I collect this milk all day and bottle feed it to my baby right before bedtime to help him fill up and sleep a bit longer. It is much less involved than pumping, but doesn't work very well on the go. It also saves me from going through tons of nursing pads.
Breastfeeding was a huge challenge at first, but after a couple of weeks we were doing fine. I would make several recommendations if you have inverted nipples... First of all, the only useful thing you can do before the baby is born is pumping on a regular basis. When I first started breastfeeding, I pumped in the hospital. It was incredibly painful and made my nipples red at first. The lactation consultant said that it was because my nipples were inverted and they were coming out, so raw skin was getting exposed. This made feeding and pumping considerably more painful than it needed to be during the learning phase. When you pump at first, you draw out the nipple and get that raw skin exposed. Hopefully by the time your baby comes, your nipple already has some experience being drawn out (although likely it will still be flat/inverted when you're not pumping). Pumping may cause your colostrum to come out or leak more than it did before. If your nipples get really sore during pumping, use lanolin creme on them afterwards.
Second, buy a nipple shield! I have no idea why people don't know about nipple shields, but it helped my baby latch on when nothing else worked. We would probably be on formula now if it weren't for nipple shields. My first lactation consultant frowned upon full-time use of the nipple shield because she said it wouldn't allow the baby to stimulate my milk supply enough to keep it going. This assertion is controversial at best (see LLL's article on the supposed evils of nipple shields) and was simply not true for me! I used it full time for 6 weeks and my baby gained plenty of weight. Now I'm just starting to "wean" him off of the nipple shield since he is more coordinated and able to draw out my nipples on his own. Furthermore, the nipple shield actually helps draw out your nipples (you will find that when you're done nursing, they are sticking out). After prolonged use, I found that my nipples stayed sticking out to the extent that I could at least grab them and help my baby latch on. The nipple shields that I used were both made by Medela and one was "contact" (had a piece cut out for more contact between baby and breast). The regular one worked better for times when feeding was frustrating because it would stay on my breast more easily than the "contact" one.
Third, see a lactation consultant if your baby doesn't latch right away. Many hospitals have one on staff. I had to insist on seeing one the first day I was in the hospital because it was protocol to send the lactation consultant on the day that you leave (so my baby is supposed to starve in the meantime?).
Good luck with breastfeeding and don't give up!
September 18, 2007
Works GREAT!
The medela soft shells were comfortable to wear and worked well for drawing out my inverted nipples I have even recommended this product to several friends that are nursing.
August 24, 2006
soooo worth it!
The most useful thing I have had since I had my baby.
I don't have inverted nipples, I have 38 DDD or E breasts
which were not to easy for a little baby to get a hold of the nipples
with all of the extra flesh smothering her face, I know that sounds
weird but hey... everyone has their own problems with breastfeeding in the begining.
I just needed an extra boost so that my daughter could get a good latch.
I stopped wearing them after a couple of weeks after she got the hang of it.
Like I said... The most useful thing I have had since I had my baby.
It really calmed us down in an already stressful time.
March 5, 2005
NOT USEFUL FOR LARGE-BUSTS!!!
I bought this item on my own because I read the wonderful reviews it received. I really don't know HOW this item can be used. Even if you don't use the air-vented cups (which collect the leaking milk), you can plainly see the soft shells in loose clothing. I was wearing a sweater & you could see the shape of the shells right through it. If you do use the cups they supply, you look absolutely abnormal. I guess this doesn't work for large-breasted women!
January 11, 2005
Would Highly Recommend this product!
Our son was born in the middle of September. During the first day we definitely had problems. The day after having him my lactation consultant suggested these and hubby ran to babysrus to buy these. I wore them for an hr before feeding time and our son truly fed for the 1st time and was able to stay latched for the entire 40mins that he took. They were effective immediately and these were such a godsend. You dont have to worry about the nipple confusion etc that you might have with a shield, and previous review is right, most of the time I would easily forget they were there and would have to check to make sure. Also they are not noticeable under clothing so you can wear these anywhere.
I also wore these when I had leakage problems and I never had to worry about leaking through my clothes in public or something.
Our son is now 4mnths old and I havent had to use these since he was 2mnths old.
I'm saving these for any future kids of ours and I recommend them to anyone with inverted or flat nipples.
November 2, 2004
The best!
My daughter was hospitalized and forgot how to nurse and would naw and get frustrated. The nipples on the shield are long and she was able to re-learn how to nurse using these shields. I highly recommend these for moms who have trouble nursing.
July 13, 2004
Great option... but there is something even better
My wife has been trying to breastfeed our fisrt child. As many women, she has problems with her nipples: not really inverted but still not good enough for the baby to latch.
We looked in the web and found this product (Soft Shells), went to the store and found something even better. It's from Medela too, the product name is "Contact nipple shield". The results were immediate and baby latched on in the first attempt. Easy to use, easy to clean and also with no flavor or odor for the baby. The product also helps to form the nipple in the long term so later on the shield will not be required. Frustration and tears are gone and now we are enjoying the breastfeeding experience.
May 12, 2004
Not for me!
I have large breasts with flat nipples. With my son, I tried these nipple shields several weeks before he was born under the advice of my OB/GYN. Unfortunately, the moment I took them off, my nipple would return to its flat state, and my poor son could not latch on. I had better luck drawing out my nipples with the Medela Breast Pump (the Pump in Style) prior to getting my son to latch on. Unfortunately, in the long run, nothing seemed to work.. and I ended up eventually feeding him formula after pumping for 6 weeks. Hope they work for you, but don't be dismayed if they don't.
February 25, 2004
life saver
these works wondres. I have flat nipples and was getting very frustrated with breastfeeding. This was my last resort before I was going to give up. They have worked great with drawing out the nipple. I noticed a different within the first day of wearing them. They also help sore nipples too.
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