Nursing caps as a breastfeeding aid: advantages and disadvantages
The nursing cap works like an attachment on the nipple and is intended to make breastfeeding easier for mother and child. As a breastfeeding aid, however, the nursing cap is not without controversy and there are some advantages and disadvantages that you can inform yourself about in advance.
What is a nursing cap?
A nursing cap is an attachment that is simply put over the nipples. In this way, for example, sore nipples, which cause pain to the mother when breastfeeding, can be spared. However, nursing caps are also used forflat or hollow warts, a special form of nipples in which the baby may have difficulty drinking. At the hat, the baby drinks like a teat.
Which nursing caps are there?
- Latex: Nursing caps made of the natural material latex are particularly soft and slightly thicker. One advantage: If the hats are too big or you want to wean your child step by step from the nursing cap, latex can easily be cut back at the edges. One disadvantage: Latex cracks after a few weeks due to frequent sterilization and hot cleaning and should be replaced at the latest.
- Silicone: The hats are also available in silicone. They are usually a bit thinner and nestle easily to the natural shape of the breast.An advantage:Especially for sensitive skin that is prone to allergies, the silicone caps are recommended. One disadvantage: As soon as your child gets its first teeth, you should no longer use silicone hats, as the teeth can detach small parts from the material that are incompatible with the child.
What difficulties can occur?
- The change from the breast to nursing caps or vice versa works completely without problems for some babies. Others need some time to get used to the changed feeling in the mouth.
- Due to the attachment, the baby can not massage the milk lakes behind the nipple. It is only sucked directly on the nipple and your child has to make a lot of effort to get enough milk out of the breast. If the nipples hurt, you can try to use the nursing cap only at the beginning, when your child sucks particularly vigorously. After the milk flow reflex has set in and your baby has already drunk a few sips, breastfeeding is often no longer so unpleasant and you can try to omit the aid.
- When breastfeeding without hats, milk production is stimulated and adapted to the needs of the child. With hats, the milk flow gradually decreases. The thicker the material of the hat, the stronger the milk regression.
Many midwives and breastfeeding consultations now advise against the permanent use of nursing caps and recommend that you try a different breastfeeding position instead, for example. But before you decide completely against breastfeeding, breastfeeding with hats is a real alternative.