A breastfeeding attachment (also called a ”nursing cap”) is recommended for various types of breastfeeding problems. These include pain during breastfeeding or difficulty in latching on to the baby. When used properly, the attachment can help establish a good breastfeeding relationship with the baby. However, in most cases, a breastfeeding attachment should only be used temporarily.
What is a breastfeeding attachment?
The shape of the breastfeeding attachment corresponds to the anatomy of the nipple. It therefore looks a bit like a hat with a crown and a wide brim – hence the name “nursing cap”. A nursing cap is a flexible cover made of silicone. This material is particularly thin and therefore does not hinder the stimulation of the breast that is necessary to produce breast milk. The mother places this cover over the nipple and areola before breastfeeding. The shape of the breastfeeding cover corresponds to the anatomy of the nipple. Therefore, it looks a bit like a hat with a crown and a wide brim – hence the name “nursing cap”. On the top of each part that covers the nipple, there are small holes. Breast milk can leak through these during breastfeeding.
Shapes, types and types
Most breastfeeding attachments have a bulge in the shape of a nipple and a wide rim all around. Since the size and shape of the nipple varies from individual to individual, breastfeeding attachments come in different sizes. This makes it possible to find the best-fitting attachment for every woman. Some nursing attachments have cutouts in the “brim”. These allow direct skin contact between the baby’s nose or chin and the mother’s breast. Modern nursing attachments are almost always made of silicone – a material that makes it possible to produce very thin attachments. Older models made of rubber are less recommendable and are hardly manufactured today. To ensure that the breastfeeding attachment fits perfectly, it is important to find the right size and fit – preferably with the help of a lactation consultant.
Design and mode of operation
The breastfeeding attachment is an anatomically shaped silicone cover for the nipple and areola. This protects the breast when breastfeeding is too painful, such as with sore nipples. On the other hand, it can also be used to correct the shape of the nipple. This in turn can be helpful if the baby does not suckle properly. The breastfeeding attachment is therefore a very simple aid that is placed between the mother’s breast and the baby’s mouth. Although this sounds simple, it is important to use a breastfeeding attachment correctly. Only then can the breastfeeding mother benefit optimally from it. The aim is to support breastfeeding and promote the breastfeeding relationship so that, as soon as possible, the use of breastfeeding attachments is no longer necessary. This usually requires a personal consultation with a physician or a lactation consultant. Application typically occurs just before and during breastfeeding. Prior to attachment, it is helpful to express a few drops of formula from the breast and drip it into the breastfeeding attachment. This creates a vacuum between the breast and the nursing attachment, allowing it to fit securely without slipping. In addition, the droplets coming out through the holes help the baby understand to suckle the nursing attachment. The edge of the nursing attachment is pulled apart and placed over the nipple. There should be a little air between the nipple and the tip of the breastfeeding attachment. If the nipple butts directly against the silicone, the breastfeeding attachment is too small.
Medical and health benefits
Breastfeeding attachments are used in a variety of situations. The reason can be either the mother or the baby. Some mothers have very small nipples or nipples that are turned inward, making it difficult for the baby to suckle properly. In such cases, using a breastfeeding attachment helps to maintain breastfeeding until the baby’s sucking has enlarged and/or turned the nipple outward. This is possible because the nipple is erectile tissue. The breastfeeding attachment thus helps to maintain the breastfeeding relationship. Sometimes babies also have difficulty breastfeeding because the baby is very small, weak or sick. In this case, the breastfeeding attachment makes sucking easier and protects baby and mother from the frustration of not being able to breastfeed. When the milk flows through the breastfeeding attachment, the baby realizes that breastfeeding is working.Over time, it will become strong enough to successfully suckle without a nursing cap. A nursing attachment also helps to maintain breastfeeding when the nipples are sore. With the help of the breastfeeding attachment, the mother can improve her breastfeeding technique so that she can prevent nipple injuries in the future. Breastfeeding attachments can also help establish a breastfeeding relationship if the baby was initially bottle-fed. This is because the sucking technique for bottles and for the mother’s breast is different. A baby used to silicone teats may not understand how to handle the nipple to get milk flowing. Because the breastfeeding attachment feels similar to the bottle teat, the baby more easily recognizes the maternal breast as a food source. Breastfeeding with breast milk, the optimal food for a baby, is made possible. Should breast milk be fed only with expressed milk, milk production often dries up before the recommended six months of full breastfeeding, because a breast pump does not stimulate the breast to produce milk as effectively as the sucking baby.
