Nipple shields: Australian fit and buying guide
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A nipple shield is a feeding aid that needs the right fit and follow-up. If feeding is painful or your baby has difficulty attaching, ask a lactation consultant, breastfeeding counsellor or doctor with breastfeeding expertise for help with the cause and whether a shield is appropriate.
The Australian Breastfeeding Association explains nipple shields, fitting and support. An unsuitable shield can cause further nipple damage. Product descriptions and parent testimonials cannot establish the right fit or adequate milk intake for an individual baby.
What is a breastfeeding nipple shield?
A nipple shield is a thin silicone cover worn over the nipple during a feed. Not everyone who breastfeeds needs one. Pain, soreness or latch difficulties do not automatically mean a shield is the right solution; have feeding assessed.
Professional support and fit
We recommend that you see a lactation consultant before buying or using a nipple shield. They can assess attachment, watch a feed and guide its use. Shield fit matters. An unsuitable size may cause nipple damage or affect feeding. Ask a lactation professional to check the fit and watch a feed rather than assuming any gap or rubbing is normal.
Most nipple shields have a size and nipple diameter in millimetres. Ask a lactation professional to help choose the size and explain how to use it. Do not assume one model fits every nipple or solves every feeding problem.
Check milk intake and growth
Milk visible in a shield is not enough on its own to establish how much your baby has taken. Have feeding and growth checked, including regular weighing while using a shield, and ask for help if you are concerned about intake. See Pregnancy, Birth and Baby guidance on nipples, shields and weighing and the Australian Breastfeeding Association guide to milk intake.
Discuss ongoing use and any plan to stop using a shield with your lactation professional. If you have questions, ask for individual support.
This Medela Contact pack contains two silicone shields and a storage case. The current Australian listing labels 24 mm as Large, with 16 mm Small and 20 mm Medium options also available.
Fit and care considerations
The shield has a cut-out contour, but that shape and its size label do not establish a suitable fit for you and your baby. Ask a lactation professional to assess fit, attachment and milk transfer. Follow the exact model’s use and cleaning instructions.
The Philips Avent SCF153/03 pack contains two silicone shields. This selected model is labelled Medium, 21 mm, and has a butterfly-shaped outline.
Fit and care considerations
Compare the exact model and dimensions with advice from your lactation professional. Brand size labels are not interchangeable, so a “Medium” from one range is not necessarily the same measurement as another. Check current care instructions for all components.
Before buying
A shield cannot guarantee comfortable feeding or adequate milk intake. Arrange follow-up to check attachment, feeding and your baby’s growth, and ask for help if feeding remains painful or difficult.
The New Beginnings pack contains two silicone breastfeeding shields. This is a shield-only comparison, rather than a combined set of shields and milk-collection shells.
Fit and care considerations
The listing’s text does not give clear measured fit information, but its current pack photograph is marked Medium, 13 to 16 mm. Confirm what that measurement refers to and check the current pack with the manufacturer and your lactation professional before buying. Flexible material does not make a shield a universal fit.
Before buying
Ask for individual advice about fitting, cleaning and follow-up. Shields and breast shells have different purposes and should not be used interchangeably. If you are unsure how well your baby is feeding, arrange an assessment rather than judging intake from milk visible in a shield.
DUE for Mums The Invisibles are thin silicone shields with an elongated shape. The selected offer is labelled Large and lists two shields in the pack.
Fit and care considerations
The listing does not provide a millimetre measurement for the Large size. Confirm the dimensions with the manufacturer and your lactation professional before buying. The shield’s shape is a feature to assess, not a promise that it will correct a feeding problem.
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