If you’re caught in the midst of the nipple shield weaning battle you may be tempted to just snip the end off (we’ve been there). You may have even heard it’s a good way to wean. Let's clear that up....IT’S NOT!

We’re going to talk about why cutting a nipple shield is not a good idea and a better and safe way to wean off nipple shields.

Now, on to why cutting your nipple shield is a bad idea:
Sharp edges can hurt your baby: When you cut silicone, it creates “sharp edges”. Think about how when your baby feeds, their little tongue rubs across the shield hundreds of times. And your baby is feeding many times a day. Those sharp edges can cause irritation and blisters to form on baby’s mouth or tongue.
Ragged edges: There’s not a clean way to cut a nipple shield. It leaves some ragged edges. Some of those ragged edges are at risk of being swallowed by your baby. The ragged edges can also cause irritation to your nipple rubbing on it as well.

If you can’t cut it then what’s the best way to wean off nipple shields?
There are many ways to wean off nipple shields and a lot of advice out there but the fastest way to wean your baby off shields is the Back to Mom Nipple Shield Weaning Kit. We used the basis of cutting your nipple shield and created a shield with no tip. The edges are smooth and rounded and will not irritate your baby’s mouth or your nipple. The kit includes 3 sizes going from a tall profile to short so you can step your baby easily back to your natural nipple.