Avent Breast Shells - A Review for Breastfeeding Moms

I breastfed my first child for 15 months. At the beginning, I experienced sore nipples, engorgement and leaky milk. Now that I have a newborn in the house and the benefit of hindsight, I armed myself with the ISIS Comfort Breast Shell Set by Avent. Every nursing mom knows how painful the first few weeks of breastfeeding can be. With these breast shells, much of the pain is relieved. As an added bonus, breast milk can be collected and frozen for later use.

First of all, the set comes with 2 pairs of breast shells. One pair is ventilated and designed to protect the nipples from chafing. They keep the nipples from rubbing against fabric and allow them to dry off. Simply place the breast shell over the nipple and wear underneath a bra. This helps sore nipples from becoming even more irritated.

The second pair of breast shells does not have holes and is designed to collect leaking breast milk. When I'm nursing, the opposite breast leaks up to an ounce and a half of milk. This flow soaks through nursing pads and makes a big mess all over my clothes, the baby's clothes as well as the sheets. By using a milk collection breast shell, I'm able to avoid leaks and the resulting mess. I'm also able to save and freeze milk for future bottle feeding without having to use a breast pump.

The breast shells come with silicone backing cushions. The cushions have a hole that the nipples poke through. These cushions are comfortable and don't leak or slip once in place under the bra.

Those suffering from engorged breasts will find relief by wearing the Avent breast shells. The silicone backing places slight pressure on the areola causing a slow but steady leak of milk. Avent advises against wearing for longer than 40 minutes at a time. The instruction booklet that comes with the breast shell set gives an easy to understand overview of how to use the breast shells and how to use them safely.

When using the milk saver shells, they must be sterilized initially and cleaned thoroughly between uses. Milk collected in the breast shells must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer right away so it doesn't go bad.

While it's a bit of a pain to constantly clean the breast shells, insert them when nursing, collect the milk into a sterile freezer collection bag and begin the process all over again, it does have its payoff: breast milk for later use and less sore nipples.