Boots Breast Shells

Advantages: Relief for sore nipples, saves all that otherwise wasted milk
Disadvantages: Makes breasts a funny shape and hard, can't lie down with them in or they will pour the milk out all over you!

...sent my brother along to boots and he he came back with a small carboard box. I took out the two shells and read the instructions. They are pretty easy to understand - nothing to complex! Basically the shells come into halves which simply fit together. There is a spout at one end - make sure you have this facing upwards otherwise your milke will just pour out all over you! Also don't forget you have these in and lie down or the milk will pour out ...
...a hole over the space where your nipple goes and the milk basically pours out of your nipples and into the shells. If you have sterlised the shells you can then pour this milk either into a bottle and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours or pour it in to a freezer bag and store it for up to 3 months. I used to find if I put a sterlised one on one breast while feeding or expressing from the other the shell would soon fill. I would collect about 60ml ... Read review

Advantages: No more soaking wet clothes
Disadvantages: They overflow from time to time

I have completely re-written this review after re-reading it. So here goes. MY EXPERIENCE After the birth of my first child, I had no end of problems with leaking milk. I was at work one day in A&E when I noticed a wet round patch on one boob. I went of to the toilets, and desperately tried to dry off my dress. I came back into the department, and was asked by one of the doctors if I had sprayed the water from the tap. Before I could answer, ...
...let down reflex just let down!”. I could have died. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. On the advice of a friend, I got myself some of these Shells from Boots. WHAT ARE BREAST SHELLS? They are 2 plastic cups, shaped like a 3D shell with a hole in the front where your nipple fits. The plastic cups come apart in 2 halves to make washing them easier. HOW EASY ARE THEY TO USE? I managed to save no end of milk with these, ... Read review

Advantages: They store up the often 'hard to obtain' breast milk which would be otherwise wasted. A definite lifesaver for tired breastfeeding mums.
Disadvantages: Only available in Boots, which is a distinct disadvantage to those living 15 miles away from a Boots chemist

...never heard of them) to Boots (a reputable chemist) to see if I could obtain these elusive items there. No problem! The assistant was exceptionally helpful, and the resulting product, four innocent pieces of plastic which fix together to form 2 separate shells to be inserted into the bra for use whilst feeding were the best investment I made throughout the pregnancy and following birth! Well done Boots! ... Read review

Advantages: No more stained clothes, or embarassing wet patches
Disadvantages: Could be emarassing if you brushed past someone (quite hard)

When I think of how close I came to getting caught with wet patches on my shirt whilst out shopping I cringe. It was only by luck that I didn't see many crying babies (as most breastfeeding mums know, if you hear a baby cry you start to produce milk virtually immediately - well I did anyway). Anyway, I got sick of having sopping wet breast pads as they either stuck to my nipples (well part of them anyway, and hurt when you tried to take them off) ...
...So, I decided to try breast shells. Brilliant, I just regret that I did'nt buy them weeks earlier. For some reason breast pads are always advertised in preg mags, but not shells for some reason! I found them quite comfortable to wear and got quite attached to them really (sad I know). They were great for saving up milk to freeze so that I could go shopping and leave the other half in charge of feeding the baby. The only thing I found uncomfortable ... Read review

Advantages: Great for catching leaking milk
Disadvantages: Uncomfotable and very noticeable!

...I sent my husband to Boots to get them and he came back with a box containing 2 shells made up of 2 pieces of hard plastic. They cost around £7.00. You place the shell over your breast, making sure that the drainage hole is at the top and not the bottom or you end up with milk running down your front. Any leaking milk is then caught in the shell and you can add this to any expressed, stored milk you have. However, for me, they resolved my particular ... Read review

Advantages: The soft side helps with engorgement
Disadvantages: The shape is a bit odd and leaks

...Avent breast shells are expensive (I paid £9.99). They have odd shape, poor capacity if you leak a lot and they leak from the start. They are inconvenient to empty and clean. Prior to buying Avent breast shells I had Boots ones. Boots ones are probably better value for money (I paid around £4.99), better capacity and when you wear them, you can't actually tell you've got them in your bra. It just looks as if you've got a very good size boobs :-). They too, however, start to leak after a bit but at least not when they are new. The good thing about Avent breast shells are the fact that they've got the soft side specifically designed to prevent and help with engorgement. They also have holes for ventilation. However, all in all, it's not worth the money.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: great for saving on washing
Disadvantages: more complicated than they need to be

...have no problem with this at all – I used breast shells while feeding both my daughters. However – and this is the main point – I only used the shells whilst feeding. They are not intended for use at other times ‘just in case’ of leakage. My Verdict Having said all this, I do think that breast shells do have a place for mothers who experience leakage from one breast while feeding from the other. I just cannot see the reason for using them at other times and wish Avent had stuck with their original breast shells, which were perfectly adequate and cheaper! Talking of cost, the Comfort Breast Shell Kit costs £9.99. Having searched the web for them, the only place I could find them to purchase online was at Babies R Us. Avent products are stocked at Boots, John Lewis, Mothercare, Tesco, Sainsburys and Toys... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful