Silly question but......

[splatt]

I'm 30 weeks pregnant and really want to breast feed.
However, the size of my breasts (which wasn't unsubstantial pre pregnancy) has not changed at all. And now I'm worried that that means there is something wrong and I won't be able to breast feed. Can anyone stop me worrying?

Size of boob is no indicator of your ability to BF. Many womens get bigger during pregnancy but plenty stay the same size - the chances are that they will get bigger when your milk comes in though....

Boob size is caused by the amount of fat you are genetically programmed to have in that area... It may be that during your pregnancy you've lost a bit of that fat and gained milk making facilities as your ducts have matured .... does that make sense?

You'll be just fine - good luck...

The size of your breasts matter not one tiny (or not) little bit! Your breasts are made for feeding your babies and it will all come together once your little one is born. Will you have someone to help you with getting your baby to latch on correctly? From my experience, that is the most important bit - that and plenty of lansinoh if you have an enthusiastic/hungry baby.

Also don't let this seed of doubt impact on your good intentions. Most women take between 3 and 5 days after the birth before their milk comes in. This is normal and your baby won't starve in that time. Just keep putting baby to your breast and let them suck - that will tell your boobs how much milk to make. And then the milk will come and you'll have a great supply. Don't let anyone undermine your BFing - my MIL was a shocker for suggesting bottles of formula!!!

People will also tell you that it doesn't hurt to 'top up' your baby with formula (wrong, it will reduce your milk supply), that they will sleep better on formula (wrong, it takes far longer to get them to sleep after a bottle than a BF), that formula's better for them (yes really, I had that one) - but the most bizarre I heard was from someone at work who told me that she started putting baby rice in her baby's bottle at 10 days old. TEN DAYS!

Don't fret about the size of boobs - mammary glands are all much the same size, it's the fat and fluid content that differs - you will have enough milk for your baby!

octavia at the 10 days old thing.... I had a friend who put some weird french milk biscuit in her daughters bottles at about 2 months and I thought that was bad...

I know - she claimed she did it on the advice of her doctor, and it was a few years ago (like 16) but even so!

Thank you ladies for reassurance.
Our hospital seems quite good and runs and ante-natal BF workshop and seem v supportive afterwards. Also have had info from NCT BF lady.
My 2 close friends who've had babies have both BF until 6 months so sure they will be valuable for advise and support. All DHs friends wives have immediately bottle feed so think they might think I'm a bit odd but that really doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I was just getting paranoid with number of people on pregnancy forum complaining how much their breasts had grown!!

Don't worry, these are natural questions!

Before pregnancy I was a 34D, at end of pregnancy I was 38D, so boobs weren't much bigger, but my rib cage was.

I'm still bfing 5.5 month old DS and boobs have beeb 36DD ever since his birth.

Boob size isn't a good indicator of ability to bf.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and well done you for thinking ahead to when your LO arrives