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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Breastfeeding preemie tips for huge boobs?

26 replies

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 28/06/2013 11:34

Hi, I had my DS at 35 weeks last friday, he was 4lb 8oz and has lost a little bit so is tiny. I am a 30H-HH (and bigger when they fill up) and finding feeding a bit of a struggle due to the size difference.

Does anyone have any tips on making it easier?

OP posts:
Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 28/06/2013 14:31

Bump. :(

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MerryMarigold · 28/06/2013 14:34

I don't have direct experience, but I had quite small twins (bigger than your ds though), but my boobs were not that huge. I don't think it should make much difference, but my advice would be to try lying down so he is just on the edge of boob as it were. Also if boobs are very hard, I used to find it helpful to express off a tiny bit till the nipple area was soft enough for them to take. If he's really struggling, how about expressing a bit every day so he's still getting the milk and your boobs are still producing, but you can relax a bit more. It does take time for babies to get it.

MerryMarigold · 28/06/2013 14:35

lying down on your side I mean

gymboywalton · 28/06/2013 14:37

my babies were not preemie but i do have huge boobs-38gg

i found that the best way to do was, on the right side, hold the baby in a rugby ball hold. rest him on a pile of pillows and feed like that.
then on the left, support your breast with your left hand and the baby's head with your right hand iyswim.

Charleymouse · 28/06/2013 14:49

Hi Schro, congratulations on your little boy. It might be worth a nosey in premature birth. I have popped a link on from my thread so you can then link back through.

I am not so well endowed but DS was smaller at 3lb 0.5oz and born at 31 weeks. He was tube/BF initially and had to have some of his feeds via a bottle as he was in SCBU for a month. I echo trying the lying down and different positions to see which is most comfortable, have you tried the rugby ball hold, at least then your othre boob is not in the way. Don't worry about shoving him on a bit either, I was quite surprised how rough the MW and HV etc were with DS getting him to get a good latch. (obviously I am not suggesting you throw him arouond or anything just make srue he has a full mouthful of boob.)

It might be worth squeezing yourself to a point and popping yourself in his mouth IYSWIM.

Anyway you are doing a grand job and keep up the good work.

PS there is a pic on my profile showing how little DS is against my boob, it looks hilarious now when I look at it how my strapping 6 year old is so tiny.

BF a preemie

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 28/06/2013 21:21

Gymboy It's the rugby ball hold that we do, he feeds successfully and the MWs say that my latch is perfect but it's really uncomfy and hard to keep up for too long.

I can't do lying on side properly though as my boob ends up covering his entire face! Shock Blush

I have been hand expressing as well as I can't seem to manage to pump? I have tons of milk but just can't seem to get any out with the pump. Confused

Charley Thanks so much for that link, going to have a look at it now. I would be terrified to BF him if he was much smaller, it's scary enough as it is! Seriously well done for that.

Your kids are gorgeous btw, they have such lovely hair!

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MerryMarigold · 28/06/2013 22:33

If you put him on a pillow (or pile of pillows), is it still uncomfy? I only used rugby briefly so not sure on best ways to keep this up for a long time.

It's great if you can hand express!

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 29/06/2013 11:42

Yeah it's still uncomfy. :(

He's barely feeding today, keeps falling asleep and I am getting a little worried as I need to make sure his sugars stay up.

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MerryMarigold · 29/06/2013 14:17

You can try some milk expressed into a bottle. In my experience of 3 kids, at a very young age they could interchange quite easily. When all mine were young, they had maybe one bottle a day and then breastfed exclusively from a month or so old. They wouldn't actually take bottles after that!

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 29/06/2013 14:50

I can't express any out, I managed 40ml the other day in the bath but have had no luck since.

Can't manage anything with a pump, driving me mad!

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MerryMarigold · 29/06/2013 18:14

Did you try electric? A proper one, not battery one. How is he doing now?

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 29/06/2013 18:16

Have tried an electric, it was an avent one though, taking it back as it kept getting stuck (the inside bits of it) and buying the cheaper electric Medela one to try, also tried a manual. :(

Oh, he's doing great now, has been pretty much feeding non stop for the past 2 hours, guess he's making up for earlier.

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Charleymouse · 01/07/2013 10:24

Brill news Schro, Have you got a v pillow? That might help getting comfy for the rugby ball hold, failing that a pile of pillows to your side to prop him up on. Don't forget just because you can't get much out expressing doesn't mean baby can't.

As he gets bigger and stronger you can keep trying different positions for him and you so you get as comfy as you can. I know he seems so little now but he will be big and strong in the blink of an eye.

Oh yeah I remember the evening cluster feeds, sit tight get the remote control/phone/drink/ book for DS1 and settle down for the night.

PS Your DCs look lovely, very handsome little boys.
PPS Thank you I agree my children are gorgeous Wink

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 01/07/2013 16:20

Don't be afraid to let him really bury his face in your boob - the MW told me that she doesn't know how newborns breathe when bf, through their ears perhaps, but they do! DD was 6 lbs 5 and went down to 5lbs 9, I think, so bigger than your DD (born at 37 weeks exactly so just missing preemie-hood), and my boobs are a 30HH now, so must have been much bigger then, with all the extra weight and engorgement.

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 01/07/2013 16:37

Charley I haven't, someone recommended one yesterday so I think that will be next on my to get list!

I know he is getting loads as he chokes, I just wish I could and then DP could do one night feed sometimes. Am getting better with that though as have managed to express enough for a couple of feeds since last night (and now my hands hurt along with my boobs Hmm )

I think that's the only thing getting me through, knowing he is putting weight on and he is getting bigger so it will get easier...

He hasn't been bad with cluster feeds tbh, just today really and oh my god, it is exhausting.

Cheddar The reason it's so hard is I have been lifting my boob out of the way so I don't suffocate him!

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DuchessofHaphazard · 01/07/2013 18:45

I had DD at 32 weeks - she was 3lb10oz (5lb when she came out of NICU/SCBU) and I have 34K boobs, so I know how hard it is when they're so tiny. Things i found that helped:

  1. a good breast feeding cushion. I used to sit with my back against the back of the sofa and my feet up, DD in rugby ball hold. Meant I could reast the arm I was holding my boob with on the back of the sofa, and the pillow was supported by my legs. I could also lean back slightly if necessary to avoid swamping DD with ginormo-boob. The cushion I used was this one: www.amazon.co.uk/Widgey-Nursing-Pillow-Cow-Print/dp/B000NCAFOQ and I still use it sometimes.

  2. Breast feeding lying down was really hard when she was tiny (she's 8mo now). I found that I tend to feed here lying almost on my back, so if she's on my right side, then i lie mostly on my back and hold the right boob with my left hand to get the right position. Comfy pillows really help. To feed off the other side, I just turn some more (so I'm partly on my stomach) and feed her from the left (but she is still on my right IYSWIM).

  3. Rather than lifting my boob entirely out of the way, I just used my fingers to pull it away from her nose slightly. Have to be careful not to screw up the latch though.

Hope that helps, good luck with it all

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 01/07/2013 20:13

Duchess That is really helpful, thank you so much! :)

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sonlypuppyfat · 01/07/2013 20:22

I've got big nellys too and I used to spread my fingers around my nipple to keep the flesh from their noses, and put them on a pillow to bring them up higher. And lying on your side in bed is a nice one too

DuchessofHaphazard · 01/07/2013 21:06

No problem! And I forgot to say congratulations! Flowers

Rhubarb78 · 01/07/2013 21:42

I have big boobs and little babies, though not as small as yours. The best advice i got was to put a rolled up muslin under your boob, this brings my nipple up to a much better position so i can just cuddle dd with one arm while feeding. The other thing i was told was that babies only need the depth of a credit card to breathe when feeding. This has made me relax a lot more about sufficating her with my boobs!

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 01/07/2013 21:45

Ohh, I figured that one out last night with a rolled up towel, very attractive eh? :o

Amazing that is all they need.

Thank you Duchess. :)

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Rhubarb78 · 01/07/2013 21:51

I know, i am not sure i will ever feed discreetly but hey ho, its so much more comfortable than the way i was feeding before and i have a spare hand for a cup of tea. Good luck

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 01/07/2013 21:53

It is a great trick, I agree about the feeding discreetly thing, if you find any way to do that please tell me. Tried to feed in front of family for the first time yesterday and was very Blush.

Thank you. :)

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princessnumber2 · 01/07/2013 21:57

I bf with enormous boobs. Not a tiny baby but boob still about 3-4 times the size of babies head...

I could only do rugby hold and even then only with a couple of cushions or pillows behind me making me sit further forward on the sofa. Then a couple of pillows (or more depending how thin) in an L shape around the side I was feeding on with a v pillow (I used John Lewis one) on top. I then sometimes wedged a little thin cushion under the pillow where baby's head is to bring it up a bit. I could then basically rest a boob on the pillows and feed in rugby hold with baby on her side rather than on her back and just had to pull boob back slightly so she could breathe. Holding my boob in position for a full feed gave me terrible arm and neck ache. Well endowed friends have used the muslin rolled up technique - and even a silk scarf around the neck and in a loop as a sort of boob sling to hoist it up!Grin

I basically needed loads of pillows or I got massive arm, shoulder, neck and back ache. It got easier as she got bigger tho!

Good luck.

princessnumber2 · 01/07/2013 21:59

Also in early days I couldn't feed discretely - what with the 8 pillow set up and everything - but I did get there in the end so don't despair.

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