Breastfeeding after a breast reduction - any experiences

[Mindboggle]

I had a breast reduction 9 years ago on the NHS and the surgeon was categoric that I wouldn't be able to breat feed. I was wondering if anyone had tried and what the outcomes were: successful or not so successful.
thanks for sharing.

Breast feeding after surgery varies. All of the glands for breast feeding are two inches behind the nipple. So a traditional boob job shouldn't effect BFing. If they remove some of the glands then it could effect your milk production. But if they damage the ducts (directly behind the nipple) then BFing is impossible.

The surgeon should know about this. So he prob believes that the ducts are damaged or that to many of the glands have been removed. You won't know for sure until you try

I have fed two babies after a breast reduction, also 9 years ago. My ds is 3 in January, and I fed him until he was a year. Dd is 9 months and still feeding. I plan to let her self wean. It can be done, if there is not too much damage to the milk ducts.

You will really just have to try and see how it goes. I really recommend a proper baby moon, though - stay in bed and do nothing but feed and sleep. Your boobs will need the extra stimulation more than likely.

It can certainly be done though it depends on nerve damage during surgery and what your breasts were like before surgery - how much glandular tissue was there in the first place. In 9 years, there's a good chance milk ducts will have recanalised but nerves take longer to repair and it can be hard to predict. Nerves control the 'milk ejection reflex' (letdown) and different types of surgery will mean different levels of damage. However I've even observed a mother who had a nipple entirely removed (15 years before) get a letdown which must mean nerves repaired.

It's a good idea to find an IBCLC (lactation consultant) to meet with in pregnancy and support you fully in the first few weeks when your milk supply needs to maximised and a close eye kept on the situation. UK LCs can be found on www.lcgb.org.

I've known mums post-surgery who breastfeed exclusively and some who mix feed. I've never met one who didn't produce a least a decent portion of their baby's intake.

Check out www.bfar.org for forums and decent book recommendations.

Thanks for all the replies, my DS was born in June and I didn't breastfeed. I had had 9 years of thinking it wasn't possible so didn't try. After he was born my feelings changed and I would really like to try if we have a second

Mindboggle - you don't have to comment on this in public but if you experienced breast changes in pregnancy, experienced engorgement and leaking post-partum - those would be positive signs for the future.

Do contact an LC to chat through your situation. You could even consider doing some pumping and 'relactating' at this point if your instincts are telling you it is something you might be interested in. Developing breast tissue now will improve your chances for a second lactation. Just something to think about.

Truthfully, after a breast reduction surgery (especially one from relatively long ago), no one can really say definitively that someone will absolutely not be able to breastfeed. Even if they are the surgeon doing the operation.

We are!

I can't EBF as I had some of my ducts removed as part of the surgery and the scar tissue surrounds some elsewhere. We managed to figure that I had about 50% ish supply. I had a BF specialist midwife as my community midwife she was really good.

The LLL book is worth a read too.

DD is nearly 6m and I feed her to sleep mainly, all her night feeds are on the boob. She's mainly bottle fed in the day, I'm quite badly scarred (post surgery infection of my stitches) so don't like feeding in public cos of that.

It works for us

I have to say, it is by far the best thing I have ever ever done. I thought I wouldn't be able to BF at all so mixed feeding is a compromise I'm happy with now. Like a PP mentioned I was leaking colostrum from about 35weeks so I had a glimmer that my boobs might work!

A friend recommemded BF support groups. I will say they weren't for me, whilst I'm sure it's not particularly specialist you don't come across many bfar mums. The couple I attended, the leaders were horrendously misinformed. After an hour of how I shouldn't mix feed and how I could relactate on more than 1 occasion I gave up going to them. I always came away feeling dreadful and crying. Never tried a LLL group though.

Feel free to ask anything, im happy to share my experience so far - I'm not a professional or expert by any means. Just muddling through!

Realised that was long, offloaded a bit there - sorry!