No information on line about BF after reduction surgery? Any stories?

[LittleBok]

I am just four weeks from my due date and in 2004 underwent a breast reduction with the view that if I could breastfeed in later life then great and if not then surgery was better than carrying around 32G breasts!!

Now that time is upon me and the NCT classes are not proving very helpful as they are so anti bottle feeding and so don't really have much advice for anyone that queries breast feeding. Is there anyone out there who has had the surgery or knows anyone who has that has success/failure to feed naturally?!?!

Hiya

this thread was posted quite recently.

Afaik it depends on how your ducts 'survived' the operation but from what I've heard you're more likely to be able to breastfeed than not if you see what I mean? I think it depends slightly wether your nipples were removed/ reattached or repositioned during op as well? (though could be wrong about that) I'm due in 5 weeks and have had a reduction (nipples were repositioned), and have a lot of milk already so am quite confident. And very happy as before I reasearched it I aussumed I wouldn't be able to.

I have looked after quite a few babies whos mothers have had reductions also (am a neonatal nurse) and most were able to produce at least enough milk to provide the majority of feeds, with lots going on to fully breast feed by discharge. Having said that, don't let anyone make you feel guilty if you do need to top up when it comes to it. The fact that you are wanted to breast feed your baby is wonderful but be prepared just in case.

Good luck!

Hi Littlebok - This is a LLL book that you may find helpful :

LLL book

I had a reduction in 2005 - DS was born in 2007. My nipple was left attached, but I'd had no milk leakage (and couldn't express colostrum) while pregnant, so didn't know whether I'd be able to breast-feed, but DS latched on quite happily and sucked out some liquid within the first hour after birth.

We did have issues with the scar tissue around my nipples, which meant that DS couldn't get a good latch - due to a lack of support we ended up doing a mixture of BF, expressing and FF for the first few weeks.

I ended up developing a full blown kidney infection during the second month which had me back in hospital and on hard core drugs which the doctors told me I couldn't breast feed on (I'm now led to believe that this may not be true), but we ended up on formula after 6 weeks or so.

I'm hoping with DC2 I can get some more support from the start and be more prepared - have a look at bfar, they have a book which I bought which has been helpful. Like you, I still would have the reduction knowing it meant I may not be able to BF, as I was in constant pain lugging around the enormous weight of my breasts.

If you have any more questions let me know!

littlebok - have you seen www.bfar.com?

NCT classes are breastfeeding classes - they aren't intended to cover formula feeding. Were you not told this when you booked a course?

Hope you manage to enjoy bf and have a good experience

tiktok- am not sure that's the right link

Am shocked about the NCT actually... is that true?! I haven't been to NCT classes as they were full up in my area by the time I applied, but I presumed the idea was basically a private antenatal class. And while the obvious benefits of breastfeeding would be discussed, I thought they would have to similarly support and advise a mother who chose for whatever reason to formula feed, surely?

I had a reduction ten year before I had ds1 and was able to breast feed although went to bottles after about 6 weeks, the same with ds2.

Didn't feel I got much support regarding op affecting bf.

Felt very down after stopping bf ds1, but was ok after ds2. Everybody is different, sorry.

Thank you for all this advice, it is very useful and reassuring to hear there are others going through the same thing.

I have heard that I may need to top up with formula, so I guess I need to research this and make sure I have the necessary equipment and plan for how much we do this. The NCT classes have been so useful but the all day breastfeeding session was very interesting however even the woman who hope they can feed all said that being kept in the dark about bottles totally was not helping as what if they had trouble too.

That book looks great and I'm going to buy it today! I too hope that little man latches on and something comes out. I seem to remember my sugeon saying he had removed the nipple and then re-positioned, I have had no leakage but all the other normal stuff like increased size, darker nipples etc. I guess I just wait and see! Thanks again to you all.

I had a reduction a year ago, o idea wether I would be able to feed or not, not an issue for me as I have my children, what I would advise is try it, it will become apparent very quickly if things are not working as they should be. any leaking of colostrum or milk is a brilliant indicator thateverything is as it should be, I think also sensation in you nipple area could be an indicator, if you have iot then things must still be attached even if your nipple was removed and moved iyswim.
i hope it goes well for you.

Ha! Wrong link indeed

www.bfar.org

NCT is a charity and a membership organisation. Its antenatal classes are clearly billed as including a breastfeeding class and if people go to an 'all day breastfeeding session' then that is what they will get

This is not 'keeping people in the dark' about formula feeding - it's just that if you want information about formula feeding you cannot expect to get it at the breastfeeding class.

This is not really on topic for this thread, and there have been lots of threads about NCT and breastfeeding on mumsnet. There are sound reasons for the breastfeeding class not being 'the feeding class', IMO.