Daft first-timer question about breast-feeding

[McSnail]

Hi - I've posted this on the Pregnancy forum, but realised that this is probably the best place for it.

I've never had what you'd call small bosoms. Now I'm pregnant they're obviously much bigger, and I assume when the milk comes in they'll be gargantuan.

Is it harder to feed a baby if your boobs are massive? I worry that there'll be too much boob for the wee one to cope with, and I'm going to have to develop some complicated holding technique to prevent child from being smothered. I also worry I'll never be able to breast-feed in public discreetly.

Starlight - I am stalking you tonight lol.

Mine are massive. Have there own postcode (each). When I first started with DS it was a learning process - I remember the MW gently telling me I may need to lift the top of my breast slightly as DS couldnt actually breathe . Mine are still bigger than DD's head now she is 7 months.

You just work out positions really as you get used to each other. When your milk comes in they may seem absolutely massive and it might be hard to latch baby on...but they do go down a bit and it gets easier. You may need to use one hand to support the breast and lift it up or out of the way as such but its something you learn with time. I also found that drop cup nursing bras with a thick support band kind of lifted me up a bit anyway.

The public feeding should be pretty straightforward and discreet as you get more confident. Best tip I ever had was to get loads of simple vest tops and wear one underneath your normal top - then when it comes to feeding, pull that down and your top up - then you are covered nicely. I was always more worried about flashing my stomach lol!

I have comedy sized bosoms on a size 12 frame. I'm currently bf 4 month old DD, having fed DS for nearly 2 yrs. And yes, to begin with I was scared of squashing my babies, but once we got the hang of it bf has been fairly straightforward.

I did get engorged both times when my milk came in (within 48 hrs both times) and found lying in a warm bath and expressing a bit off v helpful - this only lasted for about a day and supply started to settle.

As for feeding in public, I do the vest top under normal top - pull vest down and normal top up for minimum exposure. I have bf in all sorts of places and never had a negative comment. Very often people won't even realise that you are feeding.

Good luck

My boobs felt mahoosive when feeding the boys.
my BF bra's were 32 G no problem feeding at all with regard to size at all. good luck

I was a 32DD before pregnancy and a 32F now I'm breastfeeding (6 months now). They didn't get any bigger from 8 months pregnant (had my baby early) to the early stages of breastfeeding. I had no leaking, no engorgement and consequently thought I was doing it all wrong.

I DID find breastfeeding hard with big knockers. Well, lets rephrase that. I found breastfeeding hard ... and I have big tits. Big difference there. I think it's drummed into you that you'll be a massive milker and easy breastfeeder with big tits when that isn't the case.

I have breastfed in public with a cover (I live in Singapore) while I got used to the process. Now I just pull up my top. I have no problems having big tits. What I will say is that I found it tricky to nurse in a wrap or sling with big tits because there's not much waggle room and yet you're trying to position a mouth near a nipple. Tricky.

In the early days I found the rugby hold the only one I could do. 6 months on it's tummy to tummy/lying down/sitting up. Anything really.

I actually find night feeds lying down a doddle with big tits. So yeah, a bonus.

Good luck, I think it's hard sometimes whichever shape or size you are. It's easy to blame size/nipple type when it's all going wrong.

Oh, three top tips (also mentioned above)

Boppy cushion. Meant once arranged I had hands free to read/push down tit a bit to stop her suffocating!

Rolled muslin stuck into the bottom of the bra to lift the nipple

Anita underwired breastfeeding bras. I bought 2 (black and white) and the underwire has made public breastfeeding easier for me as it keeps the boob supported.

And yes, I had to press down a part of my boob until my 5lb early baby got bigger and her nose wasn't totally obscured!

Thanks so much for all the advice - some reassuring and practical stuff for me to use - especially the different ways to feed discreetly in public.
Thanks again.

I think it's not at all a daft question, and the answers would probably help a lot of people reading mumsnet. In fact I've seen the same question asked on another forum today.

'm probably not really that big but I think one of the things I found unhelpful when I struggling to establish bfing with ds2 after failing with ds1 was being made paranoid that I was going to suffocate my baby by the advice of various health care professionals. Some of these ideas might have helped me. Meanwhile, some years ago my mum believed she was too small to feed lying down, I find that most unlikely.

when my milk first comes in boob turns into giant ball - so no nipple sticking out (IYSWIM!). I found I had to express a bit out to allow for baby to latch on!

They do settle after a while though.

An NCT midwife also suggested I hold boob with one hand (for support and bit of lift up!) and baby with other. This helped in early days.

All gets much easier as you and baby get better. Feeding outside is just about confidence - as long as you know you won't expose any flesh it's fine.