boob job v breast feeding?

[motherbeyond]

well, had a boob job just before i got married 5 years ago. when my dd was born,i breastfed,but she ddn't seem to feed very well,or gain much weight.she suffered very bad collic/wind,and at one point i freaked out that an implant had leaked into the milk and she had ingested it!i never seemed to produce much milk, i could exprss for hours and only get half a bottle.i kept it up for a few months and then gave in.
with ds,he seemed to feed better,but there were complications and he had to be re-admitted to hospital,this shook my confidence and i eneded up bottle feefing him after about 3 weeks.
i was very upset.

im now pregnant again,and already panicking about feeding.
i desperatley want to succeed this time.i worry that i haven't enough milk, i've tried to talk to midwives and h.v's but feel they always fob me off.i've rung the nct breastfeeding support line in tears.
i just want to know one way or another,has the boob job effected by ability to produce milk?

What kind of boob job was it? Just an implant? Where was it placed? Did you have an incision around your areola or near the armpit?

If the incision was around your areola then nerve damage was likely and this type of incision does often cause problems with breastfeeding. Obviously any damage to the duct is a concern too.

Incision around your armpit is more hopeful but may still mean a duct was affected.

Generally enlargement causes less problems with breastfeeding than a reduction.

Breastfeeding with implants has been in the news in the US recently and there a few articles around online:
www.lilsugar.com/4588450
Pamela Anderson managed it successfully apparently.

Forgot to say 'expressing for hours and only getting half a bottle' isn't relevant here. Plenty of women struggle with pumping. It's not a reliable judge of supply. And half a bottle sounds quite a lot anyway.

What happened when you called the NCT line? Were you able to talk through your experiences - the weight gain, the complications with your DS?

yes,just an implant incision was under the breast.i told the surgeon at the time that i wanted to breast feed in the future and he said it wouldn't be a problem. the lady at the nct was very nice,am amazed she could understand me the way i babbled and sobbed!she just talked about technique,and positioning,wheras i feel it is the supply that is the problem.i just feel such a failure.
i asked the midwife again the night i had ds.she said he was feeding well and my positioning was great.the same thing they said about dd.however when i get home it seems to fall apart.i wanted to ask the midwives about feeding post boob job,but was paranoid they would think i was a bimbo!
when i ask midwives on the home visits they just pooh pooh the ides that my supply is low and say stock replies like "oh,baby will let you know mum!" but i feel they ARE trying to let me know! it's all very frustrating.

forgot to say,thanks for all the info tambajam...it's really very heplful.

the pumping thing has only inflamed the situation. it doesn't help when you've got a friend saying things like "oh,i expressed for 5 mins last night and got 800mls!it was just gushing out!"

...and i'm there watching each tiny trickle!

Honestly if it was an implant incision under the breast then it's unlikely to have had a big effect on your supply. It's not impossible but I don't think you should feel as bleakly as you do.
When you feel calmer have another ring back and chat to another counsellor. Talk through EXACTLY how you can tell whether a baby is getting enough milk initially. What their nappies should look like in the first few days for example. How many poos and pees? How often to feed in 24h hours. Maybe also talk about galactalogues to give your supply a bit of a boost (and perhaps your confidence). Galactalogues are herbs that help maximize your supply like fenugreek. There are also medications that can be prescribed if you are really concerned although that's a bigger step.

With DD colic/ wind wasn't about supply, pumping output I've mentioned. Her weight gain might be relevant but lots of babies have slower weight gain when there are no underlying supply problems. It might be more about management of breastfeeding, positioning or just a baby that naturally puts weight on more slowly. You say 'you kept it up for a few months'. That sounds like successful breastfeeding to me. Plenty of people would feel incredibly proud of getting to a few months. I think part of this is you need to give yourself a bit of a break. You are not a bimbo. No one is going to think you are a bimbo. Everyone is on your side.

We cross-posted. I had mega oversupply and hardly managed to pump a thing. I struggled to get a letdown.
60-90mls is more normal than 800mls. People often need to pump a couple of times to get enough milk for one bottle feed for example. Honestly forget the pumping thing.

Hi motherbeyond, there is a great book by Diane West called "Making more milk" that has a chapter on all types of breast surgery, how you can tell if your milk supply is sufficient, and strategies for increasing it. You can find it on Amazon. HTH.

god, i love this site! tambajam i feel calmer already just 'talking' to you. i often feel like i'm taking up m.w's precious time talking it through,and i feel as though they're thinking "christ,woman..it's not like it's your first,and i've got 5 more visits before lunch!" like i've somehow missed my chance.
another problem perhaps,is that my dh,although very supportive in general,doesn't see the point of breast feeding.he is irish catholic and his mother didn't b.f her 5 children. she was told it was 'dirty/sexual' he doesn't believe this ,of course,but thinks i'm torturing myself for no good reason,when i could just give formula.

my mum thinks, i should if i can,but not to beat myself up over it if it doesn't happen.

Well, your mum isn't far wrong. But I guess I would add to that that it helps to EXPECT it to work and make use of the resources available to try and make sure it does. Your few months with your DD shows it can. If there was a major supply problem I don't think you'd be pondering whether there might have been, if you see what I mean. Someone would have said to you, "What the heck is going on here?". A health professional would have discussed it with you long before you made it several months of bfing.

I would spend a bit of time now lining up your soldiers. Find what support is available locally. Ask HVs or phone the helplines and ask for details of local counsellors who will do home visits. Even paying for a lactation consultant (www.lcgb.org) could work out as cost effective in the end. Try and arrange to have someone round in the first few days after birth to observe a feed and reassure you. Not just your MW who may not be fully trained in bfing but someone there for that purpose.

As for your DH, perhaps he is trying to protect you and he is worried you are getting yourself in knots. Just let him know that breastfeeding is probably going to work and you are feeling more relaxed about it and you are going to make sure you find some local support so you can really give it a shot. It's sad to hear about your MIL but at least there's some awareness of where your DH's ambiguity might be coming from. Just ask him to support you and maybe inform himself about why it's worth trying your best.

I forgot to mention this site:
www.bfar.org/

I think of it as 'breastfeeding after reduction' but infact it's after any surgery. You may find the forums helpful for support.

Good info here for example:
www.bfar.org/possible-augmentation.shtml

Apologies for being a dufus about links.

sorry for disappearing,was exhausted,and bed called!thanks so much for that,and all the support.it's brilliant to have someone so knowledgable on the subject,that i feel isn't clock-watching.(i'm assuming you work in the health profession)
i will definitely look into b.feeding more. a good thing about this pregnancy is that we've moved into a little rural village,with one doctors surgery employing,two m.w 's and two h.v's,so at least there will be more continuity. i saw a different person at each appointment last time,and after the birth when you had just got used to one person,they would just change shift!

re my dh,i think if i make a big deal of it this time he will think i'm mad!he has already said this morning that i won't be able to 'do it' this time,as i'll be too busy looking after the other two.he feels if i have to sit with a baby glued to my boob for ages,it would be of detriment to my other children (3 and 18months)

You didn't disappear anywhere! It's called bedtime

Humpfh on your DH this morning.
I found a sling invaluable with my second child. Just plug on baby and you're good to go. Does it not think your new baby deserves the chance you gave the other two? i.e trying to breastfeed.

I am a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor.

If you have any questions over the next few months keep this thread going. No rush.

HOPEFULLY someone who has breastfed successfully after augumentation will be along shortly. Mumsnet is a big place.

again,thankyou,brilliant to have your advice.

i think dh assumes i'll b.f for a few weeks with the new baby,but no longer.admittedly,i did seem to dedicate a large portion of the day to feeding,they never seem satisfied...another worry.as a result seemed to always have ds stuck to me,whilst dd was saying "mummy,put it down and come and play!!" cue the guilt!

anyway,went for a swim this morning and feel a bit more positive about it.

(off to take my dd to a bday party now...sure to undo all my meditation!!)

forgot to say thanks pinkpony i'll def try and get hold of that book.ta for the tip!

breast implants go behind the breast and no-where near the actual breast tissue, so they do not disrupt bf (or contaminate milk). Of course you may have always had 'issues' with your breasts hence having implants and that wouldn't have helped with your confidence about bf.

almost constant feeding is normal, it can get you down, but it doesn't last forever as the baby gets bigger and can feed more efficiently. i have never really been able to express, but still feeding ds2 now at 21 months, after disaster feeding ds1 - didn't realsie constant feeding normal and so didn't and he didn't gain weight so was ff.

well done for wanting to try again with your dc3. my confidence was really low with ds2 but i found it very helpful to have short term goals (to bf for 2 weeks, then 4 , then 2 months etc) and a good local bf group for support, to listen to my problems and tears! is there one near you, you could go before baby born so then if you do have problems the faces are familiar.

best of luck, keep posting.

I know someone who successfully breastfed with implants. It should be fine. You have probably had all the same issues that Mums who breastfed have, but because of the implants your confidence on your boobs is a little fragile!

Do you have any breastfeeding drop-ins near you? I found them invaluable when feeding twins, as had similar issues with thinking I didn't have enough supply etc etc. It was great to get some acknoledgement that actually I was doing fine.

thanks for replys,i thought thread had dissappeared into the ether!

i have always had issues with my breasts,that eventually drove me to having surgery..it was a big step and not one i undertook lightly.
the trouble is,it's so embarrasing admitting you've had it done,especialy to medical staff. I immediatley suspect they think me some kind of narcissistic cretin!
There's not much support re bf at home as i have mentioned.it's not that dh is being unkind/unhelpful,he is very loving and caring.he just doesn't see why i should be up half the night,when you could ff and see exactly how much they're getting.

it is my own reactions that have brought him to this conclusion,after seeing me cry/fret/panic over how much milk baby is getting,and feeding all the time.

it doesn't help that all my nct group took to bf like ducks to water.
babies fed efficiently evry 4 hours after a while,and slept through the night after 6-8 weeks.
i just feel so inadequate.pathetic really.

i don't know about bf groups nearby...im only 8 weeks (and worrying already!) so haven't even had my booking in apt yet.when i do,i'll try and be more vocal about my concerns.
i'm so looking forward to this new baby so much.i hate that this is overshadowing my excitement.(well,that and the morning sickness!started a new job yesterday,and sat at my desk boaking,then had to make a bolt for the loos!not embarrassing at all!)