Niggling worry re ability to bf

[cordiality]

Hi,

I was wondering if you guys can help me. I am only very newly pregnant (about 6 weeks) but have always been concerned that I won't be able to breastfeed as I have very flat nipples that don't really stand out at all, and large areolas.

I can't really begin to imagine how a baby would be able to latch on. It's making me feel sad thinking that I might not be able to breastfeed my child, and I'd sort of like to just know if you guys agree if that might be the case.

Do your nipples start sticking out a bit more during pregnancy?!

So sorry if this is all TMI, I've come off the TTC threads and NOTHING is too much there!!!

Thank you all in advance, x

There's every chance that it will be fine.

This article is from a link on kellymom.com

here

Thank you so much Mawbroon, I will have a good read of the article, it's just good to know that I'm not a freak and some other women are the same as me! Thanks again x

link

Hi cordiality,congratulations!

I have flat nipples that never stick out.I am breastfeeding dc5,11 wks old,as I type.
I b'fed all other 4 for at least 6 months each.It was difficult to learn to latch with dd1 - but it is difficult for lots of mums anyway.Having done her,the others were no probs - with regard to flat nips anyhow.....!
They are still flat when not feeding,and don't come out very much even when feeding,but all dc's gained weight,thrived and are 14,12,9 and 8 now.
This little one is easiest of all, as I know I have done it before so many times!

Post when you are feeding for more advice and support.I'm sure you will be fine!

Best of luck x

Wow, that's really reassuring, thank you! And DC5, how amazing, congratulations!!!

I hope that you'll still be around here in February when I'm tearing my hair out, but in the meantime thank you all for the responses, I do feel much more reassured.

Thank you all and good luck with the babies! x

Also try to make some contact with a real-life breastfeeding group near you before you have the baby. One of my due date group last time got stuck in hospital for several days with a clueless midwife telling her point blank that she wouldn't be able to breastfeed with flat nipples, and she never really recovered her confidence from that. If you know it's possible and you have real life support things will be a lot easier.

The reason that it doesn't really matter is that the baby doesn't feed from your actual nipple, they need to latch onto a good mouthful of areola (ignore anyone who says that you shouldn't be able to see any areola when feeding, otherwise my DS would have had half my breast in his mouth). So, the shape of your nipples themselves doesn't make a huge difference

Good luck, and remember that there is always someone here, but getting in touch with RL support before the birth is better

hi cordiality, you've already had lots of fab replies, but i thought i'd add mine anyway as I was in the same boat as you when pg with ds1

I did have problems breastfeeding him, and wondered if it was due to my nipples but it turned out he was actually tongue-tied and it was nothing to do with me at all.
the only problem I did have was that I wanted to use nipple shields for a little while and it was virutally impossible! but these aren't really recommended unless as a last resort so that shouldn't be a worry for you anyway

but yes, you'll be fine I am sure. I am now on baby number 3 and actually my nipples are no longer flat! don't know what they'll do once ds3 stops feeding, but I've been breastfeeding for the last 2.5 yrs with only a short gap between ds2 and ds3 and they've definitely started sticking out more than they used to

" I have very flat nipples that don't really stand out at all, and large areolas" - ditto sister!

I am currently feeding DC2 (9 weeks) with no problems whatsoever. I find that nipple goes in completely flat, comes out all perky, then goes back to flat. I would second what CMOTdibbler says about seeing/not seeing areola.

However, although my nipples have caused no problems in themselves, they did contribute to other bfing problems which I'll list here because knowledge is power and acting quickly when things go awry it seems is one of the keys to successful bfing:

1. Tongue-tie. I never managed a successful latch with DC1 due to his tongue-tie. As he could roll his tongue as far as his lower gum ridge it wasn't flagged up to be clipped and I had to ebf him. With the benefit of hindsight (and having seen how DC2 uses her tongue to latch), I can now see that those guidelines were drawn up with 'normal' nipples mind and that the poor little soul never stood a chance with mine. I wish I had been aware of this at the time and been a bit more assertive.

1. Engorgement. For the first 6 weeks or so your boobs will be adjusting to milk-making and will sometimes (more at first, less later) get quite solid with milk. This makes it harder for baby to get a good mouthful of breast. I found I had to express off excess milk with a breast pump before nearly every feed during the first week or DC2 (even with her lovely long tongue) simply couldn't latch on. The downside to doing this is that it takes your supply longer to calm down (you have to slowly cut back on the expressing) but it worked for me.

1. Nipple problems. You will have to be so very, very strict with DC about latching on properly and be prepared to take him/her off and re-latch quite often in the early few days of feeding until he/she gets the hang of it. This is true for all newborns but especially, it seems to me, with flat nipples as the baby has to open his/her mouth even wider in order to get the nipple to the back of their mouth.

One final tip is to buy some breast shells. These are a lifesaver if you do end up with sore/cracked nipples and I also found them quite useful for helping the nipple stay out a bit between feedings in the first few days when baby is still learning what to do.

Reading this back it sounds like a nightmare - but DC1 (tongue tie) was quite unusual and DC2 was feeding well within about 5 days and by the end of week 3 bfing her was an effortless pleasure .

You are definately not a freak! Many, many women have large areolas and flat nipples. Many. Like others have said, babies need a mouthful of nipple AND areloa, and many will find the baby draws out flat or inverted nipples.

Pg might make them more prominent too, or it might not. Don't worry to much about it. and def get ahold of your nearest La Leche League/Breastfeeding Network/NCT bf group with a breastfeeding counsellor in attendance.

There is no substitute for RL support and help but these boards come a close second so keep reading and post if you need to! (No such thing as TMI here either!)

You guys are amazing thank you so much. I've been welling up a little reading the responses, mostly because I'm so relieved and grateful... that must be these crazy hormones!

I'm going to print out this thread and keep it so I don't panic and know what to do when the time comes.

Amazing xx

My nipples are flat with my areolae which are large and quite "puffy". My DSs have always just grabbed the lot and pulled the nipple out themselves.

If in the morning they are stretched flat because they are so loaded, I just kind of give the nipple a tug and it pulls out enough for my baby to grab.

Main this is to wait until bubs has their mouth wide open (and in the case of my babies coming at you like a shark ).

You will be fine, you body can do this no worries, try to see someone in person though so they can give you hints and tips.

Lol at Morloth's "coming at you like a shark" - mine too

My nipples were flat - after breastfeeding they're not any more