Flat nipples and big boobs

[Noloudnoises]

Has anyone managed to successfully breast feed with flat nipples and ginormous (JJ/K) boobs?

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Not quite as large as you, but 30HH at my largest.

First pregnancy I swear my nips got bigger and flatter throughout my pregnancy!

Had a small baby and we did struggle quite a bit with latch at first. Nipple shields saved us! Honestly I’m not sure we’d have managed without them. Used them for several months. Fed for over a year in total. I used Boots own brand which were great but I’ve heard good things about the medela ones.

Second baby I had the nipple shields on hand just in case (packed them in my hospital bag) I used them for a few days because when my milk came in on day 2 my boobs got engorged and we had some very brief latch issues. After a while they kind of suck your nipples into a more pointy shape so try not to worry about the flatness too much.

I used a breast pump quite a lot with DC1 and a little bit (enough to be glad I had it) with DC2. Main issue with large boobs for me involved getting a deep enough latch (eg getting enough breast tissue in their mouth) and the best ways I found to address this were by using nipple shields and expressing a little milk if they got too big and round, which softened them a bit.

Nipple shields. Am 30/32 k/L and when my milk came in I got terribly engorged, and yes, nipples got flatter. Failed to feed first baby due to this & not having support.
I got a bf consultant in who taught me to sort of squash the nipple a bit so it’s like the baby’s biting into a sandwich.
Look at molke bras for round the house.

That's so very kind of you both to reply!

First baby wouldn't latch at all but also complications with dodgy birth. So I pumped for a few months which ripped my nipples to shreds. This time I want to breast feed so I will keep the faith!

I have all manner of nipple shields.

What I can't get my head around is the having the faff of getting the pumping gear out for a quick burst then feeding. I'm an anything for an easy life kinda person!

I have a private breast feeding lady's number to help. But I'm also stroppy if people try to make me feel bad about ditching it all to go for formula. I shall give it a go!

What about using a latch assist? It sort of pulls your nipple out so baby can latch.

I did. Fed fine without shields. Had some home advice from a lactation consultant on boob-sandwich-squishing and helping DC open mouth really wide.

Another vote for squeezing like a sandwich here! It's a knack. Once you crack it you don't need any pumps and it's so easy. Feeding changed the shape of my nipples so they are no longer flat.

Oh, I would be a bit wary about using a pump early on, I didn’t find it helped with the nipple that much & also had problems with oversupply.

It sounds a bit like we have had similar experience with the first go. Feeding the second has been, whilst not totally a breeze much, much easier. Being a bit more relaxed helped, I had ferocious baby blues first time round.

@GummyGoddess do you mean this one?

Lansinoh Latch Assist Nipple Everter with Case https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C93WS4C/ref=cmswwrcppapi_h6KvBb3T5CFG5

If this could suck it out a bit and then wang it in a little mouth without having to get the pump out then great.

I will look into this Sandwich squeeze you're all mentioning! Thank you!

Doesn't help that it will be 50 degrees in the hospital I imagine, no chance for cold erect nipples (not that us flatties really have that issue)

Haven’t been able to get ds2 (4 weeks) to latch yet for various reasons including large nipples, and I’m expressing.
If you do end up pumping again, do get a larger size Medela breast shield - it’s totallt saved my nipples. The medium ones I used in hospital brutalised them.

Yes, that's the one I used. You could also combine it with the flipple technique to get a deeper latch. I found that after a little while using it your nipples stop being so flat and then don't need it anymore.