Breastfeeding after a breast reduction?

[daydreamerfordays]

I had a reduction 5 years ago and, now I'm pregnant, was hoping I might be able to hear from anyone on here who also had the procedure and went on to breastfeed.

At the time, the consultant said he'd 'checked' the nerves when the surgery was complete and said I should be fine if I ever went on to have a child and want to BF. If anything, my boobs are a lot more sensitive than they were pre surgery, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with it!

My nipples have definitely grown larger and darker as I believe is common in most pregnancies but again, I don't know if this is any indication they''ll 'work' when it comes to trying to BF; I also know being able to BF is not guaranteed for any woman.

If you have any experience, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. Thanks in advance!

Hi op,

I had a breast reduction 8 years ago and I was told the same. I'm now 37 weeks pregnant and obviously I haven't tried to breast feed yet but my boobs have been leaking since about 22 weeks. I've now got yellow colostrum coming from them so I'm imagining I'm going to be okay to breast feed!

Good luck!

Hey @blue122 thanks for coming back to me - this is really promising! If you get any time after the baby comes to let me know how you're getting on, that would be amazing but I won't push my luck 😂

Best of luck with everything and how exciting you're only a matter of weeks away x

Wow you have read my mind! I was going to start this post if I couldn't already find one! l had one 4 years ago, and I healed very well. My consultant said "some women can, some women can't". He was very non-commital and didn't want to give me false promises.

My other question tho, which I didn't think to ask at the time, is if you can't breastfeed the milk still gets produced, so where does it go?? Could you get mastitis if if can't come out of you?

@kittenpeak - that's such a good point! I have no idea but sounds like we could be in for a painful ride if that were to happen...

Given @blue122 has colostrum already, this is promising :)

Hi I had a breast reduction before having my Third dd. Although I didn't breast feed her (personal choice) I did produce milk and had leakage so think I would have been able to. I was advised not to breast feed by doctor as it was too soon but for personal reasons I decided to bottle feed anyway.

Hi I had a breast reduction before having my Third dd. Although I didn't breast feed her (personal choice) I did produce milk and had leakage so think I would have been able to. I was advised not to breast feed by doctor as it was too soon but for personal reasons I decided to bottle feed anyway.

@daydreamerfordays I have been booked in for a c section on Friday due to medical reasons, so I'll let you know if they decide to work!! 😁

Good luck and do share how you're getting on once ready x

Omg how exciting!! Good luck with everything and will look forward to hearing how you are - in general, not just the boobs 😂

Hi @boymum4 hope you don't mind me messaging and hope all is going ok!

@boymum4 - I was thinking of you today too. Thanks @kittenpeak :)

@kittenpeak @daydreamerfordays thank you for both thinking of me!

C section went amazingly and my boy was born on Friday 10th July weighing 7 lbs 1. Happy to say breastfeeding is going so well and he put on a pound in 5 days! I hope this gives you all hope 😃

I had a breast reduction at 20 and first child at 30 - i could feed but had low supply so mixed fed. Produced more milk weirdly with my next two children but not enough to ebf- doctors agree due to the reduction - but they've all had both breast milk and formula and been fine. Hope it goes well for you.

@boymum4 that's amazing - massive congratulations! Enjoy every second :)

And thank you @PaganOfTheGoodTimes, that's so good to know. I actually don't mind if I can't ebf, but I would love to at least be able to a bit!

On a related note... did the size of your boobs go back down? Mine have already gone back to pre-op size and I hate them (although easier to cope with now, as I know it's for the baby). Genuinely wondering if I'll need to have another reduction in the future...

Glad you are birth doing well @boymum4
I also don't mind if I can't EBF, I'm more worried about getting infections if my milk won't come out!

@daydreamerfordays My boobs have grown a lot since the op - not at all since being pregnant but only 7 weeks. I was told this might happen, as some people just have that gene, and removing tissue doesn't mean it stops tissue from growing! So it might be something we are stuck with 😞

I went from 30hh to 30dd ish ... I’m currently bfing my third and I’m now a 32j 😭 I’m wondering about having the op again when I’m all done with babies!

I tried to bf my first. It was hard, but fantastic, and the left one worked much better than the right (no explanation?!) I actually don't have a lot of feeling in my nipples so also was better when they cracked I couldn't feel it as much. Sadly my little one also needed extra fluids due to jaundice so ended up being replaced :(

Moral of the story - totally possible, can be a fab experience and go for it!