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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

breast feeding question small breasts.

25 replies

babylove21 · 26/12/2007 21:51

I am planning to breastfeed my baby when the time comes.
I know breasts enlarge through pregnancy or at least i have upped a cup size but i am still small with a b cup. I started out with an aa or a cup depending on style of bra.
My question is does having smaller boobs make it any harder for baby to latch on and feed properly ?
i am 20 weeks now btw.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

theUrbanDryAdventCalendar · 26/12/2007 21:57

the size of your breasts will absolutely not affect your ability to produce milk. you may need to experiment with positions, but you'll need to do that anyway, as you get used to holding the baby, and getting him or her latched on.

kellymom is an excellent source of advice. congrats on your pregnancy.

AwayinaMargoNooNooCribForABed · 26/12/2007 22:02

Visibility is much better with smaller boobs (I'm assuming that you are "perky" as well).

AwayinaMargoNooNooCribForABed · 26/12/2007 22:03

Did that make sense? I mean you can see the latch a bit better and observe a bit more.

Hope that's a bit clearer.

ArrietyClock · 26/12/2007 22:08

Snap! Was quite chuffed I had made it to a B cup. Shame it's all gone again though, even though I haven't stopped feeding yet. Personally I had no problems feeding. I think it's those with flat/inverted nipples that have the greater problem with latch. The only thing I couldn't manage easily was a rubgy ball hold - I needed cushions to balance the baby on as too much of the baby's body has to stick out behind you (if that makes sense) if you have small boobs. I also found feeding lying down a bit tricky when she was tiny, but no problem now she is bigger.

Original poster

babylove21 · 26/12/2007 22:16

thanks i will try the link. I know milk should not alter. all the mags show mums with ' larger' size boobs and i cant see me ever being that big.
perky now i have upped a cup size
and yes i have seen those cushions that wrap around you, i want one now cause my ribs are aching !

OP posts:

theUrbanDryAdventCalendar · 26/12/2007 22:16

Arietty (great name!) i have F cup breasts and couldn't feed ds lying down when he was tiny! dh used to find me sitting up in bed, asleep, and put ds back in his crib so i could lie down! i miss those days!!!

theUrbanDryAdventCalendar · 26/12/2007 22:17

babylove - don't bother getting an expensive nursing pillow, get a V shaped "neck support" pillow from Argos, does exactly the same thing, and is a third of the price. hang on, will look in the laminated book of dreams for you...

theUrbanDryAdventCalendar · 26/12/2007 22:19

there you go

(you know why it's laminated, don't you? To catch the tears of joy!!)

pistachio · 26/12/2007 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ArrietyClock · 26/12/2007 22:29

Oh that makes me feel better UrbanDryad. I used to envy those with a larger cup size who I thought could just wave a boob in the direction of the baby while still lying down. Guess some things just work for some and not for others and it's all luck of the draw.

coby · 26/12/2007 22:33

My friend who was a A cup which enlarged to a B when PG and BFing found it much easier to BF that I did with my H cup .

I had to get into all sorts of weird positions to BF and poor DS's couldn't latch on properly if my boobs were full (this settled once BF was establised at 10 weeks though)

I think it might be a bit easier to feed discretely with smaller boobs, my friend just looked like she was cuddling her baby whereas I sort of had to hold mine at arms length . That said, maybe I was just crap at it - we both managed to feed until our DCs were 9months.

Good luck with your BF - I think the best thing to do is to remember it gets easier with practise and every feed you give is a positive step.

coby · 26/12/2007 22:35

x post with pistachio - must remember to not get distracted half way through typing a post

AwayinaMargoNooNooCribForABed · 26/12/2007 22:42

Arriety, the grass is always greener. There are obstacles for any size (I'm a jj cup) but there are solutions that can work for people. I would say that rugby hold is probably better for well endowed ladies.

UrbanDryad - If you do have another baby (gwan, you know you want to) and want to feed lying down, try feeding from the top breast rather than the bottom.

What I would give to have smaller boobs!

MarsyChristmas · 26/12/2007 22:45

No it's not the size of the boob! I have clients with small boobs, big boobs and middling boobs. All have successfully breastfed. My bf is an A cup (might even be smaller) and she successfully bfed!

theUrbanDryAdventCalendar · 27/12/2007 09:09

Margo - i do want another baby, i do i do (and so does dh) but my AF hasn't come back yet (still bf-ing very regularly), so i'm not sure if it'll be anytime soon

daisynova · 27/12/2007 11:21

I was worrying about this too but thanks for putting my mind at rest x

Original poster

babylove21 · 27/12/2007 20:25

Thanks everyone. wow that argos pillow is loads cheaper, i will most def be ordering one of those!! And there was me trudging ebay for a cheap one.
I'm excited now, thanks again everyone

OP posts:

asset1 · 27/12/2007 20:31

yeah me too. I had no trouble breastfeeding, in fact found it easier than a lot of friends with bigger boobs. remember the MW being very impressed from the word go and telling me I had 'the right equipment'! (think she meant pointy nipples...)

Pannacotta · 27/12/2007 20:46

Was also told I had the "right equipment" ie bullet nipples!
Was a B cup before pregnancy, have had no probs at all breastfeeding.
Do haved a look at the kellymom site, full of good info and very useful for once the baby comes and you are feeding.

Original poster

babylove21 · 27/12/2007 21:52

thank you panacotta. Actually another question, i have a lump, like maybe a cyst or third nipple on the aola ( spell check needed). Its not very big, about the size of a decent spot. will this put baby off feeding do you think ?

OP posts:

TicTacsMum · 27/12/2007 22:00

Another one with AA pre pregnancy here. Went up to a B cup during pregnancy and breastfed for 20 months with no problems.

fishie · 27/12/2007 22:00

babylove your baby will be absolutely delighted with you, hence wanting to feed, snuggle and cry on you all the time. they won't be put off by anything.

Original poster

babylove21 · 27/12/2007 22:06

Oh fishie, those words almost made me cry, thank you

OP posts:

pania · 27/12/2007 22:18

I was between an A and a B cup pre-pregnancy and grew to a B in pregnancy. I never had any trouble at all with ds latching on or with milk supply, and fed ds lying down a lot.

Your lump might be a Montgomery's gland - I have 4 of these on one areola, in the area between the nipple and the edge of the areola, as well as some much smaller ones (now that I look closely) around the edge of both areolas.

crimplene · 27/12/2007 22:26

I have to agree that big norks are more of a handicap bfing than small ones - I found it really tough; 36G before, 36L while BF, still painful for months, still have to support the side I'm feeding from, public feeding a nightmare. Midwives assuming my milk had already come in (based on observed nork size without asking me) so berating me for not feeding my baby... All my friends with normal cup sizes have had a much easier time of it.

I've always wondered why women have swollen breasts when they're not lactating; I mean, other great apes like chimpanzees and orang utangs don't and yet their infants don't starve. Something I read suggested that they're only really there to attract men and that they have no function in actually making milk. Makes sense.

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