For Women in My Situation, Part II
Posted in Whatever Wednesday and tagged with Baby, Nursing, Q & A, Surgery on 07/01/2009 04:01 pm by lori
Here’s another post that you men don’t wanna read.
Ladies, remember this post about Reduction Mammoplasty. I got several emails from women, asking for more information. So, here’s what I was asked and some information given, in no particular order. . .
Question: My reduction was 10 years ago. Can I nurse?
Answer: Typically, the longer it’s been since your surgery, the better. It gives some of the ducts that were damaged by the surgery more time to reconnect, known as “recanalization.” But I had my BR 2 years and 3 months before I nursed Abigail.
Question: What did you struggle with?
Answer: Here are some things that were a struggle to me, which may have been due to the BR (some of these things, non BFAR women deal with, and some BFAR women don’t deal with them):
- It really really hurt me for the first 5-6 weeks. I cried when Abigail nursed. We think due to nipple blanching and maybe because of the scar tissue sensitivity.
- I was horribly engorged, which was very painful, for the first few days. This was probably due to some milk ducts being cut and therefore clogged, so the milk didn’t have anywhere to go.
Comment: I’m afraid it will hurt, and I won’t be able to do it.
Response: I understand your feelings. But you can do it!! And it might hurt, but it’s totally worth it! I just made weekly goals here and there. Like in the beginning, I was said, “I just wanna make it to two weeks.” Once I got to that point, I said, “I just wanna make it 6 weeks.” Once I got to that point, it didn’t hurt, and I said, “I hope I have enough milk to 6 months.” And then, I said, “I wanna make it a year like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends.” After the first 6 weeks, there were times it did hurt, but for the 95% of the time, I couldn’t even tell she was nursing.
Question: How will I know if I can nurse?
Answer: I guess you won’t really know until your milk comes in after your baby is born. But a good sign that you’ll be able to nurse well (at least for me) is leaking colostrum (pre milk) while you’re pregnant. I started leaking at about 30 weeks.
Question: I haven’t had the surgery, but I want to. Can you tell me a little about it?
Answer: Here’s a website I frequented when I was getting the reduction done. I had my surgery done Dec 16, 2005 (I was almost 22), and I had to be back in school on Jan. 9. I could carry a backpack, but I remember being a little sore. It is a long recovery time. The surgery lasts about 2 hours, if I remember correctly. I can’t remember when I started feeling pain– if it was the surgery day or the next. But, it is pretty painful and HYPER sensitive, an awkward feeling. My husband washed and dried my hair for awhile. He helped me up every morning. He slept in another bed for the first week or so– because of all the moving. You have to sleep on your back for a long time.
Also, make time to read Defining your Own Success: Breastfeeding after Breast Reduction Surgery before you have the baby. I learned soooo much from that book. If you have a Barnes and Noble near you, call them to see if they have the book in stock. Otherwise, you could order from here.
Related posts:
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:06 am
Great questions and answers, though I haven’t had br, I think lots of those questions could easily apply to any breast feeding mom.
Jenna @ Newlyweds’s last blog post..Meet the Newlyweds – Mr. and Mrs. Newlywed
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Thanks Jenna. I am definitely no expect, but I wanted to help all I could.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I just read this post and figured out the weirdest thing ever…I had my BR on December 17TH and you had yours on the 16th! Mine was in 1999 though. BUT STILL! That’s crazy that we chose to do it at the same time of year & practically the same day. Interesting, huh?
July 5th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
@ Leah- Yes ma’am. Do you remember feeling sore going back to school? I remember that my bday (Dec 23) and Xmas were horrible! The meds made me woozy.
December 11th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Thank you so much for all the info! I had a reduction at 21 and am 32 now and expecting our first child. My doctor (back then) also said 50/50. Everyone just says, oh, you’ll be able to BF fine, but they haven’t been through a BR. My nipples were removed and re-sized so I have wondered about the process and probability. I also had my reduction on winter break in December and remember I felt like I had been hit in the chest by a Mac Truck. By the time I went to school a few weeks later, it was better, but still tender. Thanks again for all the info.
December 13th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
@ Ashley, No problem. Let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll try to help all I can. Congratulations on your pregnancy, and I hope you have a great experience w/ BFARing.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Hi! I also had BR surgery, and have been nursing my son with only my right breast as unfortunately my left one produced no milk (had an infection after the reduction surgery)..Because of this, I have been supplementing pretty much since day one, and now that I am at almost 3 months, I feel like I am not producing enough milk anymore and need to supplement more… Is there something I can to produce more milk or is it too late?
Any advice would be great!
Thanks!
February 18th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
@ Vanessa- I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been nursing after a BR. And, no ma’am, it is not too late to produce more milk. You can take meds, drink teas, eat lots of oatmeal, drink lots of water, pump more, etc. I’ll send you an email with more information.
March 13th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
It is great to have access to this information, i was worried about being able to breastfeed or not.
March 13th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
@ Jamilah- I’m glad this helped. No matter what the doctors or even lactation consultants may tell you, you do have the capacity to make milk. It probably will be a challenge, but you can do it! Best of luck to you. Let me know if you need any other info.
March 15th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Hi everyone. I am 19 years old and I had my BR May 13, 2008. I then got pregnant with my daughter in December and had her in August 2009. With the surgery and my daughters birth so close it was harder to BF since I had a major BR where they had to completely remove and then replace my nipple. Luckily, I got to BF her (with inverted nipples) for about 12 weeks before my supply diminished. I just wanted to comment because I seen that a lot of you had quite a bit of pain after surgery. I had almost NO pain at all. I never once HAD to take my pain pills. I stayed in the hospital one night and got to go home the next day, but while I was in the hospital, they made me take some pain relievers. I guess I had a really great surgeon. She was amazing, and had very specific answers to all of my questions. I went from a 38G to a 36C, and it was amazing(might I remind you I was only 17 at the time of the surgery)! Thank you for all the information…
March 16th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
@ Kayla- I’m glad you were able to breastfeed for a few months! And congratulations on your baby girl. How nice to not have pain after surgery! And you’re welcome for the info. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
March 18th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Hi, I just had my second baby and had a BR about 9 years ago. My milk came in two days after he was born and I am breastfeeding every 1 to 2 hours. I am engorged and in so much pain. I feel like I have lots of milk but not sure it is coming out. Does this make since? Any suggestions? I want to breastfeed so bad and will do anything it takes.
Thanks!!!
March 18th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
@ Emily- I hear ya; I was very engorged, too. At this point, your baby doesn’t need much milk (I can’t remember how much they need in the first month). So if you were to pump after nursing, you might not get much out, which might discourage you, but it’s completely normal to not get much the first few weeks. I would recommend pumping with a double electric pump after nursing.
When Baby is b/t 1-6 months, they only take in about 20-30 oz a day, so if you’re nursing 8 times a day, Baby might only need 2.5 oz per feeding. You can do before and after weight checks to see how much baby is getting: you weigh baby first completely naked, put diaper on baby, nurse baby, and then, weigh baby again and the diaper if Baby wet. Call your hospital about this.
Also, you could do weekly weight checks for a while. That will reassure you that baby’s gaining. Babies do lose weight for the first few weeks; my DD took 17 days to regain her birth weight. Check for 5-8 wet diapers a day.
I’m glad you’re so determined to BF! Good for you! I’m sorry you’re in pain now; I remember it well. Just do breast compressions the whole time Baby’s nursing, even get assistance from your husband or family member if needed because you don’t want to get mastitis.
Don’t hesitate to call your Lactation Consultants at the hospital or even search for a LLL member; they come see you for free. Join bfar.org if you have time, and you’ll get lots of great support there! Best of luck to you. Let me know how things go.
March 20th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
I didn’t have reductive surgery, but I had a really low milk supply because I hemorrhaged really badly when my baby was born. You talk about the herbs that women can take. I had really great success taking Lactiful Capsules. They have a lot of the different herbs in them for increasing milk, and they really worked for me. You can go to http://lactiful.com
Really great post - thanks for sharing your story and inspiring women to try.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Sorry about your struggle, but I’m glad you found something to work for you. And thank you for your kind comment!
March 25th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Hi there. I had a BR in 2005. My baby was born a month early, 4 days ago. As he is premature, he’s a bit lethargic and struggles to latch, or if he latches its very brief as he falls asleep. My milk has come in and my breasts are huge, hard and extremely painful. I’ve been trying to pump every 3 hours using the Medela Lactina electric pump, but unfortunately only small drops come out of each breast. I’ve been catching them in a syringe as I was told that every drop helps, but I really haven’t gotten much out and am completely disheartened. Do you think its possible that the supply will increase if I just keep going, or will all the stimulation just produce more milk and lead to engorgement. Do you have any advice on how to get it out if my baby can’t really drink at the moment. I really desperately want to breastfeed him, any help would be appreciated.
April 7th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
I just want to say thank you for this! I am 31 weeks pregnant and I had a Breast Reduction Surgery 8 years ago…I am more hopeful after having read through this page and I feel more confident that I will be able to do it! I will let you know how it all works out so that others who come here looking for answers can have more real examples. Thank you so much!
April 14th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
@ Olivia- Sorry I’ve taken so long to get back w/ you. Things were crazy at the end of my pregnancy. Hope I’m not too late.
I would nurse and then pump. Don’t be discouraged at the amount you get out at this point; it is very minimal.
Yes, stimulating and doing other things will increase your supply. You want to get your milk moving first of all, so that you won’t be engorged. I’ll send you an email so we can work on your concerns. Best of luck to you!!
April 14th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
@ Heidi- You’re welcome. I’m so glad to have given you confidence. Yes, please let me know how everything works out. And let me know any questions you come up with. I just had a baby 1 week ago, so everything is fresh on my mind again.
May 10th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Lori,
This is great info, thank you for having this site! I am 23 weeks pregnant and had BR 10 years ago when i was 18. Dr. says I may or may not be able to BF and I won’t know until I try. Is there a pump you recommend that worked best for you? I will be trying to nurse and then pump like you mentioned. I really want to be able to BF and I just purchased the book you recommended. Again, thanks for putting all this out there.
May 10th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
@Cyndi- I’m glad you left a comment, and you’re welcome.
Yes, I would recommend the Medela Pump in Style. I have one; it’s several years old, and it works great! Above all, you should make sure you get a hospital grade or double electric pump (definitely not a manual one).
You CAN breastfeed, no matter what! You might not have enough milk for a full supply, but you will have some working ducts. The book is very informative, but come back and ask questions as needed. And congrats on your pregnancy!
May 27th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Hi Lori,
Great website. I had my BR in 2002 and am pregnant with my second daughter. I tried nursing my first daughter, but unfortunately gave up before I think I give it a fighting chance. I do recall that I had milk before, though. I’m 33 weeks, and I can squeeze out a drop at a time of colostrum, but no “leaking”. (I have never leaked.) How common is leaking and if I don’t leak, should I expect to have to supplement? Thanks for all that you’re doing!
May 27th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
@Shamina- Oh yes, we BFAR women will have milk (regardless of what the doctors might say); it’s just a matter of how much.
I’m not sure how common leaking is. I know of women who haven’t had reductions who don’t leak.
Not leaking does not mean you would need to supplement. I learned that this time. I have a 7 week old baby now, and I never leaked colostrum during that pregnancy, but I am nursing without supplementation.
Best of luck to you, and let me know if you want to email about other questions.
July 18th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
I was just wondering what kind of reduction you had. Did they cut open the breast to remove tissue? I had mine a year and a half ago and had my first baby 8 days ago. She was able to feed on colostrum the first couple of days but then it ran out and my milk still hasn’t come in so I’ve been supplementing. I ordered a tube I am thinking that since the colostrum flowed fine that the milk will do fine once it’s in, but I don’t know. My reduction was considered very non-invasive. It was a newer procedure using tiny cannulas to remove the fat tissue without disturbing the rest of the tissue. The incisions are really small and hardly visible at this point. I really admire the women I’ve heard about who have worked so hard to stick to the breast-feeding for months. It is already driving me crazy and I’ve only been struggling for about 5 out of the 8 days since my little girl was born. I won’t give up, though. I feel that as long as my milk does come in eventually, we’ll have success. I ordered one of those tube feeding systems today and will start using it as soon as it gets here in two days.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
@Michelle- I had the Inferior Pedicle (anchor, smiley face one), and yes, they cut to remove tissue.
I’m surprised to hear your milk hasn’t come in. Maybe it has, and you just didn’t notice it because you didn’t get engorged. I’m sure it’s come in, but it might not be a lot. Even those who have an excellent milk supply don’t see much milk in the early days- because babies don’t need much at that point.
Have you seen a Lactation Consultant?? My hospital lets me schedule appointments (I have to take Baby there), but it’s free, and they help a ton. I was nervous at first about hands on help, but it really, really helps. Please look into doing something like that.
So sorry you’re struggling. Best of luck. Let me know if you have other questions, and I can email you if wanted.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I have had a lactation consultant and advice from several maternity nurses from the beginning. It was them who helped me realize that my milk wasn’t coming in because although my baby was doing well for the first 2 days on just colostrom, she got to a point where she would nurse for almost an hour and still be unsatisfied. She stopped filling her diapers and I knew I had to supplement. My milk has started to come in since my last post, though. Very slowly I am getting engorged and things are really starting to pick up. This is day 10 and we just had our fullest successful feeding since the colostrom ran out. Yay! Good luck to all you minnows out there. I know I had it easy compared to most of you and you should all be proud of yourselves for sticking to it!
August 5th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I feel so bad to bother you with more questions, but you seem so helpful! Thanks for writing about your experience. Maybe you can answer my question:
I had a br (same type as yours) in October 2007. I have been exclusively bf this baby (born April 14, 2010) for almost 4 months and I seriously live in constant fear that he’s not getting enough, or the milk he is getting is all foremilk and no hindmilk. He spits up a lot, but it’s mostly clear when he does, and his diapers are often watery and green, instead of yellow and seedy. He does seem generally ok after nursing though, so maybe it’s ok? I pumped with a borrowed hospital pump about a month ago (instead of feeding him) and was able to get out 2 ounces. Is that normal? It’s just so hard to tell because before my reduction my milk supply was out of control and I leaked constantly and now I don’t and my breasts rarely get full feeling in between feedings. AND to top it all off he’s only gaining about 1 lb a month, which seems low. I’m sorry this is rambling but it’s so stressful to not know if my baby is actually eating enough! Any advice?
August 5th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
@Carrie- No problem! I’m very passionate about this issue, so I try to help all I can.
My second DD was born April 6, 2010, so I’m right there with you. I’m going to write you an email to answer your questions, and we’ll try to troubleshoot from there.