BREASTFEEDING @ SMALL OR BIG SIZE BREASTS.

BREASTFEEDING: DOES SIZE MATTER?

The one week long event of World Breastfeeding  was observed on August 1st-7th to promote awareness of the unique needs of breastfeeding mothers worldwide.

With the theme “Let’s make breastfeeding and Work, Work!The campaign focused on promoting practices that can help support workplace related breastfeeding in different countries.

Breastfeeding is very important in ensuring proper growth and development of the baby since it contains antibodies that helps protect new born babies from infections and illnesses; creating a strong immune system from an early age.

This bring us to the subject matter: Breast Size, Does It Matters @ Breastfeeding?

Breast milk’s unique composition promotes healthy growth and metabolism irrespective of whether the breast is big or small. But the question has often been asked whether the size of  a woman’s boobs can affect the quantity of milk she produces.

The answer Is absolutely capital letter NO!

The same way ladies have different body shape and size that’s the way the breasts do: it could be large/small/round/oval/wide/narrow/symmetrical/full/uneven or droopy, all of these types of boobs are normal.

It’s normal for breasts to grow larger during pregnancy and breastfeeding, size is irrelevant when it comes to how much milk can be produced.

Boobs size is really based upon the amount of fatty tissues that are contained within them and small sized boobs ladies naturally have less fatty tissues than those with lager boobs.

Note that these fatty tissues are not responsible for the production of breast milk; instead it is the breast glandular tissue that actually makes with the different boobs sizes are fully capable of making a healthy supply of breast milk for their newborn.

A small sized breast mother can have as much milk supply as a big sized breast mum; the amount of milk usually produced has to do with how often your baby feeds. This is because the more your baby feeds, the more likely you will naturally produce the breast milk. Having a low amount of milk is one of the concerns that makes new mums to quit breastfeeding before they’re ready thinking size is responsible.

Although women with small breasts tend to worry that they may not be able to make enough milk for their baby, but as long as the small size breast is not related to hypoplastic breasts, it should not matter.

 It’s true you may have to breastfeed more often due to the amount of breast milk that your smaller breasts can hold, you can still successfully produce enough milk for your child.

Breastfeeding with large breasts can be a bit  awkward the first time, but there’s really no issue breastfeeding your baby; find a comfortable position, especially if your baby is having trouble latching on.

Some mums also worry that their large breasts will block the baby’s nose, but this is not a cause for concern because if your baby’s nose gets blocked while nursing, they will open their mouth and let go of the breast so they can breathe. You can always use your finger to press down on your breast near your baby’s nose but be sure not to break the latch.

In terms of nipple size and shape, this differs from one woman to another; some are flat/round/pointy/large or are small.

 Regardless of the shape and size, a lady’s nipple size and shape should not prevent them from breastfeeding. However, the ones with flat nipples, inverted nipples, or very large nipples may have trouble getting their baby to latch on at first but this can easily be resolved with the help of lactation consultant.

For ladies with  hypoplastic breasts, they have underdeveloped glandular (milk-making) breast tissue and may not be able to produce a full supply of breast milk. This can occur in only a small percentage of women.

 Hypoplastic breasts are often spaced widely apart and may appear very small and thin or long and tubular and can prevent successful breastfeeding.

For those who of you have had breast reconstruction, implants, or a breast reduction, in case you are thinking if you will be able to breastfeed your baby, this will largely depend on the type of surgery you had and how it impacted your breast tissue.

 Note that every situation is unique and you can ask your doctor about your specific situation to determine the odds of breastfeeding your baby.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “the amount of milk a mother makes will depend largely on the number of connected ducts as well as how well the nerves enabling lactation function.”

A lady’s boobs change in size and shape during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weaning. For some women, these changes are minimal while other women may experience dramatic changes that may affect their mental health.

You may experience pain and swelling during the first few weeks postpartum as your milk supply comes in, but this will subside in a few days. For those doing exclusive breastfeeding, your breasts are likely to remain on the larger side as they hold your baby’s milk supply.

Some mum’s breasts will remain larger while others will appear smaller after weaning, some others may even notice stretch marks or feel their boobs sag.

Breast size and shape is rarely the reason behind breastfeeding difficulties.

Typically, age and weight changes impact breast shape and size more than breastfeeding.

If you are experiencing challenges with breastfeeding or if you have concerns about your milk supply or your baby’s latch, be sure to schedule time to work with a lactation consultant, or talk to your doctor. With a little help and direction, most breastfeeding challenges can be corrected.

It’s very important to bear in mind that the majority of new mothers are actually capable of producing milk for their newborn no matter the size or shape of their breasts. But there are a number of reasons why you might be having difficulty making enough milk like cesarean birth, hormonal disorders or smoking.

Note that all boobs are not created the same sizes but are rather,  designed to produce the amazing benefits of breast milk for your suckling child.

See your doctor or lactation consultant if it happens that you are making less milk so that,  they can determine whether you need nipple shields, lactation boosting techniques including the use of baby formula.

Keep your suckling baby healthy by saying a big YES to breastfeeding!

SissyAde is an Integrative Sex Therapist/Coach and a Family Speaker.