International Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Possible TMI question (breastfeeding)
So 15 years ago, when I was 14, I had breast reduction surgery (yes I was young but trust me, they were HUUUUGE). At that time of course I didn't give a crap about BFing, but my mom did and asked the doc if I would be able to. He said he did all he could to see that I would be able to BF but I wouldn't know til I tried. Well just yesterday my boobs started leaking a little of what I assume is colostrum. Do you think this means I will be able to BF? Or can that happen regardless of whether all the "machinery" is intact?
Re: Possible TMI question (breastfeeding)
Not necessarily - it will completely depend on how much milk comes in and how well the baby latches. I had a breast reduction before I had my son, and was unable to BF him, and I had colostrum. My milk just never fully came in. I pumped, he latched (not well), I took fenugreek, everything, and it just didn't work. With dd my milk did come in and I was still unable to only bf. I had milk but just not enough, and we had to supplement with formula, and after about 6 weeks went to just formula. I would pump for hours and get less than ounce an hour at a time.
I have known a few women who had reductions and did bf but it was always with supplementing with formula and lots of pumping. There is a breastfeeding after reduction board that could be a big help (bfar.org I think)
Even without a breast reduction I didn't know if breastfeeding would work until baby and I tried it. Worked well enough with BabyD. I know that this is a new and different baby so even if it worked before I still have to wait and see if breastfeeding will work this time.
There are great formulas. If breastfeeding doesn't work then your baby will still be well fed and healthy.
A girlfriend of mine who had a reduction just had her first child a few weeks ago. She was leaking during pregnancy and the doctor said it was a good sign. And now she's breastfeeding well.
She does have to supplement with formula during the day though. But this can happen to anyone. In fact, all three of my family/friends who gave birth this year had to supplement and then completely drop breastfeeding. None of them had reductions and one was even on her third child! Like FayeD said, you never really know.
But if you can't bf or if you have trouble feeding enough, don't feel guilty or regret your reduction. Some nurse tried to make my friend feel bad about what she did. Total crap. It happens all the time!
That's why I said should. It's not guaranteed if anyone can breastfeed until they try, but at least MrsBini knows that everything is connected properly. My milk came in without problems and I still couldn't BF.