bf help for women with large breasts

Is there something special that a woman with large breasts needs to be aware
of when breastfeeding? I am having a lot of trouble with my 4 week old.
I've had to supplement since day 5, and I want to stop but she is always
hungry, so I keep having to give her formula, about 6 ounces a day! I am
sure she's getting some milk, but my Ameda Purely Yours pump gets just a
trickle out of me when I try to pump. I have to go back to work in a few
weeks so pumping is important. I've been to the LCs twice and they say
things are fine but that is under intense, controlled conditions. I've been
having to nurse her every hour during the day....she sleeps well at night
and I've been told not to wake her up so I don't, but she goes 4-6 hours
without eating at night.

Alberta

Alberta wrote:
Is there something special that a woman with large breasts needs to
be aware of when breastfeeding?

No, other than that some larger-breasted women may have areolae that are
large enough that newborns have difficulty latching.

I am having a lot of trouble with my
4 week old. I've had to supplement since day 5, and I want to stop
but she is always hungry, so I keep having to give her formula, about
6 ounces a day!

Why did you decide you had to supplement? What happens if you decrease
formula by an ounce a day and encourage more nursing to replace that
formula? Is she allowed to nurse on demand for as long as she wants to? How
often does she typically ask to nurse?

I am sure she's getting some milk, but my Ameda
Purely Yours pump gets just a trickle out of me when I try to pump.

Pumping, of course, is in no way an indicator of how much the baby is
getting from the breast.

I have to go back to work in a few weeks so pumping is important.
I've been to the LCs twice and they say things are fine but that is
under intense, controlled conditions. I've been having to nurse her
every hour during the day....she sleeps well at night and I've been
told not to wake her up so I don't, but she goes 4-6 hours without
eating at night.

Nursing every hour sounds pretty typical for the age. She may be hitting or
just getting past a growth spurt - these happen a lot in the early weeks,
and if she's still sleeping through the night during a growth spurt, you are
pretty lucky!

If you are returning to work and are having a hard time pumping, you'll want
to start working now to make sure that you've got a plan. Will your work
hours be flexible? Could you do any of it from home? Could baby be brought
to you to nurse? If these things won't work, you might want to work on your
ability to pump. Have you tried pumping one side while nursing from the
other?

I never gave any bottles, so I'm not an expert on pumping, but you might
want to check out the pumpmoms Yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pumpmoms/


--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

"iphigenia" wrote in message
...
Alberta wrote:
Is there something special that a woman with large breasts needs
to
be aware of when breastfeeding?

No, other than that some larger-breasted women may have areolae that
are
large enough that newborns have difficulty latching.

OMG I remember in the hospital the nurses telling me MOST of my areola
needed to be in Nicolas's mouth. When I would pull up my shirt and ask
them how I was supposed to get something bigger than his whole head in
his mouth they were kind of flabbergasted lol!

Oh, and with 38DD's the advice I have for the OP is only to practice
supporting the breast baby is on with one hand while holding the baby
with the other. Try lying down to nurse as much as possible, it makes
things much easier once you get the hange of it. A boppy pillow helps
quite a bit to hold the baby when you need to support your breast with
your other hand too.

Jen

"CY" wrote in message
news:nlg5b.40398$nf3.37570@fed1read07...
Ooh, ya know I just remembered a product called Nurseez that you can use
to
hold up the breast. Larger ladies swear by them!!
http://www.nurseez.com/
(might help!)


No offense, but if I were to try and use those, well, lets just say my arms
aren't long enough to hold the baby out that far. Good idea, just not for
the REALLY amply endowed.

Roseann

"CY" wrote in message
news:nlg5b.40398$nf3.37570@fed1read07...
Ooh, ya know I just remembered a product called Nurseez that you can
use to
hold up the breast. Larger ladies swear by them!!
http://www.nurseez.com/
(might help!)


I *spilled* right over the top of one of those. Didn't help at all
;(

Jen

The amount you get from the pump has nothing to do with how much milk you're
making.

DD is nearly five months old and is exclusively breast fed. However, in 20
minutes I can pump no more than two oz. (total) from both breasts (i.e. the
total amount pumped is 2 oz.). I can do a bit better with the Avent Isis but
it still takes a long time. OTOH, DD is quite plump, happy and growing
nicely. Babies sometimes need to nurse much more often than it says in the
books. DD went three weeks nursing every hour when she was awake (at about
three months) and is still on a 1.5-2 hour schedule most of the time.

Trust that your body is making enough for your child and stop supplementing
so that you don't lose your supply. Good luck!

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Alberta" wrote in message
ink.net...
Is there something special that a woman with large breasts needs to be
aware
of when breastfeeding? I am having a lot of trouble with my 4 week old.
I've had to supplement since day 5, and I want to stop but she is always
hungry, so I keep having to give her formula, about 6 ounces a day! I am
sure she's getting some milk, but my Ameda Purely Yours pump gets just a
trickle out of me when I try to pump. I have to go back to work in a few
weeks so pumping is important. I've been to the LCs twice and they say
things are fine but that is under intense, controlled conditions. I've
been
having to nurse her every hour during the day....she sleeps well at night
and I've been told not to wake her up so I don't, but she goes 4-6 hours
without eating at night.

Alberta

I think my dd still drinks that often when awake, but now is only
drinking for 5 minutes instead of all the time - lol! Seriously
though I did have to supplement early on because of low diaper counts
and dehydration. I have taken alot of galactagogues to get my supply
sufficient for my baby. I take domperidone, fenugreek and
chasteberry. I also drink tons of water. I think oatmeal helps too.

My doctor said you can drop off 3 oz of supplement at a time. Then
wait a few days and drop off 3 more oz if diaper counts are good.
Galactagogues will help make your supply increase better for dropping
off the supplementation. Plus, you may need them to produce enough
for the pump when you go back to work.

So sorry you have to go back to work so soon.

KC

"Alberta" wrote in message link.net...
Is there something special that a woman with large breasts needs to be aware
of when breastfeeding? I am having a lot of trouble with my 4 week old.
I've had to supplement since day 5, and I want to stop but she is always
hungry, so I keep having to give her formula, about 6 ounces a day! I am
sure she's getting some milk, but my Ameda Purely Yours pump gets just a
trickle out of me when I try to pump. I have to go back to work in a few
weeks so pumping is important. I've been to the LCs twice and they say
things are fine but that is under intense, controlled conditions. I've been
having to nurse her every hour during the day....she sleeps well at night
and I've been told not to wake her up so I don't, but she goes 4-6 hours
without eating at night.

Alberta

Would you consider 44 FF REALLY amply endowed? Cause I have one of
these and I love it! I find it tilts the nipple up perfectly and it
works so well that I can nurse Olivia in the cradle hold (I can't without)

Tammy


No offense, but if I were to try and use those, well, lets just say my arms
aren't long enough to hold the baby out that far. Good idea, just not for
the REALLY amply endowed.

Roseann

"J,T&M" wrote in message
...
Would you consider 44 FF REALLY amply endowed? Cause I have one of
these and I love it! I find it tilts the nipple up perfectly and it
works so well that I can nurse Olivia in the cradle hold (I can't without)

Tammy


No offense, but if I were to try and use those, well, lets just say my
arms
aren't long enough to hold the baby out that far. Good idea, just not for
the REALLY amply endowed.

Roseann


Well, when I would have needed them the most, I was in a 40J. Currently
back into a DDD, so feel more normal than I did then, but I hated the stares
I got.