Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I have always had a pretty large chest. I remember attempting to breastfeed after having DS, and i felt that they were so swollen and enormous that it was so much work to manipulate the "area" to get him to latch. I also thought i was about to smother the poor thing, lol...

I really think that this played a part in the breastfeeding not working for me, however I was never fully set on it and it was very easy for me to give in.

Just wondering how everyone else found it.. (large chested or smaller chested). I'm pretty curious to know!

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I don't think it does, by the time i gave birth my 34c's went to 36E and those got small on me.

I felt the same as you, you really had to manipulate them and I had to use a different hold than the traditional one so i could hold my boob with one hand and the baby with the other.

I was 100% that i wasn't going to give up no matter what, and it was very hard road for me, filled with mastistis, plugged ducts, infections, sore, cracked nips, but it worked out and i am soo proud of myself. I am so stubborn and hard on myself, i couldn't stop.

This time around though, due to personal medical issues that bf'ing only makes worse due to the increased estrogen, i am not going to BF and i am very sad about it, but i have to take care of me this time around.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I had ginormous FF boobs and I was very successful with breast feeding both my babies! I too worried they would get smothered lol

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I always wonder if i had kept trying at it, what would have happened. I was getting so upset from holding and manipulating my enormous ta-tas and the babies poor face being smothered that i threw in the towel.

I may try bf'ing with future babies, but not sure. I feel guilty having formula fed DS and not doing the same with others. Dumb mentality maybe, but thats how i feell...

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I have discussed this with others (family/friends) and our unofficial non medical ruling is that larger chested women have a tougher time. Any average or smaller chested women I know that Bf it was easy as pie.

I kept it up for three-four months but my supply was so low and nothing I did helped to increase it, plus the fact that there was nothing graceful about it. As you say smothering the baby, etc. it was defintely a two handed job! no cuddling in bed, no discreet feedings.

Aside from it not feeling natural or comfortable, as I said I could not increase my supply don't know if that has anything to do with it.

But, all that said, I would still give it another go if there is a next time. I would love for it to come as easy as it seems to for some and be successful at it.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I've also heard that larger chested women had a harder time... I have a small chest and they never really got that big and I was very successful with nursing. The beginning was very rough of course but it had nothing to do with boobie size!

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Posted by -DonnaMarie-

Posted by atracinact

I had ginormous FF boobs and I was very successful with breast feeding both my babies! I too worried they would get smothered lol

ahhhh, You give me hope!

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I, a rather small-chested woman (larger now that I am BFing), had and continue to have a very easy time. I could see how it is probably harder if your boobs are bigger. My BF's sister though has very big boobs and BFed for 22 months, so it is doable.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I have huge ones and BF for 14 months.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

It doesn't make a difference IMO. If you want to BF you find a way no matter what size your chest is.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

In terms of milk production, no

In terms of more awkwardness of nursing discreetly when you're out of the house, I would think yes.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I can only speak for me. my DD's were able to feed my son for a whole year.... I also BF my daughter until I got sick and was unable to continue to do so because of antibiotics.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

no

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

My sister is HUGE (I am just VERY LARGE) and she BFed for over a year.

Re: Serious question: Do you think breast size has anything to do with successful breastfeeding?

I think 100% yes it does have something to do with it, in conjunction with the size of the baby.

My pregnancy boobs were a 38F, and my son was premature by a month, born at just a touch over 5 lbs. There was NO WAY that he could latch on due to the size discrepancy. I met with two lactation consultants at the hospital, who were more like breastfeeding terrorists, and they were manhandling my child and jamming him onto my boob. I LITERALLY COULD NOT SEE HIS HEAD!!!!! I felt horrible and said f-ck this, this is too stressful.

My son's pediatricion told me there was no way it could work for us at birth bc he was so teeny, but we can try again when he reaches 7 lbs. Right now I am exclusively pumping and bottlefeeding him the breastmilk. I think I might forego trying the boob altogether.

So the moral of my story is YES I think boob size has a lot to do with the ease of breastfeeding. Huge knockers are a lot of work to maintain even without a kid!!