Breastfeeding works the same for all women, irrespective of the size and shape of their breasts. However, breastfeeding with big breasts may lead to some challenges about position and latching, in addition to the other challenges of breastfeeding. Some tips and tricks can help women with heavy breasts have a successful breastfeeding journey. If you are a breastfeeding mother experiencing challenges due to larger breasts, this post can help you with some tips and answer your queries regarding positioning and latching.
What Are The Challenges Of Breastfeeding With Big Breasts?
Mothers with big breasts may face some or all of the following issues while breastfeeding with large breasts (1).
Mothers may be worried about their baby getting trapped or suffocated under their large breasts. They might also fear that the baby’s nose might get pinched under the large breasts. However, maintaining a proper breastfeeding position and a good hold can help you overcome this problem. Due to the more weight of larger breasts, they hang lower, and hence it might make a mother bend forward and give the nipple in the baby’s mouth. It leads to poor back and neck posture, leading to back and neck pain. A good latch requires a baby to take the entire areola along with the nipple in the mouth. In women with larger breasts, the areola is also large, and as a result, the baby may not be able to take the entire areola in the mouth. It can cause incorrect latch and associated issues in babies and mothers. Mothers may develop rashes under their breasts due to the larger size of the breasts. Image: iStock The mother may not be able to see the baby quite well due to obstruction by large breasts. They might worry about the position of the nipple in the baby’s mouth or whether the baby is latched to the breast correctly. Apart from these, they may also face the other issues that all lactating mothers face, such as engorgement, cracked and sore nipples, clogged milk ducts, mastitis, and thrush. You may read more about common breastfeeding problems here.
Does Having Larger Breasts Mean A Higher Milk Supply?
A woman’s breasts are made of fatty tissue, glandular tissue, and connective tissue. The glandular tissue in the breast is responsible for milk production. Larger breasts mean more fatty tissue in the breasts. Therefore, the size of a woman’s breast does not have any impact on milk production (2). Research also states that overweight or obese mothers, who usually may have larger breasts, may produce lesser milk due to unhealthy body weight (3).
Easier Breastfeeding Positions For Women With Larger Breasts
While the best breastfeeding position is the one that the mother finds the best, the following breastfeeding positions are found more comfortable by women with larger breasts (4) (5).
1. Rugby or football hold
It is also called a side-sitting hold or clutch hold. The baby’s head is placed close to the side of the breast from which the baby will feed. The mother tucks the baby’s body against her side and under her arm. The mother’s forearm will support the baby’s upper back, and her hand and fingers will support the baby’s shoulder, neck, and head. The baby’s legs will stretch out straight behind you. If the mother is on a chair. The baby’s bottom can be rested against the back of the chair, and the legs can be angled straight up. The mother may keep a pillow under the elbow for support. The pillow can also keep the baby’s head at the same level as the mother’s breast. It is beneficial for a mother with larger breasts because she can see both her nipple and the baby’s mouth.
2. Side-lying position
The mother lies on the side with pillows behind her back and under her head. The mother should keep her back and hips in a straight line. The baby should be kept in a straight parallel line to the mother’s body in a way that the baby’s mouth faces the mother’s nipple. The mother’s arm should be around the baby. The other hand may be used to support the breast to aid in a better latch. This position is helpful as the mattress supports the weight of the mother’s breast. The mother can feed the baby from both sides without changing sides by elevating the baby with a pillow. Some mothers also use a table to mimic the side-lying position while sitting. The table will take the weight of both the mother and the baby.
3. Laidback breastfeeding
The mother sits in a semi-reclined position on a chair. The mother may use a small pillow under the lower back for better support. In this position, the entire weight of the baby’s body is taken by the mother’s body as the baby lies on top of the mother’s stomach. The baby and the mother are in skin-to-skin contact all the time. The benefit of this position is that the breast tissue flattens a little when the mother is in a semi-reclined position, keeping the breast tissue away from the baby’s nose. In this position, the weight of the breasts is away from the baby’s body. This position is also known as the Australian or the down-under position.
4. Cradle hold
This is the traditional breastfeeding position. The mother supports the baby on the arm that is on the same side as that of the breast that is being used. The baby’s head rests on the inner surface of the mother’s elbow, the mother’s forearm supports the baby’s back, and the palm is used to hold the baby’s buttocks or upper thighs. You can use the other hand to support the breast or the nipple. In this position, the lap or tummy will take the weight of the mother’s breasts.
Tips For Breastfeeding With Large Breasts
The following tips could help you make your breastfeeding journey smoother (2).
Place your breast in the palm of your hand. Put your thumb on the top of your breast and use your fingers to cup your breast. The hand should look like the letter “C.” Keep your thumb and fingers around the areola so that the entire areola is available for the baby to latch on. The C-hold will help you direct the nipple and areola well into the baby’s mouth.
Can I Breastfeed If I Had A Breast Cosmetic Surgery?
Most women can breastfeed even if they had a breast reduction or a breast augmentation surgery in the past. During breast augmentation surgery, breast implants are placed between the chest wall and the breast. It does not impact or interfere with the functions of the breast ducts. In breast reduction, a part of the glandular tissue is removed, but, in most cases, there is enough tissue left to produce breast milk. In a few women, the breast milk supply might be hampered due to surgical incisions or damage to the nerves of the breast during the procedure. Your surgeon, gynecologist, or lactation consultant can help you with breastfeeding after breast surgery and suggest relevant interventions (6).
Breastfeeding challenges due to large breasts Suitable nursing positions for large breasts
