Knowing what to expect in your breast/chest feeding journey and making a plan that relates to your experiences and needs can help reduce postnatal stress, anxiety and depression symptoms that relate to infant feeding challenges. There's no judgments here!
Breast/chest surgery is a helpful option for some people for a variety of reasons! Here's what your surgeon may not know about feeding a baby after having surgery.
1) Breast reductions. They do just that. They reduce the amount of glandular tissue on your chest. In turn, this may reduce the amount of milk-making tissue and can impact the amount of milk you make when your baby is born. For some, it is difficult to produce enough and their baby may need supplementation.
2) Breast Augmentation is usually a choice for those who may not have known previously that they had hypoplastic breasts, where the breasts did not develop fully during puberty. Although there are varying degrees of this condition, just like breast reductions, it poses a risk of low milk production leading to the need to supplement the baby. Unfortunately, breast augmentation does not solve this problem as it is impossible to add glandular tissue to the breast, only prosthetics - either in front of or behind the pectoral muscles.
Sadly, many parents who struggle to make enough milk feel like they've failed their baby and as a parent. This is not the case! Sometimes there are factors involved that we just don't have any control over. So if you have experienced this, be gentle with yourself. You are still giving so much to your baby with the milk you have, the comfort of your arms, and the dedication and love you show them.
If you have concerns about feeding your baby when they arrive and would like help to make a feeding plan for your baby, connect with Pamela for a half hour Prenatal Lactation Consultation! Email info@soundbirths.ca or book online HERE.
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