Mothers: silly question but have to ask: does having smaller breasts affect milk supply for babies??

Question

I mean, do smaller breasted women find they have less milk supply or do they find it harder to breastfeed a baby?
Does it take longer for such a mother to start nursing her child?
Something I have always worried about a little... my older sis had her kids bottle fed and she is small chested....
No funny answers just some info needed thanks!

Ok I feel right stupid to ask this q but i just have to know...

Answer 1

Breast size has nothing to do with milk production. Breast size is all about fatty tissue. Milk delivery has to do with the "plumbing" in the breasts and if baby's latch on is good. Milk supply is determined by how often and how long mom nurses. Smaller breasted moms usually find that it's easier to position baby than a large chested mom and smaller breasted moms often find it's easier to nurse in public discretely than a well-endowed mother.

Answer 2

Hi- I have smaller breasts and I cannot breastfeed. Before all these people freak out, I can tell you that I had all the nurses in the hospital working on it, a personal nurse and also her best freind who is a lactation specialist worked with me for almost 2 weeks. Turns out, I didn't have enough breast tissue to produce adequate milk. I even tried a prescription that is supposed to increase milk supply (but all it did was make my depression worse) and also Fenugreek. Nothing helped. The lactation specialist was completely devestated to tell me that I couldn't breastfeed...I pumped and fed him about 2 oz of breastmilk a day- that's all I could get. It was sad. That being said, they also told me that even women with large breasts can have the same problem. It's just something that happens, but it is extremely rare. So, to answer you question after all my ramblings, having smaller breasts CAN affect it, but only if there is also decreased breast tissue. Good Luck!!

Answer 3

It really doesn't make a difference. I, too, have been told that it's actually easier for smaller breasted women sometimes. The important thing to remember (no matter what the size) is that help is available if you really want to nurse. There are lots of ways to stimulate milk production if you do find that yours is a little slow coming in. Most hospitals have lactation consultants and/or nurses with lots of experience with this. I consulted with one and was worried about it being a little awkward, but she put me at ease right away and reminded me that this is what she does ALL DAY EVERY DAY.

Good luck to you!

Answer 4

I'm 4'11, barely over 100lbs & tiny A cups (maybe smaller!) before kids & went right back to my original weight after my kids were born! My daughter nursed for 4 months. My son is 11 months old & still nurses! Of course not as much as needed, but he was exclusively breast fed for the first 6 months. I was worried at first, but he obviously got more than enough.. He's always been in the 75-90 %. My breast didn't even get that much bigger either, B cup now maybe a C in the beginning stages of breast feeding when my supply wasn't adjusted yet.

Answer 5

not that I know of.

My sister had a child and is flat as a table. When the breats produce milk they will grow. I haven't heard any medical evidence that suggests larger breast make breast feeding easier. Some people have better milk flow than others but it also has nothing to do with breast size.

Hope it helps ease your curiousity

Answer 6

No honey.
Breasts grow in pregnancy anyway, and even more when the milk comes in after birth, so you won't need to worry about small breasts at all!

Breastfeeding is a natural thing that the female body was designed to do, so even if you consider yourself small, your baby wouldn't. All that matters is that there a milk ducts making milk!

Answer 7

I remember when I gave birth, My doctor at the time told me being such small chested, and I did not grow even being pregnant that it is possible I would not be able to Brest feed. That was many many years ago, when the doctor would give a shot right after birth to dry up any milk. But even with the shot, within 2 months I had the most uncomfortable and large milk glands that I have ever seen. And the pain was out of this world.

Answer 8

I am big breasted and had a lot of trouble feeding because my daughter had a hard time latching on. The nurses told me that the girls with smaller breasts actually have an easier time feeding. Its actually the shape and size of the nipple that affects feeding, if the nipples are large and easy to latch on then its easy for the baby, if they're smaller then its more difficult for the baby.

Answer 9

It makes no difference.

The milk will come, the breast will grow to accomdate. As long as a baby is nursing, the breast will produce enough to feed him/her, assuming there is no medical reasons for them not to produce it. Some women can't make milk, but it has nothing to do with the size.

Answer 10

Breast size can affect milk supply, but only the least developed of women will have any lack of adequate supply for a single child.

Time to start nursing should be unaffected.

Even if you are washboard flat, you can still produce enough, because you'll actually grow enough to supply enough....but maybe only if you're feeding nonstop.

Even if you're unable to produce, the best situation is to feed both by bottle and with breast...occasionally tossing in some formula even if you can produce amply is a good idea, because fomula is nutritionally balanced...but breast-feeding is extremely important both physically and emotionally.

(and it helps lose pregnancy fat!)