Breast Changes Not Happening in Pregnancy

Plenty of babies thrive after a c-section and formula feeding! Please be gentle on yourself. Being a Mom is hard enough without worrying constantly if you're doing it right. A cousin of mine had a baby at age 40, and her milk never did come in for some reason. Strange, but true- and maybe that's just how you are. It doesn't mean you are unwomanly!! Enjoy your 2 year old and mind your prenatal visits and I am sure you will be fine! :)

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The very best information on this topic is in the book Making More Milk by Diane West and Lisa Marasco. Also their website www.lowmilksupply.org
They have really done the work on this topic and have the best, most up-to-date info available.
Your feelings are understandable. The info will give you a way to understand and make a plan. all the best

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Hi V.,

I too had the same problem with my breasts. No changes and no matter how much I nursed, I couldn't do it exclusively. I stretched it out as long as I could and only did it for 3 months. I had 3 children and it was the same for all three. I did what I could, drinking special herbal tea and all and no help. I gave up and did not even think how "unmotherly" I am compared to others. My children are growing up just fine and healthy with formula and I am just thankful and blessed they are in my life. So no worries and be happy you are blessed to be able to be a mom.

Best wishes for your next delivery.

When I was pregnant with my first, nothing happened to my breasts either. I'm an A cup and they stayed that way. After I gave birth, I had a hard time making milk and I could only pump around 2 ounces from my left and no more than 4 from my right. Luckily, I was still able to nurse her for 15 months and she did well. Never a bottle, never formula. At 6 months, she started cereal and than other foods, etc. With my first, I was induced and had a vaginal birth after 14hrs of labor and 3hrs of pushing. Now with my 2nd child, she came like a lightning bolt. Went into labor at 8:30pm, left for the hospital at 10pm, got there at 10:30pm, water broke in the parking lot, had her at 11:36pm with no drugs at all. Horrible pain and hard recovery but made so much milk, I was engorged horribly for 8 days but finally got it under control after 3 weeks so don't dismay because your body may react totally different since this is your second child. Good luck with everything

Hi V.,

I can relate to you! I too had a c-section with my first and my milk took forever to come in, then only came in a tiny bit - same as you - I could only ever pump about an ounce! So frustrating!!! Please don't feel like a bad mommy - you obviously are doing your best! Your baby got at least some milk from you over the 15 months you nursed him.

As for the next baby - good news! With my second and third babies (also both by c-section) much more milk came in - I think the body "remembers" what to do, and you are more relaxed, etc. with the second and third. I was still never able to exclusively nurse with any of my kids, but at least they got more of my milk than the first.

Oh, and (if you haven't already) - try the fenugreek supplements - three times a day - worked much better than the tea. Your skin may smell like maple syrup while you take it but your milk will increase so it will be worth it.

Good luck - the milk will come!

-E.

had not have changed in my breast during my pregnancies as well. Only after the birth they became fuller with milk, and I easiely nursed my babies for a year each time.

A little about me: I', a 35 year old mom to a 7 year old girl and a 3.5 year old boy, and currently 8 weeks pregnant.

Hi! I had my first child by emergency C-section, & I was able to nurse him with no problem. I had my other two children naturally (no c-section), & I also nursed them fine. I didn't feel any difference in the breastfeeding. Have you spoken to your doctor about it?

Good luck, & congratulations on your pregnancy!

Hi V.,

I don't think a c-section determines if you have enough production or not, I had one and my milk came in and despite this, I was unable to breastfeed, just wasn't happening, I tried and tried and without getting too personal, my baby could not latch on. Oh I didn't feel bad or less like a woman, I figured, ok, so be it.. I will bottle feed him and he is seven now and doing just fine. Don't put yourself down, try and accept that every woman's body is different. There is a lot of hype about breastfeeding and sure, I do agree it's the best, but hey if you can't do it, you can't do it. Focus on the things you can change, but beating yourself up can't be good for you or your 2 year old and to feel less like a woman for something OUT of YOUR control it's worth your time or trouble. Focus on the positives... and most of all, come to appreciate you and your body, you deserve it . :)

I went through the same thing with both of my pregnancies. I wanted to breast feed my first son so badly. But despite trying everything I too ended up having to supplement heavily with formula at every feeding. For the first time in my life I truly felt that I had "failed" at something. It took me awhile to accept that I was still a good mother. I was anxious, as you are now, with my second pregnancy. I still had to supplement with formula but nowhere near as much as with my first. I ended up only needing to give one additional bottle of formula a day to keep up with him. I never was able to pump a significant amount of breast milk even with my second- it took me several pumpings to get 4-6 ounces. I don't think I noticed much changes with my breasts either so don't give up hope yet! Additionally, I also had c-sections with both of my pregnancies. I hope that things go more smoothly for you this time around!

Hi, I just had my second child who is now 4 months old and my first is 2years 4 months. Anyway with both of my prgnancys my breast stayed the same. I kept waiting for them to get bigger but no luck. I don't they seamed bigger or different till after I was breast feeding.

I too had a problem producing milk with my first son. I always felt like my son was not satisfied. He was always wanting to eat!! I was convinced with my second it would be the same, so I perpared my self for the fact I might need to supplement. It seems like I still don't produce a lot of milk, but I think more then the first time. at least now I can actually get something when i pump. I'm not sure if I produce more milk now or if my son is just not a big eater.

Everything is so different with the second child!! I would not worry about it. The fact is with a second child you don't have as much time to worry about it. One thing I did do different this time is that even though I had wanted to supplement in the hospital because I thought my son was not getting enough milk I didn't. It took a long time for my milk to come in and I was getting very worried. After about a week in a half it was much better. Maybe the fact i didn't supplement at all helped produce more milk at the begining.

Best of luck!!!

I just had my second baby and my breasts did not change at all during my pregnancy either. My breasts did get larger during my first pregnancy, and I'm convinced they went back to even smaller than before pregnancy! But right after birth my body seemed ready for this little guy, and didn't need 9 months to stretch out. I even seem to be making more milk this second time around, with smaller breasts. So, don't let the lack of breast growth scare you. Hopefully your body will be able to make more milk for your little one this time around. Good luck, and don't feel like less of a woman! You are doing great!!

Hi V.,

Are you getting enough nutrition? I am a wellness consultant and help individuals to find what is missing in their diets so they may supplement it with whole food nutrition.

I have found great results with pregnant moms drinking living water, along with jadegreenzymes, lactoferrin to help assist in producing more milk and Ciaga that has 21 fruits in berries to give your body the antioxidants to protect you from the free radicals.

When you give your body what it needs your baby will get what they need also.

If you would like more info let me know.

Have a great day.

N. Marie

I never had to have a c-section so don't have anything to say regarding how that might affect your milk production. I do want to encourage you not to give up too easily on nursing your second child though. I wasn't able to nurse my first child, and nearly starved him from trying for the first couple of weeks. However for my other two I was able to nurse. In my case, I believe I was just not well enough nourished myself to be able to produce milk for my first child. I never had a huge abundance of milk for the other two, but was able to feed them adequately for the first six months or so before the supply simply gave out. That's better than nothing. Stay positive in your thinking, because that often makes a difference.

Big hugs! don't be so rough on you or your body. NO ONE follows the text books completely. If you weren't meant to have babies you would not be on your second one already. Just relax and try to enjoy. I disagree that we can't provide enough milk for our babies. My son has never had formula and he's deliciously healthy. He's also not a fat baby like we see so much of now. Just perfectly healthy and happy. I find for me that if I pump... I dry up. This time around try not to pump... just go straight from the tap and see what happens that way.

I had a c-section recently (with our first child) and have had no problems with nursing; we're now on our 12th week and usually feed on demand. I nursed her every two hours round the clock in the beginning because she lost a lot of weight after she was born. Now she is huge and I have more milk than I know what to do with; after a feeding I can still pump a good 4-6 oz. I drink the Traditional Medicinals Mothering Tea and lots of water.
Maybe you should look at your own patterns of fluids, rest, and feeding schedule. You should also see a lactation consultant. Good luck on the rest of your pregnancy and breast feeding!

Hi Vicky

I feel your frustration! Even though my two kids were not C sections, I did not have enough milk for either of them. I had to supplement from day 1, despite nursing them for hours each day. I pumped, drank lots of tea, consulted lactation consultants, but nothing increased my supply. Like you I 'nursed' before every bottle and lasted for 9 month with each child - I admire you for continuing for 15 months! And nobody could tell me why I did not have enough milk. Some years later I did read an article that indicated that if you are low in iron, it can affect milk supply. I was very low in iron during my pregnancies. It might be something to check out.

All the best

M.

hey V.
dont be so hard on yourself!! try to look at it in a positive light. 1. there is a healthy alternative to breast milk available (formula). just think, in the old days there wasnt ! 2. you wont be one of those mommies that leaks like a firetruck putting out a fire with no notice. that was me. i couldnt go anywhere without a bag of cut in half kotex in my babybag and lets not even mention the fact they gave me square looking boobs!!! 3. no lugging around a breast pump and trying to find a "private" place to pump. no worrying that you didnt get the pump clean enough afterwards and some horrid germ is lying in wait. no lugging of freezer packs to keep what you pumped cold. isnt not breastfeeding sounding better all the time? so, dont beat yourself up. it's not as if you had the milk, but chose not to breastfeed. we're all different, and just cause you have milk production problems doesnt make you less of a woman. you sound like a very concerned, caring momma.. i dont think the c-section has an effect on milk as i was known as "the milk maid" and i had a c-section. just relax and rejoice in the fact that there is a healthy alternative available. good luck.

Hi V.! I can't add much to the discussion that hasn't already been said....but I will anyway...hehe.

First I totally empathize with the "unmotherly" feeling. I too had two c-sections and felt that there must be something wrong with my mother biology because if it wasn't for the c-sections I wouldn't have been able to have children. I had a hard time with my first breastfeeding but stuck with it and had a wonderful woman who helped me work through my fears and not so rational thinking and I began to relax and enjoy nursing more and he grew big and fat and I nursed him for 16 months no problem. With the second my breasts did not change in size at all (with my first I went from 36C to 40F. and with my second I was a 38C the whole time). I went back to school when my second was 6 months....very competetive program, didn't want to lose my spot and I had already deferred for a year when i found out i was pregnant. I nursed him exclusively for 6 months and pumped while at school. At around 10 months he needed a little supplementation from formula, which I initially felt terribly about. He grew just as healthily as my first did!

When it all comes down to it, you have to love what you have! Which will be two beautiful children. In the final analysis, the breastfeeding issue will be taken over by soccer games, school issues, friends and watching them grow. You are a mother because of how much you love your babies, not because of some mommy standard which says you have to birth them naturally, breast feed until they are 2 and have no problems at all! Enjoy the babes! Feed them in whatever way is going to help you stay relaxed and confident, and if you need to ...continue to ask for help and support! (My nurse grabbed my boob and showed me how to help the first latch on correctly...to be honest if she hadn't shown me that I might not have been as successful with him!

Good luck to you! Hang in there and relax into your mommy role! You will do fine!

M. R