Hypoplastic (underdeveloped) breasts
The potential problem
While most women's breasts become filled with milk within three days of delivery, hypoplastic breasts stay soft because there isn't enough glandular tissue to produce much milk. Some women with hypoplastic breasts can produce enough milk to feed their baby. Others will produce at least some milk. Unfortunately some of these women won't be able to produce any.
Hypoplastic breasts are very narrow, lack normal fullness, and may seem bulbous or swollen at the areola. They're likely to be widely spaced, and one breast may be substantially larger than the other. Hypoplastic breasts don't grow or change during pregnancy.
Can I breastfeed?
Possibly. Breasts of this kind may have fewer milk glands than normal, leading to milk-production problems during nursing.
Breast augmentation surgery can improve the appearance of underdeveloped breasts, but it doesn't solve the milk supply problem.
Ask your lactation consultant or healthcare provider to assess your condition and give you tips on boosting milk production. You won't know how much milk you can produce until you start to nurse. Here are some steps that might help:
- Start nursing right after birth.
- Around three days after birth, start pumping with a fully automated pump to stimulate your milk production.
You'll want to make sure that your baby is getting the nourishment she needs, so have a lactation consultant or your baby's doctor weigh her when she's 3 days old to make sure she hasn't lost more than 10 percent of her birth weight. (Losing a little weight after birth is very common.)
If you're able to produce only a portion of the milk your baby needs, you might consider using a supplementary nursing system (SNS) to boost your baby's milk intake. The device consists of a plastic pouch or bag to hold breast milk or formula attached to thin, flexible tubes that run down each breast to the nipple. Since your baby takes both nipple and tube into her mouth when she suckles, she benefits from all the breast milk that's available while stimulating your breasts to produce more.
If you're thinking about getting implants to change the appearance of your breasts but want to nurse your babies, postpone surgery until you've weaned your last child.