Breastfeeding with abnormally large areolas

[mrsraggle]

I tried to BF my DD but didn't for very long, couldn't get a decent position or latch because of the size of my boobs and loss in confidence and lack of support.

So I'm due next week with #2 and am determined to do it this time. I'm currently watching loads of positioning and latching videos but one thing really concerns me. All of them say to get all or most of the areola into the baby's mouth... but mine are HUGE. In fact, no-one's ever said anything to me, but I'm sure they're abnormally big. There's no way anywhere near most of it will get into the baby's mouth! Will this affect feeding?

Here's a photo (one of only a couple of photos of my BF/just after with her milky mouth ):
https://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd169/rachelwestlake/DSC01236.jpg

Thanks

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I don't think it should. Just make sure there's a good amount of areola in your baby's mouth. I'm sure that you'll manage just fine

 

[cooper2010]

Mine are big and an idiot nurse told me once to get all of it into her mouth. I replied with so I am going to be choking her". I didnt listen to that nurse. Anyways, there is a lot of aereola left out for us and every thing is fine.

 

[feeble]

I shouldn't worry, along as the nipple and a portion of aroela is in the mouth, the sucking will stimulate the milk ducts behind x

Beautiful picture by the way x

 

[sugar_puff]

Mine are quite large too and we've never had any major issues, he did struggle to latch early on but i think that was more to do with him being a bit lazy more that my size! He's 8 months now and still going strong.

Not the best pictures but these are from when he was a couple of weeks old.

Good luck!!

 

[Celesse]

Mine are pretty big too. Even my 22month old has a lot of areola left over once shes latched on, the baby stands no chance.

 

[mrsraggle]

Thanks for the reassurance, I was getting quite worried!

 

[summer rain]

Mine are huge also; as long as there is more areola above their top lip than below their bottom lip when they are latched, then jobs a good un as they say xx

 

[minties]

What a gorgeous picture! My breasts are a lot like yours (size and shape), but I have very small areola in comparison. Thomas still doesn't get the whole thing in his gob now, let alone when he was a baby.

 

[mrsraggle]

What a gorgeous picture! My breasts are a lot like yours (size and shape), but I have very small areola in comparison. Thomas still doesn't get the whole thing in his gob now, let alone when he was a baby.

Thanks

My boobs are really soft (maybe that changes when full of milk?) so I've tried practising making a "C" shape tonight but it just makes my boob go a really weird shape and I can only get half of my areola in my hand?!

My DH thinks I've gone mad watching me shout expletives at my boobs!

 

[minties]

Mine were soft even when full of milk, and I never could get the hang of that whole "make a burger, make your hands into a C shape" crap. It drove me to tears.

I was so nervous of doing it wrong, and trying to hold a teeny baby, a huge heavy boob, stop him crying, make a boob burger (lol!) and get it in his mouth...I hated it.

After a while I looked on youtube to see some latching techniques, and I saw one that I still use now. I'll see if I can find it. It helped me so much.

Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=804lwQz_ZyA

The folding the nipple up and let it pop open into my LO's mouth was the best way I found for me to work around big breasts.

 

[lisaf]

sorry, I did chuckle at the image of you shouting at your own breasts, lol!
I had issues latching but it was due to flat nipples/tongue-tie etc... the nipples sorted themselves out once we got the tongue-tie fixed really.
The most comfortable position in early days was the football/rugby hold... now I love nursing lying on our sides facing each-other... when I learned that nursing position it was like a revalation, I could hold a book in one hand and nurse hands free and just relax... felt like getting 'me' time back in a way.

And like the other girls said, its more to do with the ratio of top-to-bottom areola than getting tons of areola in their mouths.
The C-shape is what your hand should be doing, but think of it more like holding a sandwich... you hold a sandwich flat with a large part of your hand, but far back enough that you can still 'bite' it, right? You don't need to hold back behind the aerola, especially in your case, you just need to hold back far enough that you don't interfere with your baby's mouth as it latches on. Check out videos to see how big of an area you need to 'flatten'.

I also think I learned to sort of squash my breast in by tickling the upper lip, then sliding it in from the top down (I don't even know if that makes sense?)... I mean more than trying to make it flat enough to pop straight in, I'd wait for the wide open mouth, then aim for the bottom lip with the underside of my hold and sort of fold the top part into the mouth.

Its good to plan ahead, but don't drive yourself crazy over a problem you may not have... make sure you have resources lined up and you know what a good latch looks like etc

 

[lisaf]

oh, and if you're not in pain from the latch, your baby seems satisfied, gains weight and has enough wet/dirty diapers, then you're doing it 'right'

 

[Blah11]

Romans latch isnt that deep either so mine arent all in his mouth (most is though).

 

[lisaf]

minties... that video basically shows much better what I was trying to explain For me, I still had to use the sandwich hold a bit, but I angled my nipple upwards so it would pop into his mouth easier.. once you get the bottom amount in that you need, they suck the top half in themselves too. The nipple hitting the roof of the mouth stimulates the suck reflex

 

[Blah11]

i have the push the area above my nipple when im really engorged or he just cant latch on and he gets all frantic LOL

 

[letshaveababy]

Mine are huge too. Actually, if I didn't know better, I would say that is a picture of my boobs!!

DD is feeding just fine without getting the entire areola in her mouth, and no one has ever told me to make sure she gets it all. I think all of the nurses I have seen realized that's impossible!!!

 

[ashley2pink]

You'll be fine. Your areola size doesnt matter. They say get most of it in, because most women have pepperoni size areolas lol...some have smaller so all of the areola goes in, some have bigger so not very much of it goes in. Good Luck

 

[kerrie24]

I dont think it should be a problem,women have came into my peer supporters group with the same problem,and they have worked around it.

That video minties posted is one that also helped me,Owen had a tongue tie which they said would stretch,they wouldnt cut unless we had problems.So I did lots of reading up on latch and used this to help me get through the first few weeks.He never had it snipped and we are at 20 months now.

Im sure if you go into it armed with as much info and confidence as you can muster,you will succeed!Very best of luck x

 

[mrsraggle]

Mine were soft even when full of milk, and I never could get the hang of that whole "make a burger, make your hands into a C shape" crap. It drove me to tears.

I was so nervous of doing it wrong, and trying to hold a teeny baby, a huge heavy boob, stop him crying, make a boob burger (lol!) and get it in his mouth...I hated it.

After a while I looked on youtube to see some latching techniques, and I saw one that I still use now. I'll see if I can find it. It helped me so much.

Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=804lwQz_ZyA

The folding the nipple up and let it pop open into my LO's mouth was the best way I found for me to work around big breasts.

Thanks for sharing this, I will give it a go once baby is here!

Thanks everyone for the responses, it's really reassuring. I'm trying to prepare myself as much as possible this time (last time I thought it was as simple and sticking baby to the boob and letting them do what they wanted!).