I'm very excited to start this blog! Bottle feeding is something that I feel very passionately about and I want to offer new moms ( & seasoned moms!) as much help and advice as I can--and if nothing else, provide you with a place to vent!!
I'll start with a little bit of my story to explain why bottles & bottle feeding became such a huge part of my life. My journey to bottles actually started when I was in the fourth grade and I "blossomed" into a young lady overnight. By eighth grade I had a bigger chest than all my teachers and by senior year I had to buy a two-piece prom dress to accommodate my enormous chest and tiny hips (where did those go, by the way??).
As I entered college I realized that something had to be done. Not only did I look huge, I felt huge. My chest had begun to limit my ability to do activities such as run or jog--and going down stairs was not pretty. I was extremely embarrassed by my appearance and finding modest clothes was next to impossible. I had back aches and shoulder issues and to this day I have permanent dips in my shoulders from wearing a bra almost 24/7. It was time to do something.
My wonderful, wonderful parents agreed to let me meet with Dr. Linderman, a plastic surgeon. After discussing with him my medical and emotional issues associated with my breasts, we decided that a breast reduction surgery would be the best answer to my problems & prayers. On September 20, 2002 I went into surgery and came out 5 full pounds lighter. Dr. Linderman removed approximately 2.5 pounds of tissue from each breast. My bra size went from an F to a D (yes, I still have plenty left!!).
September 20, 2002 changed my life. It was easier to dress in modest clothing. Running down stairs didn't hurt anymore. Bathing suits fit. Shopping for a wedding dress didn't bring me to tears. But that day took something from me that I could never get back--my ability to breast feed. And I don't regret it--not one, single bit.
When I was pregnant with my son I researched breast feeding after breast reduction--and there's a really great website http://www.bfar.org that offers a lot of help and advice. From the best that I could tell, if you really focused and did nothing else but try to breastfeed, after about 4 months, it might work. Maybe. The women I read about had babies who weren't growing and who cried out in hunger all of the time. I couldn't do that to myself, and I certainly couldn't do it to my beautiful baby boy.
I tried breastfeeding for 2 weeks and never got any milk. It was incredibly painful because my milk came in, but due to the removal and replacement of my nipples, it could not come out. It was a very stressful time for both me and my son. Bottles and formula became a permanent fixture in our home. I made a lot of mistakes the first time around, but more on that next time.
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Time flies
11 years ago
Carrie,
ReplyDeleteDon't know if you remember me from Schmidt-Wilson 4th floor, but this is a concern I've struggled with since high school. I, of course, don't know if I'm going to have children or even get married, but the clothing, exercise, and pain issues are definitely regular problems for me.
I think this is a really important topic that doesn't get a lot of consideration because many doctors and mothers promote and assume that breast-feeding is always an option.
Best,
Katie Z.
Katharine,
ReplyDeleteI actually went back to my doctor a few months after Jack was born and he was very excited to talk to me about breastfeeding. He was disappointed that I wasn't able to--probably not good for his statistics!!
I'd be happy to talk to you about the benefits of breast reductions. Most people focus on the physical benefits, but for me, the emotional benefits have far outweighed the physical. Have you had the surgery or are you just considering it?