Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Apr
14
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“You’ll Suffocate The Baby.”
“You’ll suffocate the baby.” -L&D Nurse to new mother with very large breasts who was learning to breastfeed.
There are 28 comments to this post.
Ahhh, the sweet sound of support, encouragement, and reliable information.
Oh. Drat. It’s absent here. Never mind.
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I had that said to me as well, but so far he’s survived 11 weeks without suffocating. I do sometimes have to hold my breasts so that he can manage, but I’m assuming once he gets bigger I won’t.
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Heather Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 11:50 pm (Quote)
If you sometimes don’t have to, then you some day won’t have to at all, most likely. I can very rarely nurse without holding and can’t stand when I do (the holding reduces sensation and I’m oversensitive), but in the early days, I couldn’t do it at all, despite a slew of nurses, LCs and LLL people trying to help me to. Wish they’d just encouraged the best way for me to nurse instead of making me feel like I was doing it wrong.
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Becky had this to say,
Apr 14, 2010 @ 4:45 pm (Quote)
Me and my girls (the Double Ds) say that nurse is full of crap. All my babies are still breathing and they were nursed until TWO! Stuff that in your bra and grope it.
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mommymichael had this to say,
Apr 14, 2010 @ 5:40 pm (Quote)
I thought this was why babies have upturned noses… so they could nurse at the breast and NOT suffocate…
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I range in size from G down to B while nursing..and so far all 4 of mine have come away without suffocating.
And honestly, how is that statement in ANY WAY helpful? Apart from making a crazily hormonal woman even more self conscious of her ever changing body…It is neither supportive nor constructive…
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You see, because of the invention of eyeballs, moms can look down at their nursing babies and *see* that the nostrils are clear so the baby can breathe. If the baby’s nose is obstructed, they then move the breast or the baby to clear it. Isn’t it wonderful! It’s too bad the hospitals don’t come equipped with those, but maybe someday…
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I can’t think of anything to say that isn’t extremely discourteous to this person’s parentage, character, and person.
You truly can’t win.
If you have small breasts, you’ll never be able to make enough milk.
If they’re large, you’ll “suffocate” the baby.
If your nipples don’t stick out far enough, the baby will never latch on.
If they stick out too far, that’s a problem too.
If you even think about breastfeeding, your nipples will sag down to your knees within 30 seconds, and your breasts will be “ruined.”
If you nurse past 6 hours/6 weeks/6 months you are a pervert and only continuing for your own selfish gratification, as the child gets no benefits.
ARRGGHHH!
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38I, severe breast ptosis, flat nipples and 5 day super-engorgement (meaning my nipples become totally flush to the boulders) at the beginning of each nursing relationship and I have two happy nurslings. One’s been nursing 3 1/2 years, the other 15 months and not once has there ever been anything close to suffocation, except when everyone insisted I should be able to nurse hands-free. I don’t mind not doing so, it means when I NIP, there really isn’t anything to see, because my hand covers it before she’s finished turning her head to stare off at whatever’s distracted her 
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Alana had this to say,
Apr 17, 2010 @ 7:18 am (Quote)
DDD here…I am nursing baby #3 and so far they are all still breathing and if one of them does suffocate it will be because their older brother suffocated them not my breats. The only problem I have is I could sometimes use 3 hands to nurse…
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Hi,
I have very large breasts-I currently wear a 38I bra. I nursed all 5 of my children with NO problems. This doc is very ignorant!
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Mary Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 5:31 pm Mary(Quote)
You are a hero! I wear an H and I thought that was big!
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RachelODom Reply:
April 15th, 2010 at 1:16 pm RachelODom(Quote)
Yep! I wear a 38 h as well. It can totally be done. I find it easier actually! (well, i have never nursed with small boobies so i dont really know, but its not hard.)
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Heather Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 11:48 pm Heather(Quote)
38I here, too, and severe breast ptosis, so I can’t nurse without a C-hold (I got so sick of the “if they can’t breathe, they’ll pull back” comments, because if your baby can NEVER breathe while nursing, then they can’t nurse at all with that attitude!), but I’ve been nursing for 3 1/2 years, have two kids and they both love nursing
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Mistie Reply:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:57 pm Mistie(Quote)
I’m sorry ladies, my knowledge ends at a DD. What exactly does ‘H” or ‘I’ translate to? I’m just having a hard time image processing the letters. I’m not trying to be rude, I’m honestly just inquiring. Thanks.
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Liz Belden Reply:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:23 pm Liz Belden(Quote)
You just keep going up the alphabet. The higher the letter, the larger the boobs. Sizing charts usually tell yo that an A cup is 1″ larger than the measurement just under your breasts, B is 2″, etc. an H is 8-10″ larger, depending on the manufacturer. My under the breast measurement is 37″. My around my breasts measurement is 46″.
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Mistie Reply:
May 26th, 2010 at 4:18 am Mistie(Quote)
OK, I see that, so then where do the double letters (or even triple for that matter) come in at i.e. DD, FFF whatever the letter may be. I can see where the second letter would be like a 1/2in. or something, but what does the triple letter mean (and the double, if my guess is wrong)? Thanks for letting me ask [and for answering] without making me sound totally ignorant.. I’ve just never taken the time to learn much about breast size beyond my the “norm”.
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Liz Belden Reply:
May 26th, 2010 at 6:29 am Liz Belden(Quote)
It all depends on the manufacturer-I guess some feel that women would rather buy a DD instead of an E, it’s like women’s sizes-one label’s 10 is another label’s 8. you know how it goes. Best way to see is to go to a site like barenecessities.com and click on their size chart.
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Mistie Reply:
May 26th, 2010 at 10:08 am Mistie(Quote)
Hey thanks Liz, I appreciate your patience.
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