Patricia

My name is Patricia and I have 3 children. I am 33 years old and had my breast reduction at 18 years of age. There are 7 years between the last child of my first marriage and my now 6 week old baby boy. I was told with my first two children that due to the type of surgery I had, breast feeding would not be possible. At 23 years of age and with no support from the medical profession, I gave up trying, and shouldn’t have.

I was determined this time to do everything possible to provide at least a minimal amount of breast milk to my son, AND IT’S WORKING!!! It’s a lot of work and if my other two kids weren’t in full time school, I don’t know if I would be as successful. I spend a lot of time expressing milk, (every time I feel the milk let down I run to my pump), then once I’m done breastfeeding, I get a bottle with the milk I’ve pumped or I use some formula. At this point, I’m able to produce approximately 50% and I’m happy with that percentage. It’s hard to explain the thrill of seeing 4 ounces of pumped breast milk waiting in the fridge for the baby. It makes all the effort worth it.

The hardest part of breastfeeding is getting the baby to latch properly. I hope that if there is anyone out there who is a bit shy like I am will let an expert watch while the baby latches onto the breast just to be sure it’s right. It is possible to breastfeed, even after having a reduction back in the 80’s. Never give up hope and be sure it’s worth all the hard work.

Best of luck to all.

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