Women's bodies are an amazing creation. Not only do they have the ability to bring forth new life into the world, but their breasts can carry all of the nutrition that new life needs for several months. In spite of all of that magic, however, society still finds ways to make women feel unsure and ashamed of the very things that make them special. Too often women are told that, when it comes to breasts, bigger is better. But if you are nursing, does size really matter? As you are preparing to nurse your baby, you may want to know do smaller breasts produce less milk?
If you weren't blessed with much in the boob department, you don't have to worry that your baby will be malnourished. According to VeryWell, the size of a woman's breasts is determined by the amount of fatty tissue she has in her breasts. During pregnancy, your body is producing glandular tissue inside, which is responsible for milk production and different from the fatty tissue which determines breast size, as Belly Belly pointed out. Even women with smaller breasts can have a large amount of glandular tissue inside of their breasts.
According to Baby Center, the amount of milk you produce has to do with how much your baby nurses, rather than your cup size. As you nurse your baby, your body will adjust to her appetite and produce the amount of milk she needs. On her website, international board certified lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata wrote that while a woman's breast size may limit the amount of milk she can store between feedings, she may simply have to nurse more frequently to maintain her milk supply and satisfy her baby's appetite.
That being said, there are some rare occasions in which breast size can impact your ability to nurse. As VeryWell mentioned, if your milk ducts are damaged due to breast reduction surgery, you can experience difficulty breastfeeding. Mastectomies and lumpectomies may also inhibit nursing by leaving the woman with limited breast tissue to produce milk. In these cases, you can consult your doctor on ways to supplement your available milk supply to meet your baby's needs.
So whether you're an A, a DD, or anything in between, don't let your breast size give you anxiety about nursing. Your doctor or midwife can advise you on breastfeeding classes and support groups in your area. You can also contact La Leche League International for help with any of your breastfeeding concerns.
