October,
2006
Plus Size Nursing Article appears in Babyzone.com
Making Nursing Easier for Plus-Size Moms
By Kristen
J. Gough
Women come in a variety of sizes, but until recently breastfeeding products were
one-size-fits-all. Find out what's new for plus-size and large-breasted mothers
who plan to nurse their babies.
Nursing can be difficult no matter what your body shape or breast size. Yet if
you're a plus-sized woman - and over half of all women in the US are - you
may want to take extra steps to ensure successful breastfeeding. With a little
know-how and some products to help, you'll find nursing can be a good experience
for both you and your baby.
Nursing Know-How
"The most important thing to know is that plus-size moms tend to take
longer for their milk to come in," explains Brette Sember, author of Your
Plus-Size Pregnancy and mother of two. Sember says it can take an additional
24 to 36 hours for breast milk to replace the colostrum (or pre-milk) that
initially feeds your baby.
Most women's milk comes in within the first three days after
birth. A delayed milk supply may be discouraging, especially
for first-time mothers. Sember cites one study in the May
2004 journal Pediatrics which found that "overweight
women are 2.5 times less successful in beginning breastfeeding
than other women, and obese women 3.6 times less successful." To
ensure a good experience with nursing, Sember suggests you
meet with a lactation consultant before your baby
is born as well as afterward.
Before becoming discouraged about nursing, Nancy Mohrbacher,
an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant (ICLC)
and the author and co-author of numerous nursing books, including Breastfeeding
Made Simple: 7 Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers, warns
that any woman can experience difficulty with nursing. But
the solutions are the same for all women, whatever their
size. Good breastfeeding techniques and plenty of skin-to-skin
contact, even at times other than nursing, "can offset
other issues, whether it be weight, having had breast surgery,
or a variety of other factors."
Mohrbacher advises that you try a variety of nursing positions
to find one that is the most comfortable. Often plus-sized
women enjoy nursing with the infant's head to the breast
and baby's body curved behind the mother, commonly known
as the football hold. Lying down to nurse might also create
a soothing atmosphere for the baby and offer back relief
for Mom.
Nursing Clothes
Until a few years ago, plus-sized maternity wear and nursing
products were almost impossible to find. Eleven years ago,
Alycia Carmin couldn't find any maternity clothes to fit
her tall frame. "It seemed like everything was designed
for petite women," explains Carmin, who as a result
formed Jake and Me, designing, manufacturing, and selling
clothing online for plus-size women.
"I remember one woman who contacted me, a pastor's wife, said she didn't
like nursing because she always had to wear dresses and it's not easy to nurse
in a regular dress." At Jake and Me, the woman found dresses in her size
with paneling that flattered her figure along with handy flaps that allowed
for easy nursing.
Larger manufacturers are waking up to the market demand for
plus-size products. Within the past few years, Motherhood
Maternity, the largest maternity company in the world, began
offer plus-sizes in many of its stores. Today a little over
half of their stores carry plus-size fashions, including
larger bra sizes. With each new store that is added or older
stores that are renovated, plus-size products are included.
Before you head out shopping - whether to the mall or
online, look over these products that might make nursing
simpler for you and your baby.
Nursing Bras
You can now find nursing bras in a variety of fits and sizes,
whether you prefer underwire or soft cup. In the past, obstetricians
cautioned against using underwire bras because the wiring
might constrict the milk ducts, but most well-made nursing
bras won't cause problems.
According to Mohrbacher, the key is to find the right fit
- not too snug, not too tight. Talk to a bra-fitting specialist
or to your lactation consultant to make sure that your bra
fits properly. Once hard to find sizes such as cups sizes
past D or E are now much easier to track down online. For
example, in 2005 Medela introduced more sizes in its popular
Beautiful Beginnings Seamless Bra line. They offer nursing
bra cup sizes in F, G, and H with underwires for extra support.
Nursing Pillow
The Anna Pillow allows women to adjust the height of the
pillow by adding or taking away layers of padding. The
pillow contains three, two-inch padding layers so that
you can support your back while comfortably holding your
baby to nurse. The rectangular-shaped pillow wraps around
the front of the body and has a belt strap to keep it in
place. You can find the Anna Pillow at various websites,
including www.thenursingpillowcompany.com, for $49.95.
Breast Pillow
Once you've made your baby comfortable with a nursing pillow,
support your breast with an Utterly Yours pillow. The pillow
slips between the breast and your rib cage, propping up the
breast to make it easier for your baby to reach the nipple.
Women with larger breasts will find this especially helpful.
The memory foam conforms to the shape of your breast and
the outside cover can be removed and machine-washed. Find
the breast pillow at www.utterlyyours.com for $19.95
for sizes small through large (cup sizes C through G) and
$29.95 for extra large (cup sizes H and I).
Breast Pump
There is a variety of breast pumps on the market, and the
one you choose will depend on your needs. You may or may
not need larger breast shields and flanges—the funnel-shaped
cups that fit over the nipple and areola during pumping.
If you have very large breasts, these larger cups can help
you pump milk more comfortably and efficiently. Medela, Lansinoh,
and Ameda are three well-established manufacturers
of breastfeeding products that offer flange kits designed
for larger-breasted moms.
Breastfeeding not only creates a bond between you and your
baby, but it provides the nourishment that your baby needs.
If you have any problem nursing, or have any questions, don't
hesitate to ask your OB-GYN or midwife, or contact a lactation
specialist through the La Leche League or the hospital where
you delivered.
Media Contact:
Nadia Jamshidi
408.859.6052
nadia@Utterlyyours.com
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