Breasts too sensative to nurse?

[WonderWild]

That's what my SIL said when I mentioned breastfeeding her baby. She's due in Feb and she was talking about the weight she's gained. I said "ya know, breastfeeding helps take it off quickly". She said "oh no, I can't do that. They are just too sensative." I said "well you could pump." Her response "that would require me to touch them and they are just too sensative for that!" Then I dropped it because obviously she is dead set against it. She has one daughter already who is 9. She was formula fed but SIL was 19 when she was born. I had just hoped that maybe she would do some things differently with this one but obviously not. 1st daughter was left at Gma & Gpa's when she was only a week old and has been a several day a week vistor there ever since. (overnights) Anyway, I tried to be a lactivist this weekend.

[~Megan~]

She should at least try it again. It seems like she doesn't understand at all how important breastfeeding is to the child.

[Pernwebgoddess]

Sometimes it really is hard for a woman to understand how different nursing feels from normal touch. It could be she thought the senstivity from pregnancy might have carried over. Or, she could be one of those that really is uncomfortable having anyone touch her breasts, and well, I can understand where she's coming from.

It could also be that she has some sexual issues which bar her from even considering it.

[Catherine12]

As someone who used to have extremely sensitive breasts, I can attest that it is possible to have a good bfing experience even so... yes, the first few weeks were tough, but after a while they weren't so sensitive anymore. You could pitch this as a side benefit - bf and you won't hate having people (like your dh ) touch your breasts anymore.

[laohaire]

Yeah, I was dreading BFing when I was pregnant. I didn't know that sensitivity during PG is typical, and that the first few days/weeks PP are enough to get over it.

Unfortunately it seems like your SIL isn't interested in discussing it though.

[stacyann21]

It seems like she doesn't understand at all how important breastfeeding is to the child

:

[grisaleen]

ooh, ooh, me! I always had super sensitive nipples pre-pregnancy. I never let anyone touch them sexually, it was just too much. I was actually quite afraid that this would mean that breastfeeding would hurt me more than it hurts other people with less sensitive nipples, and I suppose your SIL thinks the same (although she may have other issues as well). I was determined to give it a shot, though, and we are now on our seventh month of exclusively breastfeeding. Okay, that's not true - we actually had a latch issue for a few weeks and I gave her one bottle of formula a day to give my nipples a break until my nipples healed, but that could have been avoided if I'd watch the Jack Newman videos right from the beginning. Some things are easier to understand when you see them as opposed to just reading about them. Oh, but that's a little off-topic, eh?

[WonderWild]

Even if what she said were not an issue, she would still not breastfeed. That would mean that she could not do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She just does not have the mothering instinct unfortunately. She has a very poor relationship with her 9 year old due to her being so detached from mothering.