Breast mismatch and piercing

[Kristine233]

My younger sister just called with a question I can't answer. Her DD was born Oct 1st and has been nursing like a champ. She had some supply issues but after a few suggestions she's doing better. Now she has a new question.

We know that it is normal to have one breast that is bigger than the other and produce more, but how much of a difference is normal? One side is now a D and the other is a C. And one produces 2 times as much as the other. She has tried and tried and can't get the smaller one to produce more. i told her to just keep having her DD nurse at that one as much as possible but its not working.

Her is the twist, she had her nipples pierced before her DD was born. The larger side's piercing is still open (healed, but open through) and sometimes milk comes out it. The small side has closed up tight. Her question is, do you think the scar tissue left from the piercing caused a closure in there and now it just wont produce?

Any other suggestions?

[Kristine233]

No one has suggestions?

My sister is pretty mainstream and I'm slowly "crunchifying" her and breastfeeding was pretty amazing that she decided to give it a go. I got the vibe that she was going to quit if she couldn't find an answer and I told her I'd ask around for suggestions. She has no computer or internet to look herself and lives in the middle of nowhere so no local resources. (and I'm 3 hours away) I'm really hoping someone here has information or experience with side effects of nipple piercing and breastfeeding to see if there is any correlation? Or how to get just one side to produce more to even it out a tad?

[graye_pearl]

i would just say to nurse more often on the smaller side (begin each nursing session with the smaller side, since they tend to drink more from the first breast). i have one breast that has always produced more milk than the other, which interestingly enough, was always slightly larger than the other before pregnancy/breastfeeding.

[Ruthla]

Breast variations ARE normal- when not nursing, I'm a cup size larger on the right side, but I managed to even things out when nursing DD2 and DS so I was the same cup size for a short while. So, if sh'es normally the same cup size on both sides, being a cup size apart while nursing sounds completely normal to me.

If she's making enough total milk for the baby, I'd advise her to live with the lopsidedness, and let the baby get the milk from wherever it's produced.

I've never had a nipple piercing, but what you describe doesn't sound "abnormal" or problematic to me. I know kellymom.com has information on breastfeeding with nipple piercings- pretty much all I know on the topic is that it can be done. I'd check out www.kellymom.com and see if there's more info that answers your questions- and if not, send an email to Kelly (the website owner and IBCLC) and ask her directly.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

I had my right nipple pierced and kept jewelry in it through most of my pregnancy until my boobs were TOO itchy and I took it out. My LEFT side is way bigger and makes WAY more milk. At least a cup size larger and at least twice as much milk. Some of it was preference in the beginning, and then we just got used to nursing more on the left. I know milk always came out faster. So I have the same situation, but I can't say for sure that it was related to my piercing.

If she's super concerned about lopsidedness one thing could be when ever she nurses on the larger side, pump the smaller side with a hand pump.

OT Also, there is something funny about saying she is super "mainstream" and going on the internet to talk about her nipple piercings

[katbomumof3]

I had both nipples pierced, took them out when pregs for dd2. I've found both time that one side leaks more through the piercing hole, and makes more milk, lil bigger etc (i'm super small anyway)
I'd say its not a big deal, as long as she makes enough.

[Kristine233]

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

I had my right nipple pierced and kept jewelry in it through most of my pregnancy until my boobs were TOO itchy and I took it out. My LEFT side is way bigger and makes WAY more milk. At least a cup size larger and at least twice as much milk. Some of it was preference in the beginning, and then we just got used to nursing more on the left. I know milk always came out faster. So I have the same situation, but I can't say for sure that it was related to my piercing.

If she's super concerned about lopsidedness one thing could be when ever she nurses on the larger side, pump the smaller side with a hand pump.

OT Also, there is something funny about saying she is super "mainstream" and going on the internet to talk about her nipple piercings

Thank you girls! I'll relay the suggestions and info when I talk to her this morning. She was a "A" cup pre-baby so this is really different for her and she does NOT like being that lopsided, on her little frame its pretty noticble. She always starts on the small side to try to get that side to produce more too.

Lol, I know putting "mainstream" and "piercings" into the same sentence sounds weird, but I meant for baby/parenting wise. (ok, fashion etc too, lol) Lets put it this way, she wanted an elective c-sec and was relieved when she ended up needing one. She has to have all the new cool baby gadgets as well. I did rub off in the babywearing department and breastfeeding area so she's at least giving them a try. (And she refused to buy a removable carseat because she didn't want to be tempted to be a bucket carrying mom... yay!)

[Alice27]

It is so normal to have one breast larger than the other and for one to produce more milk than the other.

How about getting padding for the smaller one? The longer she nurses, the more her breasts will settle down and gradually return to a smaller size, though they will probably remain slightly larger than pre-pregnancy size until the baby stops nursing.

Alice

[tbone_kneegrabber]

another thing to tell her is that after a few months it starts to even out more and they (the boobs) go back to being closer to their orignal size. At least mine did, in the beginning they were kinda huge and now they are as much (or maybe I just got used to them?)