"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." -Winston Churchill

Sunday, April 17, 2011

IGT and low milk supply resources

Do you have Hypolastic Breasts?


Typical characteristics:
  • High mammary fold - the base of the breasts is higher than normal, usually at rib 5.
  • Narrow (flat) breast base - the breast is oval or flattened at the base where it attaches to the rib cage rather than round
  • Breast tissue cascades over mammary fold producing ptosis even in small breasts - breast tissue droops over the high mammary fold
  • Central herniation of breast tissue into the areola resulting in plump nipples
  • Patchy areas of milk producing tissue
  • Little or no prominent veining
  • Large areolas
  • Darkly pigmented areolas
  • Widely spaced breasts > 1.5’
  • Marked asymmetry
  • Stretch marks
  • Little or no growth during pregnancy
  • Little or no engorgement
  • Normal prolactin levels 
Pictures of Hypoplastic Breasts (with Type 1 being a normally-developed breast) 
  • Type 2 – Hypoplasia of lower medial quadrant
  • Type 3 - Hypoplasia of the lower medial and lateral quadrants
  • Type 4 - Severe constrictions, minimal breast base

Type 2

Type 3

Type 4
(Note: I got this pictures from a website that's no longer in existence.)

Breastfeeding Assessment Tool for the first 4 weeks and the Answer Key


Mother Food: A Lactogenic Diet

Yes, you CAN breastfeed successfully, no matter how much milk you make!

La Leche League on mammary hypoplasia

PCOS can also lead to low milk supply

An IGT self-diagnosis check list.


More about IGT
    Markers of Lactation Insufficiency (with pictures of hypoplastic breasts)

    lowmilksupply.org

    MOBI Motherhood: A valuable resource to any nursing mother.

    An article about lactation failure, and how doctors need to recognize that not every woman can breastfeed.
    "Preserving the 'every woman can nurse' myth contributes to perpetuating a simplistic view of lactation and does a disservice to the small percentage of women with primary causes of unsuccessful lactation."

    Podcast: When the “booby fairy” doesn’t arrive: A podcast interview on insufficient glandular tissue/breast hypoplasia, with Diana Cassar-Uhl

    Dr. Jack Newman's website (email him for advice!)

    A free audio download for relaxation and increasing milk supply.

    Mama Munchies lactation cookies, good for a supply boost!

    Recipe for Mama Munchies if you'd like to make your own.

    When Lactation Doesn't Work (read the comments, too!)

    Make Your Boobs a Happy Place

    What to Do If Your Baby Won't Nurse

    My favorite instructions for using an SNS

    An EPer's Guide to Pumping

    Maximizing Milk Production While Pumping

    Facebook groups:
    Breastfeeding Grief
    Low Milk Supply Mamas
    Diary of a Lactation Failure
    IGT Support Group


    Interested in using donor milk? Check out Human milk 4 human babies!
    I will add more as I remember/come across them.

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