Hi there,

There aren't many reasons that a woman can't breast feed. Physically it's no prolactin which happens in a tiny number of people mainly with an acute thyroid problem. Emotionally milk is delayed when the hormones aren't triggered like with a c/s which means the baby continuously suckles to get the physiology working.

There aren't any other real reasons that breast feeding is impossible. There is no such thing as not enough milk. It's usually an incorrect attachment which means the baby isn't stimulating the normal process to work properly. Or due to tiredness and difficultly, putting the baby on the breast becomes very hard. Normal feeding pattern is 8 to 18 feeds per day. Feeding 18 times feels like you haven't got enough milk when actually it's quite normal.

Perterm birth doesn't stop you from going through exactly the same physiology as term birth, however you may have to express and feed your baby through a tube if they are too small to suck. Your body still produces enough milk for your baby.

Nobody has the wrong shaped breast or bad nipples just about everyone can feed their baby. The most important thing is to believe that you can do it. Help and support are life lines but at the end of it there is your baby and there are your breasts. It can be done with no input. Of course it's great to get help.

Lisa Barrett
midwife