Customer Reviews

Defining your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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This book is an incredible resource, and not just for those breastfeeding after reduction surgery. It contains wonderful breastfeeding info from how the breast works to herbs/drugs available to increase supply.

Oh yeah, and it also contains wonderful and complete information, as well as personal stories, regarding breastfeeding after reduction surgery!

I got this book while pregnant, and it really helped me set realistic expectations for what to expect. My supply turned out to be really low and it has invaluable resources for ways to increase supply. I still only produce around 8 ounces a day, but I've stuck with it and am still nursing my 13 month old.

Try to keep in mind that you won't know how you feel about this until you actually have your baby. Get this book and get educated. Then when the going gets rough, make a decision that you know in your heart you won't end up regretting.

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This book is simply wonderful. Tons of scientific information presented in a thoroughly readable fashion. Personal stories of BFAR women are wonderful. The book offers tons of hope to BFAR mothers. More importantly, it also offers empowerment and respect. There is no false hope offered for a "perfect" breastfeeding experience, nor is there any second guessing of the mother's decision to have the reduction surgery. Only straight forward information about what reduction surgery does to the mammary system, how milk production can be maximized, tools and techniques to assist in BFAR, and the respect for the mother to go forward and make the best decision about how to handle her personal BFAR experience.

The chapter about "Defining Your Own Success" I found especially wonderful. As a person who helps other mothers by giving them breastfeeding information, it was a wonderful piece to give me the tools to help mothers who have had a less than "perfect" breastfeeding experience (even if not related to BFAR) make peace with her experience. It is no surprise that Diana West is a La Leche League leader. This is a very typical and wonderful example of the warmth, respect, and non-judgementalism that La Leche League leaders are known for exhibiting.

Every mother who has had a breast reduction or is contemplating a breast reduction should read this book. All lactation consultants, pediatricians, obstetricians, plastic surgeons, La Leche League Leaders, midwives and doulas should read this book.

This book was extrememly helpful. Not only did it provide medical information, but real life stories of BFAR mothers. It explained in detail how to increase your milk supply, how to suppliment, and what you can expect emotionally. It gives you advice on what to do before baby is born, how to handle things after baby comes. Well thought out, Well referenced, Well written. A necessary book to have if you want to nurse your child after having breast surgery.

Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Beast Reduction Surgery is specifically written to enable mothers who have had breast reduction surgery to breastfeed their babies. Though breastfeeding after such surgery is generally thought impossible, recent advances in breast reduction surgical techniques now allow lactation capabilities to be better retained than in the past. Trial and error experience combined with knowledge has allowed thousands of post-surgical women to breastfeed in spite of the obstacles. Defining Your Own Success explicitly describes how to maximize a woman's milk supply and confront challenges. A special section is also devoted specifically to the professional perspective, from health care providers to plastic surgeons and maternity nurses. Personal anecdotes and several appendices round out this well thought-out reference. Highly recommended.

This a fantastic book for the woman who is preparing to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery, who is currently breastfeeding after surgery, family members of such a woman who want to offer her support, lactation consultants and any health care practitioner who works with breastfeeding mothers. It covers every aspect of breastfeeding after reduction from the reasons why women have this surgery, the different types of surgeries and how they can impact lactation, to the benefits of feeding at the breast and the benefits of breastmilk, the practical considerations of BFAR, how to increase milk supply and the emotional aspects BFAR. In addition to being a wealth of practical information, I also found this book to be a wonderful reminder of why breastfeeding is best. It was inspiring and motivating. I only wish this book had been around when I had my first child. I know it would have made a world of difference to my daughter's and my attempt at BFAR. I highly recommend this book to any woman contemplating breastfeeding after reduction and any woman considering breast reduction surgery and even suspects she may want to breastfeed her future children.

Incredible....Amazing....Inspirational! Everyone that wants to breastfeed after a breast reduction or help someone do so must read this book. This book is the only comprehensive body of information on this topic. It covers breast reduction techniques, reasons to breastfeed, ways to supplement, methods to maximize your milk supply, issues specific to breastfeeding after reduction, and real life stories. Diana's insight offers practical and emotional support to those breastfeeding after reduction.

This book is NOT out of print yet, although some info is indeed outdated. A new edition is coming, but it may be at least two years. Definitely check the [...] websites for updated info. Also see my new book for leading-edge info on ways to make more milk: The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk: Foreword by Martha Sears, RN (Breastfeeding Mothers Guide). -- Diana West (the author)

I'd been doing BFAR (Breastfeeding After Reduction Surgery) for three months before I discovered this book and I really wish I'd had it from the beginning. It's basically a textbook and goes into great detail about how the surgery could have affected your breastfeeding ability and what you can do if you have a low milk supply (herbs, prescription medications, pumping, psychological exercises). It goes into the emotional issues you may be dealing with and discusses methods of supplementing your baby with donated human milk or formula. There is also a section in the back for professionals who may be working with BFAR mothers.

It is very pro breastfeeding, but not in a way that I felt bullied. I did feel a little guilty that there were things I could have done in the first month that I didn't know about until reading the book, but the section on emotional issues helped with that, saying not to feel guilty over decisions you made in the past when you had different information.

I've read multiple breastfeeding books. I purchased this as I'm considering having another child and had a reduction surgery about 5 years ago. I was amazed at the informative yet gentle tone of this book. Most breastfeeding books regard formula as toxic waste. "Defining your Own Success" clearly states that it is often necessary and guilt should not prevent you from recognizing that it may be needed. The sections on types of surgeries and their effects on nursing are clinical but not too technical for the average reader. I finished this book with a feeling of hope and the knowledge that I desperately needed.

I refer this book to all pregnant or breastfeeding women I come into contact with (mostly over the internet) who have had breast reduction surgery. This book is the only one that exists on this topic that I know of. It is an absolute must-have for any woman who has had a breast reduction and is either pregnant or breastfeeding. The book is very well-written and highly accurate.

There are stories from "real" BFAR moms that are very touching. The book's title says it all. You can successfully breastfeed your child after reduction -- no question about it. The book describes this beautifully! Some women who BFAR have a full supply and others need to supplement -- all are successful and have that great BFAR relationship with their child. There is nothing that compares.

Women receive a lot of misinformation about breastfeeding -- especially breastfeeding after reduction -- from doctors, nurses, lactation consultants and others they look to for support and information. Unfortunately this misinformation jeopardizes the BFAR'ing relationship and it comes to an end. This book gives BFAR moms all of the information and support they need to have a wonderful and successful BFAR relationship with their child. As I stated before -- it is a must-have!