What is Hypoplasia?

Hypoplasia is a condition in which a mother has insufficient glandular breast tissue. This, in simple terms means that hypoplasia is a condition in which a female doesn’t have adequate amounts of milk producing cells in her breasts and this leads to less possibility of breastfeeding or nursing the baby. This condition may vary in the sense that some mothers with hypoplasia may not be able to feed their little one at all while in some other conditions, breastfeeding is possible but only to a limited extent.

Breast Hypoplasia

So how do you exactly know if you have hypoplasia? The following given signs and symptoms will be of help.

Symptoms of Hypoplasia

  • Hypoplasia is easy to identify and you may have a chance of hypoplasia if your breasts are widely spaced from each other(more than 1.5 inch apart)
  • If your breasts are commonly asymmetric, then even in this condition the risk of hypoplasia increases by quite a margin.
  • If you are a mother who has tubular shaped breasts and the breasts look quite empty, then you may be at a more of a risk of hypoplasia as compared to other women.
  • Despite limited amount of breast growth, if you have stretch marks appearing on them, then you may have hypoplasia condition of insufficient milk production.
  • Excessively large areolae is another way to identify hypoplasia.
  • If you are a woman who hasn’t experienced a change in your breast during pregnancy or after the birth of your baby, then you may have hypoplasia.

Can I Breastfeed if I have Hypoplasia

This is the most commonly asked questions by all those mothers who have hypoplasia. The answer to it may vary depending upon individual cases.  But if you have hypoplasia, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you cannot breastfeed your baby.  Infact, some mothers with hypoplasia may have a normal milk supply or production as well.  Some of the females who have hypoplasia may face a difficulty during the time of breastfeeding the first baby but the milk supply may become normal in the case of the other babies.

One way to improve your milk supply if you have hypoplasia is by kicking off breastfeeding immediately after the birth of your baby and then using a breast pump after 3 days.  To promote milk production, you can make dietary changes and include items like fenugreek and blessed thistle in your diet. To stimulate your milk production, you can even try massaging your breasts a little every time you are getting ready for nursing your baby.

If none of these methods work in stimulating the milk supply, then you should speak to your doctor.  You can take advice about natural progesterone which can increase or improve the milk supply. Since every individual may have a different extent of hypoplasia, only your doctor will be able to tell you the exact treatment method. Don’t lose heart if you really want to breastfeed your baby as there are many ways to still nurse your little one.

Photo Credit By: essentialbaby.com.au