A)  To add a few thoughts to the discussion on use of a rolled towel under a very heavy, pendulous breast:
    A lot depends on the individual mother.  Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't and just seems to change the angle of the breasts, rather than lift them. It may mean trying different towels for size and comfort.  For some mothers it may work better with one breast than the other.  It's one of those things which are worth a try, but will have mixed results.
B)   RE: using a homemade breast sling, one end of the loop slung round the neck, the other end to lift the breast:
   The only client I have had who was using one didn't really get much benefit from it.  When placed up under the fold of the breast it didn't provide much support, but kept clear of the areola.  If it were positioned where it could provide more lift, it was a bit near the edge of the areola, where her baby's lower lip needed to be.  I personally thought we did things better when she took it off. IT can't have been comfortable on her neck.
   She had the loop loosely tied to form a figure-of-eight.  Perhaps it would have been better as just one open loop.  Once again, a case of trial and error, to find what suits the individual Mum.
    What a lot of mothers with very heavy, pendulous breasts seem to do, is put the baby too high for the nipple, lift and support the breast early in the feed (bringing the breast to the baby), and then relax this support - and next thing they are curling their toes because the nipple is hurting.  Why? - because the weight of the breast is beginning to drag the nipple down, and the baby tries to hang on to it by clamping down with her gums.
    Latterly, I've been putting more emphasis, with heavy-breasted women, on bringing the baby more from *under* than they are usually doing.  It means questioning whether we really need to raise her breast (unless it happens to be more comfortable for that mother).  This takes a bit of a change of mindset for the mother.  I sometimes show her a short segment from the British video, "Breastfeeding: Coping with the First Week", which puts this quite well.  Sitting comfortably, with back support, and supporting her baby comfortably - these points are worth checking.  Depending on the length of her arms, the height of her breasts, and the size of her baby, the mother's arms may be at full extension in supporting her baby during a feed;  in which case she may be more comfortable with a cushion to support her arm.  It's all trial and error, isn't it!
   Mothers who complain they can't see to latch the baby, because of low-slung breasts might find it helpful to sit in front of a mirror for a few feeds, till they get it right.  Just an idea.
    Occasionally, I have found a Mum has trouble latching a baby because her breasts hang low, but it has been partly postural - leaning forward to attach and feed.  Having the mother sitting back comfortably in these cases has raised the breasts and enabled her to get the latch right.  Trouble is, she forgets and starts to lean forward again!
    Human beings have so much diversity, and I find it a privilege to help them work with what they have.  That's why we often need to have a range of ideas, a range of options, to offer the mother, and why discussion and sharing on Lactnet and elsewhere is so valuable.
                                              Good night!
                                                       Virginia
                                                       Virginia Thorley, OAM, IBCLC
                                                        In Brisbane, QLD, Australia
                                  

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