Breastfeeding? Has anyone told you that you may not be able to breastfeed?

Bree-and-Izy · 01-06-2008, 06:49 PM

We learned this the hard way. We were determined to breastfeed. After DD was born, we were not able to breastfeed exclusively due to low milk supply. When we brought DD home she was very sick with jaundice and desperately needed to eat to bring her bilirubin down. We waited for days for the milk to come in and it never really did. When the home healthcare nurse/lactation consultant told us we really needed to supplement it was devistating for us. This is apparently a common thing among cysters that our dr. (what's new) did not know about. At most we only produced up to 3 ounces every three hours (this is total, not per breast and was achieved with the double pumping method) - with around the clock feeding/pumping. Our poor baby went from 7lbs 13 oz to 6lbs 9oz before we realized there was a problem. After researching it we found that "hormonal" conditions could lead to low milk supply and then found that many women with PCOS have trouble breastfeeding because of underdevelopment of milk glands during puberty and hormonal interruptions after childbirth. In the end we heard that metformin throughout pregnancy and while brestfeeding can help produce more milk. We want to try to breastfeed again when we have another child but are not optimistic that it will work correctly/effectively.

Does anyone have an experience of having low milk supply at first and then being able to fix it with medical interventions?

Was anyone not able to breastfeed their first child but could their second and subsequent?

deblynnc · 01-06-2008, 07:23 PM

I wasn't able to BF DD, but I think it was as much because of my lack of knowledge and support as it was a supply issue. I pumped what I could to give her and then supplemented with formula.

I was able to exclusively BF DS for four months before those lovely hormones caused my milk to dry up. I wish it could have gone longer, but I'm grateful to have had those four months. Both times I took Met during the first trimester, but not while pumping/breastfeeding.

Don't beat yourself up over it. The important thing in the end is doing whatever you can to make sure your baby is healthy, whether that means breastmilk or formula.

LackyBand · 01-07-2008, 01:00 AM

I couldn't BF either of my children. I tried and tried. I had consultants and the works. They would latch on and suck beautifully, but there was nothing there. I even tried stimulating my boobs as much as I could in between feeds by pumping (it was a while ago now, and all I can really remember is consultants hooking me up to machines. I felt like a cow in a dairy - albeit not a very good one!). The most I ever got was a teaspoon (6 ml) talk about heart breaking! If I manange to fall again, I will go straight to the bottle. I couldn't stand that again.

MonikaM · 01-07-2008, 01:26 AM

Yes my RE said they have noticed an increased problem when it came to supply issues with women who have PCOS during their follow ups.

Sure enough, I tried herbs, got a hospital grade pump, pumped every 2 hours nothing helped (and I didnt even get 3oz, maybe 2 if I was lucky). I did take Met the whole pregnancy but gave up as soon as DD was born so maybe that was my mistake.

I will be checking in on this thread, I would love to see if any cysters had luck with a 2nd child.

LeeDawson · 01-07-2008, 03:09 AM

my dr never told me that i could never bf..
I breast fed both my daughters! i HAD HEAPS OF MILK! I could of fed 3 babies!

pal · 01-07-2008, 04:35 AM

Don't believe your doctor who says you can't breast feed. Find a La Leche League in your area and get a "doola" --an experienced woman consultant who helps you learn to breast feed...it's shown that it's the best way to learn to successfully nurse. We used to have moms and older sisters who could support you, but it's a lost skill. Being positive will help...but feel ok if your kid ends up on a bottle, mostly you just want a healthy and growing baby, whatever it takes.

I nursed two DDs for a total of almost 5 years; I though at some point that they'd both be going to kindergarten still attached to my boobs! I even nursed number one while undergoing major cyst surgery, got through it with the help of sympathetic nurses who kept the pumps going even while I was too groggy to do it myself.

If I did it again (unlikely!LOL) I'd be very careful to eat IR while nursing. I think I could have avoided the cyst problem. Feeding both me and the new baby was too much of a load on my pancreas. Met might have helped, but it wasn't an option at that point.

Wishing you much success.

threeblessings · 01-07-2008, 12:43 PM

I had tons of milk. My babies all fattened up like little pigs. Everyone used to joke that I must produce pure cream. I would leak like a fountain shooting off. I'm really sorry you weren't able to nurse. I would've been very sad too.

kcal · 01-07-2008, 09:35 PM

I exclusively pumped with ds#1 and would pump about 50 oz a day. I took met with him until I was 16 wks pg. With ds#2 I am nursing. I have noticed that I do not have a lot of extra milk like I did with my 1st son. I don't know if it is because ds is controlling how much he needs and with pumping you control the amount. I took met the whole pg and am currently taking it. I am sorry that it did not work out for you. I have heard stories of women that did not have PCOS who had a low milk supply.

Kim

MoesMom · 01-07-2008, 09:50 PM

DD will be six months on Friday and she is still a booby baby. I'm even type II and was told that could also be a factor. Luckily for me, it wasn't. My milk came in on day 3, unfortunately by then dd was very jaundiced (discharged from hospital with a bili blanket) so we did supplement some but I was determined and with the help of the LC at the hospital, my sis who bfed for a year and the bfing group meetings I got to every week at the hospital, we have stuck it out and I'm so glad I didn't let anyone tell me I couldn't do it. I know some women have had trouble & some have been helped by fenugreek & Mothers Milk tea. I'm thankful that other than some latch problems in the beginning, we haven't had any trouble-I swear I could feed a village with the milk I produce.

sonyalea · 01-07-2008, 10:13 PM

I'm so glad that you wrote about this. I'm currently having the same situation. I tried to bf DS and my milk supply was low. I had no idea that it could be related to PCOS. So when I found out I was pg with DD I called the lactation nurses at the hospital. They had never heard of it...of course. Once again I'm a expermint. I stayed on Metformin during my first trimester, but I got gestational diabetes and they took me off the Met to help monitor the diabetes. I plan on going back on the Met as soon as DD is born and I'm hoping and praying (literally) that my boobs will work this time. It's so frustrating and devastating. I want to bf my kids b/c it's the best for them. You know, it's one thing for me to have PCOS, but it's heartbreaking when it stops be from being able to give my kids what is best for them. I was really depressed when I couldn't bf DS. So I'm hoping that with Met and Raglan it will all work out.

LandonsMommy · 01-07-2008, 10:22 PM

I was on metformin my whole pregnancy and continued it during breastfeeding. Actually I never stopped taking it. I was only able to BF exclusively for 12 weeks. With going back to work at 9 weeks and not able to pump as often, my milk supply dwindled but I was still able to BF once in the morning and once in the evening until 16 weeks (if I can remember correctly). I had to supplement with formula during those times.

I was not aware that PCOS caused a decreased supply, but now it does make sense that it can occur. I did have a hard time making enough milk. I was told that as long as my son was full I was doing my job. He never fussed for more and latched/sucked just fine.

My son was a "slow-to-grow" child (we were told "failure to thrive" initially and sent to a genetic counselor and metabolic specialist). He weighed 5 pounds 15 ounces at birth and at 2 months was only 1.7lb heavier than his birth weight. He did not get past doubling his weight until 6 months. He was born at 37 weeks.

We were never told this could have been a problem, maybe it was. I guess we will never know. I will be BF'ing if/when we have another child.

Good luck to you.

Bree-and-Izy · 01-07-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pal

Don't believe your doctor who says you can't breast feed. Find a La Leche League in your area and get a "doola" --an experienced woman consultant who helps you learn to breast feed...it's shown that it's the best way to learn to successfully nurse. We used to have moms and older sisters who could support you, but it's a lost skill. Being positive will help...but feel ok if your kid ends up on a bottle, mostly you just want a healthy and growing baby, whatever it takes.

I nursed two DDs for a total of almost 5 years; I though at some point that they'd both be going to kindergarten still attached to my boobs! I even nursed number one while undergoing major cyst surgery, got through it with the help of sympathetic nurses who kept the pumps going even while I was too groggy to do it myself.

If I did it again (unlikely!LOL) I'd be very careful to eat IR while nursing. I think I could have avoided the cyst problem. Feeding both me and the new baby was too much of a load on my pancreas. Met might have helped, but it wasn't an option at that point.

Wishing you much success.

Just want to clarify that we did breastfeed and were never able to produce more than three ounces. We saw several lactation consultants and our bf is a Doula/lactation consultant/educator.

Sonyalea: Your DD's EDD is my birthday! Can you tell me what raglan is?

Jashobeam · 01-08-2008, 02:07 AM

I think my grandmother was a carrier of PCOS, but did not show PCOS symptoms. She BFed 7 kids with little problems from what I hear. I was not able to produce enough for DD. I stopped and didn't even have to worry about "drying up" because there just wasn't more than a few drops there to begin with. The LCs were no help and even with a very pro-BF pedi/family doc, two pumps and lots of support my supply was not anywhere near adequate. As my niece a nurse who BFed successfully for a good while said about waiting for the milk to come in, "It's different when it's your baby!"

If we have another child we will formula feed from day one. Those few days of waiting for milk to come in that was not going to was misery for all of us and very difficult for DD. BFing for us was more difficult than labor and delivery.

Sarrah · 01-08-2008, 02:27 AM

It is something I had never thought about as have never had a baby (I am 33) but thank you for posting as I was not aware of this problem in PCOS women and will look out for this if and when I do eventually have a baby.
Thank you, I hope that all goes well for you.

craftybug · 01-08-2008, 02:29 AM

With DS, I wanted to BF him so badly that before he was born I went out and purchased one of the Medela Pumps in the backpack style. However, once he was here it seemed like all my milk came at once. After the initial let down, I had a very low milk supply so had to supplement with bottles. When he was six weeks old, I flew home to show him off to my parents and that's when I realized that I wasn't helping him or myself. He was a hungry baby and so when my boob would stop, he would get fussy and scream (he learned he had a good set of lungs on him early). So, with the help of my mom I stopped after 7 weeks. The hardest part for me was the ease - it was so easy to lay on my side, attach him, and I could get more sleep (I've never been a heavy sleeper).

When DD came along, I was determined to use that pump that I spent so much money and was never able to use properly. I seen the LC at the hospital and continued with aftercare visits which were free, my parents came into town the day after I got out of the hospital so my mom could help me start out on a good foot with breastfeeding, but once again I had a low milk supply. This time, I didn't even have the initial let down full of milk. Upon seeing the LC, she recommended pumping every hour or two to see if I could force my milk to come in properly. The LC helped quite a bit, as my DS started spitting up everytime she would drink whether it be from the boob or from the bottle. The doctor thought it was a dairy intolerance and took me off of any dairy product. When it turned out to be acid reflex and as soon as she was put on medication she was fine. In addition, I was to take Fenugreek to help with the low milk supply. I have to say, I was able to breastfeed and pump half of her milk on a good day by using Fenugreek. Before Fenugreek, I was lucky to get out 3 oz all day. I made the decision to end pumping the breastmilk when she was approximately 6 months old. Although, I would have liked to go longer, I was happy that I was able to give her that long.

I agree with the previous posts, don't give up. If this is something you really want to do, find what will work for you. Most hospitals can give you the name and number of your local LC as well as any groups for BFing mom's.

Good luck...