PCOS and breastfeeding

This is mostly for CynicalOtter...

I don't have sufficient milk supply for this baby. I'm crushed. But I'm thinking it's due to my PCOS. And I was wondering how your PCOS effected your milk supply...

But any information would be wonderful.

 

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/pcos.html

this site seems to have some good articles on it.
I'm sorry to hear that things aren't going too well
(((hugs)))

 

Well, I am upset by it. But first and foremost, her health is number one.

My breasts never felt FULL when my milk came in. They tingled. And I leaked a bit, but they never felt full.

LLL and two different LC confirmed that baby's latch was perfect and my breasts and nipples were fine for feeding.

But at her one week visit, she still wasn't back up to birth weight. She'd dropped to 6lb 13 oz two days post partum. And at one week, she was only 7 lb 1 oz.

And in just sitting and feeding her. I breastfed on demand for two and a half days. She was attached to my breast constantly then. She'd pull off in frustration, yell, re-latch, and try again. She slept maybe 30 minutes in a 24 hour period. Little naps of exhaustion. She cried continuously if not latched on and even when latched on sometimes.

Finally, last night, I evaluated the situation. Her soft spot was sunken in. She hadn't had enough wet diapers or even pooey diapers in the last 48 hours. She was not the happy baby she had been 3 days prior. So I gave her formula. She sucked it down like she was starving. I had to keep taking it away from her just so she wouldn't swallow down the wrong tube.

After that, she slept. Woke two hours later, ate like she was starving. Had a super wet diaper and a bit of poo. Slept again for 2 hours. Ate again but not like she was starving. Then she slept for 6 hours. I slept for 6 hours.

She woke up, cooed at me, stared around the house, didn't cry during her diaper change, was content for twenty minutes. I finally saw her hunger cue by sucking on her hand, so I fed her a bottle. She was awake another ten minutes and then she's gone back to sleep.

I've called LCs in some area hospitals, through WIC, and even one through LLL. They're all agreeing with me that I'm just not producing enough milk. One's going to see me on Wednesday to evaluate us more accurately. But most of what they need to know I've been aware enough to describe for them.

I'm still putting her to the breast before I feed her formula, but I see this as it stands: I'm not making enough milk for her. Not for lack of trying.

I'd appreciate any suggestions from mommas. I've tried mother's milk tea, hot showers, breast compression, breast massage, etc.

 

man, your first couple days sound EXACTILY like mine and Leane's....though we're thinking that my problems were due to over active letdown...
I know how hard this can be, I still think about it everyday. You're trying really hard, you're a great mama, and if she was that dehydrated, then she needed the formula.
Have you been pumping at all? Moire is the best "pump," but they may help when she's not bfing.
there's also a pill out there that can boost production...I'd ask an LC about it.
I don't know how true this is, but I've hear of wine helping.
Rasberry leaf tea may also be helpful.

 

Talked to another LC...She suggested fenugreek capsules and an S&S to supplement WHILE I'm breastfeeding. Said to try that, feeding on demand with the S&S taking 2 capsules of fenugreek three times daily all the while being very conscious of her diaper volume and behavior.

So tomorrow, I'll head to a few places and see what I can find.

 

Aww thats a pain I wouldnt have though PCOS had anyhting to so with milk - nut you can never know

You are doing whats best for you and baby and thats the main thing xxx

 

*grumbles* Man, DSHS won't pay for an S&S...I should just supplement with bottles, they think...

But it makes sense to supplement at the same time I'm building my milk supply. So this thing is going to cost me 51.50 plus tax....I don't think I could afford that...So I am going to debate this with myself, how much I want to have her exclusively at my breast...*grumbles again*

 

My wife had a problem similiar to this.........our daughter was basically starving her first few days of life.......so we tried pumping exclusively and its worked out great.....my wifes nipples were just too big for her to latch on properly we think. She's been pumping since birth (3 weeks now) and its worked out perfectly, and WIC gave us a pump.

 

My best friend has PCOS, her doctor had to get her pregnant it was so bad. She has never had breasts, more like the breast buds that I had when I was 10 or 11 years old. Her son is three years old and still nursing stong, never had any issues, other than a lack of confidence in herself at first.


My oldest child was unable to nurse or to stimulate a decent milk supply because she was born tongue-tied. Mildly tongue-tied, so mild I couldn't find a doc to clip it. I increased my supply by pumping diligently with a rental pump, around the clock, whenever my baby wasn't nursing. I went from no milk supply at all to not needing to add formula to her supplements, to finally breastfeeding exclusively, but it was lots of really hard work. I found, through trial and error, that the recommended 20 minutes of pumping just wasn't long enough for me. I also found that pumping more often did not increase my supply as well as pumping longer did. I couldn't go longer than three hours without pumping during the day, and I gave myself one four-hour stretch at night.

that's still much less than formula would cost you.


Dude, your wife should try to get baby back to the breast. It was three months before my oldest could nurse, and the exclusive pumping during that time was totally stressing me out. Everyone's life will get better once baby is getting the milk directly from the tap.

 

PCOS effects each individual woman differently. Some women experience no problems breastfeeding, some have a very heavy let-down, and others have almost no let-down at all.

I'm hoping I'm lucky enough to say that I have no problem. A LC is on her way to evaluate us right now.

 

yeh, I know that. I was trying to be encouraging. (((((hugs)))))

 

That's what happened to us too, MamaBoogie. Jim got his clipped and it was only then that we were able to begin nursing properly. Took a long time for my milk to come in strong too. (The exact lengths of time are in my birth story. Getting fuzzy on it!) It was HARD the first few weeks. Not as hard as pumping, but it was a struggle! I still can't nurse him completely without pain. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make though! Freek, you're such a good mama! You're being so sensitive to your babies needs, good for you! Don't give up on it yet! Of course you know we are all rooting for you!

 

I have no helpful advice for you, but I've got my fingers crossed for you! I hope the your LC brings good news and advice!

 

Freek, please see a good IBCLC, and get the SNS, no matter what you have to do to get one. Giving bottles, IF your breasts may not be producing enough, will cause her to get severe nipple confusion and she will start to refuse the breast completely. Do whatever it takes to get that SNS, beg borrow or steal. It really makes ALL the difference in the world to NOT use bottles with a low milk supply, the baby gets mad at the breast and then refuses.

Until you can get the SNS (the sooner the better) cup feed her the supplement. Do you have a freind who can donate some milk for you? Formula can be so expensive and if you have to use a predigested formula (10% if fornula fed babies do) it could cost you up to $12000 the first year. You can't really afford NOT to get the SNS! Sometimes babies cost us more than we first thought, but this is of utmost important. Also, pumping can help your supply. But you have to use a hospital quality pump, not a store bought one. WIC or Medela at 1800 TELLYOU can find you a grant pump, at a low cost or no cost, in your area. You need either a Lactina or a Symphony. You will probably have better luck geting a Lactina for a Grant Pump.

Also, you need to make sure it IS the PCOS which is causing the problem. Mono said just a few days ago that she was a little "poop machine." You need to see a GOOD IBCLC, the ones in the hospitals, to be honest with you, are often not up to snuff. You need a private practice LC, and a good LLL leader to help you out. It MAY be something else than the PCOS, only about 25% of womyn with PCOS have milk supply problems, and many of than had to use fertitlity treatments to get pregnant, you got pregnant without trying. It may be something else. Only a GOOD IBLCL and a good LLL leader can help you.

There is also a "temporary" much smaller, single tube SNS, which is a lot less expensive (I can send you one, no charge, if you want, PM me your address) you can use this a lot longer than the 24 hours the brochure states. PM ME NOW!!!! ANd take that Fenugreek, if that doesn't work talk to your LC or LLL leader about getting you some Domperidone. It is hard to get in the USA, but most LCs can get it.

Prayers and hope for you and moira.

 

Went to a pediatrician today...Was a woman...Not only a woman, but a mother...Not only a mother, but a breastfeeding mother...Not only a breastfeeding momma, but she had tons of problems starting...

Gave me an SNS (and under a different name, so the insurance will pay for it), told me to PUMP PUMP PUMP when not feeding...Take fenugreek, and if nothing's improved in a week, she's going to prescribed reglan.

So, we will see how things shape up. She's giving me until next Thursday. I also have an appt with a LC/nutritionist on wed. We'll see how things look. I'm NOT giving up.

 

Oh this is good news!
I'm so happy that you found such a supportive pediatrition! The LC I saw said she wasn't going to even consider offering me the Reglan when my milk supply diminished to nothing, then proceeded to tell me to give up.....
Don't give up, you're doing awsome!!!!!!!!

 

Thats really great - keep up the good work! I know this is hard but you're doing great! And yay for fenugreek - it will make you and the baby (the baby ESPECIALLY) smell like maple syrup. Your sweet baby will be even sweeter

 

Reglan can make PPD much worse. Use it only as a last resort, after you are completely informed of all the possible side effects. Pumping with a Lactina rental pump increased my milk supply, and before I started pumping, I was completely dried up and baby was getting all her nutrition via formula supplements. A feeding tube and syringe is a very inexpensive way to supplement either at the breast or with your fingers, instead of bottles, but not practical in the long term. Finger feeding with a tube supplementer is what fixed my child's latch. I never could get the sns (lactaid maybe?) to work at the breast, she learned real quick to spit out my nipple and only suck on the tube! I was so stressed from all the triple feeding and pumping that I ended up giving her supplements in bottles. The reduction in my stress levels made my supply increase that much faster, and by then I knew when she wasn't latched properly and could focus on fixing that later, after I'd fixed my supply problems.

 

oh yeah...got a lactina as well....for a two week loan...now need to find fenugreek

 

yeah, that's the spirit!

ps, i get my fenugreek from the asian aisle of the supermarket. the seeds are in with the other spices.