It finally
hit me as he sucked down the last drop of formula, it was
loss that I was feeling. Grief over the loss of our exclusive
breastfeeding relationship. It was also anger, frustration,
and disappointment. I was angry with my body. Why had it let
me down? I had something called insufficient milk syndrome.
Something I had not read about in all my breastfeeding books.
You see, I was one of the five percent.
Insufficient
milk syndrome is kind of a catch all word to cover people
like me, who for one reason or another, do not produce enough
breast milk to feed their babies. This is not written to be
alarming or frightening to new breastfeeding mothers as this
truly is a rare condition. Instead, this is written to share
my personal struggles with breastfeeding and provide encouragement
to mothers like me who find themselves in the approximate
five percent of women who have problems with breastfeeding
or milk supply issues.
Causes
of low milk supply
- hormonal
conditions such as PCOS and untreated hypothyroidism
- breast
hypoplasia or a history of breast reduction surgery
- cleft
lip, cleft palate, or other issues that affect baby's ability
to suck properly
- supplementing,
nipple confusion, scheduled feedings, sore nipples, and
other correctable breastfeeding problems
The majority
of women with breastfeeding problems fall into the fourth
cause listed for low milk supply. With the help of a lactation
consultant these can be worked through and corrected to allow
for a successful breastfeeding relationship.
PCOS
and breastfeeding
PCOS,
which stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, is a condition
that affects women's menstrual cycle, ovulation, hormones,
and appearance. Studies have shown that women with PCOS are
at greater risk for low milk supply. If you have been diagnosed
with PCOS you could experience problems breastfeeding. That
being said, the majority of women with PCOS can
breastfeed and even those who do experience difficulties can
usually breastfeed with supplementing of infant formula.
Thyroid
disorders can be treated with medication thereby allowing
for successful breastfeeding.
Breast
hypoplasia and breastfeeding
Breast
hypoplasia and breast reduction surgery can interfere with
successful breastfeeding. It is often said size doesn't matter.
Many flat chested women have been told not to worry that size
is not an issue. Be assured this is completely true!
However, shape does matter. For me, breast hypoplasia was
the cause of our breastfeeding problems. I always knew my
breasts were small and oddly shaped, but I did not know the
name for it, nor that it could cause problems with breastfeeding.
Breast hypoplasia should only be diagnosed by a doctor, midwife,
lactation consultant, or other qualified health professional.
In breast hypoplasia, there is very little glandular tissue.
Breasts are narrow and tubular shaped, set far apart, and
one breast is often quite larger than the other. The good
news is that even with breast hypoplasia more than a third
of women can still breastfeed without any problems. Medications
such as Reglan and herbal supplements including fenugreek
have been used to help with these type of supply issues.
Cleft
lip and breastfeeding
Cleft
lips and a high palate or other anatomical issues with baby
that interfere with proper latching can affect a women's milk
supply. Cleft lip occurs when the area between the mouth and
the nose does not close properly during fetal development
causing an opening in the upper lip. Likewise, a cleft palate
is an opening in the palate between the mouth and the nose.
Cleft lip may vary in appearance from a small notch to a complete
opening into the nose.
Babies
with cleft lip usually can breastfeed even before corrective
surgery without too much difficulty. Babies with cleft palate
may be unable to breastfeed. Consult a lactation consultant
for proper techniques and positioning for breastfeeding a
baby with cleft lip or palate.
Along
with the conditions discussed above, there are some medical
conditions such as galactosemia that breastfeeding is contraindicated
for. Women who are HIV positive should not breastfeed.
It is
important to reemphasize that it is very unusual to have a
true milk supply problem. It is not uncommon for women to
have a perceived supply problem when in actuality baby is
gaining weight and receiving plenty of nourishment from mom.
If you think you have a milk supply problem, you should consult
with a lactation consultant before giving up on breastfeeding.
Lactation consultants have extensive training and can help
tremendously in solving breastfeeding difficulties. Even if
supplementing is necessary, they can work with you on the
best ways for breastfeeding to work for you.
Difficulty
breastfeeding can take it's toll on a new mother. Feelings
of depression or guilt are difficult to cope with. Here are
our best tips for coping with a milk supply problem.
- Surround
yourself with supportive family and friends.
- Allow
yourself time to grieve. It is okay to be upset,
angry, and disappointed. Talking about these feelings
may help you work through them.
- Use
a supplementer, such as Medela's SNS (supplemental
nursing system), if possible. If baby is able to
breastfeed, it will help you to continue the closeness
desired from breastfeeding.
- Cuddle
with your baby. Probably the most therapeutic thing
you can do is spend plenty of time cuddling with
your baby. Nothing can help more to than seeing
a bright smile, coo, or grin to reassure confidence
and help mend the wounds of a milk supply problem.
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