In a message dated 6/22/2006 3:19:44 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Lee now writing: Jan, I will be very honest, I have more questions than
answers. One reason for the overproduction may be that the edematous moms get
off to a very bad start with breastfeeding and go on to pump a lot before they
seek LC help, especially if the baby is guzzling down 3 or 4 oz at a time
from the bottle. OTOH, and this is purely anecdotal, in my area it SEEMS to be
related to edema (caused by lots of pitocin, IVs, epidurals?). Maybe in the
future, we will have studies/research regarding if overhydration can lead to
a superabundant milk supply; I know that at the present many believe that
the opposite is true. Do you have any thoughts on that? Do any other
Lactnetters? I only have questions and suppositions! BTW, oversupply in my area is
something that I have noticed more of in the past few years only. I don’t
know why that change is the present situation.>>
Hi Lee,
I'm a bit behind the 8 ball in getting back to you with my thoughts on this
phenomenon. I suspect that it isn't the edema/excess IV fluids/Pitocin that
is causing the problem, but a reliance on overpumping. There are a lot of
moms that seem to want to pump early on -- much more than they would ever need
to. I truly don't see a lot of oversupply, though my guess is that more than
85% of our moms receive pit -- either induction or stimulation, and 90% get
an epidural (repeat C/Sections excepted -- they get a spinal). But perhaps
that is because we (I) tell them to not pump unless absolutely necessary.
There is no reason for it until they have gotten the breastfeeding off to a good
start, and then they only need to pump a little bit to have a spare bottle
(one) in the fridge in case they are out and about without the baby and can't
get home in time for a breastfeed.
If anything, I concur with Jean when she talks about the fact that there may
be delayed lactogenesis II with edema from overhydration....
By the way, did anyone hear the news item a week or so ago that said that
exposure to toxins in the environment was leading to an increase of
insufficient mammary tissue -- that women who are in areas of high exposure are at risk
of not developing enough functional breast tissue. So perhaps us seeing an
increase of IMS isn't all in our heads!
AND (while I'm on a roll here): today's Chicago Tribune had a column by
Julie Deardorff (in the Q section for Trib fans) that basically said yes,
breastfeeding is best, but we need to stop with the pushing it already, and get
women to eat healthier during pregnancy, because if the mother doesn't eat a
healthy diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding won't make any difference anyway.
Here's just a tidbit:
<<Unfortunately, if women neglect their own nutrition and health, they are
taking risks while the baby supposedly is safely protected in the womb. And
the fetus' environment during those 266 critical days between conception and
birth could have a far greater impact on a child's future health than the
postnatal decision to use breast milk or formula.
In fact, by the time the baby is sucking down milk or formula, certain adult
diseases already have been programmed, thanks to both genes and the uterine
environment, say some researchers.
Called the "fetal origins of disease," the theory holds that the time in the
womb can influence whether we're thin or fat or susceptible to depression.
It also can have an impact on the likelihood of developing heart disease,
insulin resistance, osteoporosis and schizophrenia, according to work published
last year in the journal Biology of the Neonate.>>
_http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/columnists/chi-0606250401jun25,1,25352
45.column?coll=chi-leisure-col_
(http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/columnists/chi-0606250401jun25,1,2535245.column?coll=chi-leisure-col)
While I certainly agree that we need to improve prenatal care, that doesn't
eliminate the fact that moms need to breastfeeding, just for the health of it.
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, RLC
Wheaton IL
_Lactation Education Consultants_
(http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com/)
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