A fellow NMAA Counsellor phoned me about an interesting call she had had
from a mother. This mum had put on a lot of weight while breastfeeding,
baby now 8 months (but supplemented with formula since 6 weeks) and
dietitian has told her that her hormones (because of breastfeeding) are
making her body think it's starving, and she has this enormous appetite.
She exercises (walking), and eats only the sorts of foods recommended by
her dietitian - salads, veges, low-fat foods, etc, but is just so hungry
all the time, so eats heaps of it. Dietitian has advised her to wean.

My first reaction to this idea of breastfeeding being the cause was to
think - here we go again. I thought of Dr Jack's quote "sacrificing
breastfeeding on the altar of ignorance" (I love that line!). But then I
remembered a call for letters on this topic in a recent NMAA Newsletter,
and a couple of Members had similar experience, with weight gain during
lactation and it coming off fairly easily when they weaned their babies.
One had consulted an endocrinologist, who confirmed that this is a real
hormonal effect in some mothers. I have sent this mother a copy of these
letters because her partner and others all think that she is crazy. She was
thrilled to learn that others had had the same problem.

I think there is probably quite a complicated story going on with this mum.
Her own mother had a weight problem when she (the daughter - this current
mum) was a girl, but was slim when daughter was a baby. She ended up having
her stomach stapled and had problems ever since. So this mum is so
frightened that she is going the same way - her own mother has warned her
never to do as she did and get her stomach stapled.

Also, their are psychological complications with the pregnancy being
unplanned and not wanted by the father - he left her for a while because
she would not have it terminated. She says now that he loves baby and gets
on great. On top of this she says she wants to have another baby, but is
scared to broach the subject with him.

Oh yes, and she also mentioned that she has silicone implants, as she had
*no* breasts as a girl. Even though she has been heavily supplementing for
a long time, one wonders if she has limited glandular tissue, and even the
partial breastfeeding is keeping her breasts working at capacity, and
therefore her hormonal system in top gear. Just theorising here.

I suggested that she visit her GP (family doc) and get thoroughly checked
for thyroid, etc, and put the ball in his/her court to help her sort out
why she has this enormous appetite. Hopefully he/she will also consider
whether she needs any sort of psychological counselling, etc.

I tend to think in this case that the breastfeeding thing is periferal
(sp?) to either a separate medical issue or just part of the whole
psychological situation.

Have others come across this sort of explanation of hormones of
breastfeeding causing weight gain? Any other thoughts on this case?

Joy Anderson IBCLC, NMAA Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia
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