I found this post of interest. I had a mom just about 3 weeks ago now with
similar problems. The mom called me saying she had concerns that her baby
might be weaning because she was having difficulty getting her to stay at
the breast and she was drinking more and more frozen milk and she was afraid
she would soon run out of frozen milk. I ask if she was currently pumping
and she said she had been trying and was unable to get much. She was using a
hand pump ----t. So she came over and picked up a pump. She had been using a
lot of bottles so I initially felt this was nipple confusion and a bit of a
developmental issue. ( This baby has frequent hospitalizations) Baby was 7
months and totally on breastmilk but had been increasingly difficult and
recently sick, ear infection, vomiting with some weight loss. But was now
fine. The mom explained that the baby had a genetic auto immune disorder,
this was her fourth child. Her first had died at 2 years from this same
illness, boy in the bubble disease. She had not been allowed to nurse him
and was bound and determined to let nothing stand in the way of that
happening this time. This baby did not nurse for comfort but sucked
constantly on a pacifier while here, and mom pointed out that baby was now
very adamant about not nursing. We talked and she pumped for 2 days and
called back. Not much improvement. I ask if she was pregnant, she ran a test
and it was negative. That was on Wednesday, Friday desperate she tried some
formula and baby threw up. I suggested that there had to be an answer to why
this supply was going away. She then mentioned and only then, Birth control
pills that her doc had prescribed months before and she had just recently
began taking. Interestingly at about the same time her nursing problems
began. Later that night she had a miscarriage, baby was probably about 6-8
week development. She was stunned so was I . She had been assured that that
the pills would not cause a problem they were estrogen. Now which came first
the horse or carriage we're not sure. The pills were started at about 8
weeks previous to this miscarriage. Within 3 days a good supply was back,
within a week baby was totally back to breastmilk. This child I must add was
fat , cheerful and looked great , one would never of dreamed a problem
existed. Mom is upset about the pills and rightfully so, and delighted to
have her supple back.
Dee Keith, IBCLC, LLL , Mother of ten BF children.