Hello Lactnetters,
I realize that half of you are nomail for the holiday. However, I must ask
those that remain for comments on this. I'm stumped. What are some of the
reasons that a woman, despite her best efforts, cannot produce more than a
few drops of milk? Although she did have a c-section (scheduled due to
footling breech that would not turn even with an attempted version) and was
heavily medicated during and after delivery, she has no other health
problems, is not on bcp.  The baby's suck appears normal as do her palate
and frenulum. (This from an LC who did an assessment). She is what I would
call a "lazy" sucker, but latches on well. However, she soon gives up.
Audible swallow has never been heard despite several very good latch-ons
and attempts. Mom has a Medela pump and once spent 70 minutes getting one
ounce of milk. Attempted SNS (using abm) but baby would not latch on well
with the tube in place, abandoned this.

Mom is persisting in spite of being told she was a "horrible" person by her
OB/GYN because she "insisted on starving her baby to death." She's not,
really, she is using abm when necessary but pumping like mad trying to get
SOMETHING other than abm to feed the baby. Her ped thinks she's nuts. She's
getting zero support from her hcp's, and since she is a single mom
(inseminated by DI) and in the military she has even more stress. I can't
imagine that this is the only problem, though. She hasn't tried fenugreek
or any other herbal lactation inducers.

What can cause a seemingly healthy woman, following a fairly normal
pregnancy, to produce no milk? I'm stumped! Help...

Nancy Kramer
LLL Certified Peer Counselor
Port Angeles, WA