I'm working with a mom who is having a very tough time breastfeeding --
started with cracked & bleeding nipples, then engorgement, getting very
little milk with pumping, not being able to touch her breasts without pain,
baby still not latching well, although mother is "doing everything right".
Mother is extremely emotionaly labile. Crying one minute and laughing the
next. Dressed for the 1st time at 2 weeks pp. Shaky, hyper, exhausted.
We're thinking maybe thyroid now or PPD or a combination. Mother is
educated and intelligent, but states that she can't seem to remember
anything or concentrate anymore. She is almost obsessive about making lists
so that she can remember.
I only mention this to say that in her case, not being able to breastfeed
has her feeling like a failure, and if anything is adding to her distress.
She admits that she has put her whole self-worth on whether she can
breastfeed or not. She knows that's not healthy but she can't stop herself
from feeling that way. She agreed to mention this to her OB tomorrow and
asked me to talk to her OB as well. In the meantime, she is just pumping
every couple of hours. Trying to get the baby to the breast has just been
too stressful for her. It doesn't seem that she has any letdowns, so we
tried Oxytocin spray but little to no improvement. Still getting drops to
1/4 oz each pumping session (3 days of sprays 8-12x/24h). Do you think she
could be experiencing PPD? She's taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle (on
her second day of that).
Thanks for any thoughts on this.
Regards, Cindi Swisher, RN, IBCLC
> -----Original Message-----
> Subject: PPD and breastfeeding
>
>
> No data or studies, just personal experience. As one
> who has been "in the trenches" with PPD, I can say
> that breastfeeding was one of the essentials to
> salvaging my sense of self. It was one of the few
> things in my life that felt easy and normal during a
> very difficult time. If nothing else, at least my
> body was working and my little one was thriving,
> despite how awful I felt.
>
> Carole
> graduate member of PPD, "the sorority no one wants to
> rush" (as Marie Osmond calls it!)
>
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