This is something I have wondered about, that I thought perhaps someone here
would have some information on, or might have seen someone else with similar
concerns.  It is one of those things that I am sure is uncommon, but there
may be mothers out there who could benefit from some discussion about it.

Five years ago, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, with an
ejection fraction of 20.  My condition had worsened in the month prior to
finally getting the diagnosis, but I had been feeling increasingly worse for
several years by then.  I had even told more than one doctor that I didn't
feel like my heart was right, but had been ignored (I now know that there is
a widespread problem with heart symptoms in women being brushed off by
physicians).

My breastfeeding question is whether a low ejection fraction might in some
way limit milk production.  My sixth adopted child, Joanna, was born three
years prior to my diagnosis.  I really struggled to produce milk for her.
She had started nursing at the youngest age (2 days) of any of my children,
and was also the only one that nursed 100% of the time, without a single
bottle or pacifier.  I was hopeful that I would be able to produce a larger
percentage of what she needed than I had with my others.  I figured I had
peaked at about 16 ounces a day with Joseph, only 21 month older than
Joanna, who was my biggest baby, despite surgery, serious nipple problems,
which resulted in times where he was getting several bottles a day, severe
nipple confusion, etc.  For my little petite Filipina, Joanna, 16 ounces a
day would have put me well over the magic 50% mark, which I had never made
it to before.

Unfortunately, the most I felt I ever produced for Joanna, who nursed with
the Lact-Aid exclusively from 2 days to seven months old, was 8 ounces a
day, and most days it was more like 6.  I wondered if the overall stress I
was under, with my six children and a niece living with us, explained part
of it, but things really weren't that much worse than they had been when
Joseph was the youngest.  My milk supply did improve dramatically when I got
a depo provera injection, later, but I still wonder why I had so much
trouble producing for her before that.  I am quite sure that my heart had
become less efficient by then, and wonder if that had something to do with
it.  I have looked for information, but not found anything.  Since heart
failure is is not very compatible with pregnancy, and also not very common
is women of childbearing age, that is not surprizing.   However, I suspect
that there could still be mothers out there with lower than optimum heart
function, who could benefit from some discussion about the possibility that
this kind of thing could be interferring with milk supply.  Any thoughts,
experiences, etc., anyone?

Aloha,
Darillyn

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