The mother whose endocrinologist had her thyroid levels very high through
the birth and "post partum period" followed her doctor's orders last week
and went off all synthroid.  Within two days she had NO milk whatever. (One
Lactnet reply warned about that and I passed the information to the
mother.) She had blood drawn to check her levels, but is not hearing from
the doctor after several calls.

She, on her own, has resumed her medication at her pre-pregnancy level and
is beginning to get drops.  She is devestated, as she is a person who was
breastfed for a long time, had family support, and just knew that she would
breastfeed her baby.

Her baby has been on abm with bottles since the low milk supply began and
he is reluctant to go to breast now.  I have encouraged her to use a tube
system at the breast, but she is feeling helpless at this time and doesn't
want to do anything new.  She had been on More Milk and domperidone, but
has stopped that too, just wanting her hand expression to build up her
supply.  I think that she doesn't want to put any more "stuff" into her
body. When she had enough milk she was able to get more out by hand than
with a pump. she was getting about 1 ounce after a feeding. [The reason
that she was expressing is that she has long nipples and probably "high"
sinuses (if we are still accepting that structure) and her baby has a small
mouth. He could get the milk only if she compressed throughout the feeding,
which she did do. She would then hand express an ounce or so to give him
with a dropper.]

She is angry (as is her Ped and her LC) and feels that all of this was put
on her and her baby without her knowing what was going on. I have left her
with request that she call me if she needs something from me.  I found her
not returning my calls in her despair and I didn't want to be intrusive.

I am sharing this so that others will be cautioned about excessively high
thyroid levels' as well as low levels' effect on milk supply.

Pat Gima
Mailto:[log in to unmask]

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html