Hi, I'm new to the list (been lurking.....). My name is Halle Barnett and
I'm an LLLL from Cleveland, OH. I've enjoyed my lurkdom! Learning a
lot from listening.
I want to leap in with a question today. This is a doozy! I have
searched Lactnet Archives as well as Linda Smith and Jack
Newman's sites to no avail, so I'm hoping you all have some thought
son this one.
Helping a mom who is clearly not making much milk. Birth was easy,
unmedicated. Baby seemed to latch and nurse well, behave normally,
passed meconium quickly, peed plenty in hospital, home on day 3.
Baby stopped pooping and nearly stopped peeing at 5 days, doctor
didn't seem concerned, said nurse more, baby lost nearly two lbs by
day 9, was hospitalized for dehydration. Back up 1.5 lbs now at 16
days old using soy formula (mother is severly dairy allergic). Had
same issue with her now-two year old, wound up "fully"
supplementing but he continues to suckle (even now) but only for
attachment - no milk. Mom had late term abortion 10 years ago, says
her breasts grew substantially during that pregnancy but not during
the subsequent two. No other physical trauma or hemorrhage in her
history. Mom also has regular, 2-day periods with little blood and no
cramps, PMS,etc, Mom never got engorged, doesn't leak. Breasts look
normal, can express a little milk but getting nothing out of pump. From
her description, I dont' believe her pump is fitting her correctly, also
she needs a pump designed for building supply (using a good quality
maintance pump right now), so I sent her back to LC to get different
pump and evaluation for proper usage. Hospital also had put baby on
bottle against mother's wishes. Now she's using SNS with
supplement to get baby back to breast. Meanwhile, she's doing barley
water, fennel, brewer's yeast, and blessed thistle, did all this plus
fenugreek with baby #1, all to no avail. I'm thinking she has a
hormone issue that is keeping her from making enough milk. New bit
of info today that she is vegan and eats a ton of soy. Any possibility
that the estrogenic effects ot her diet are compromising her supply?
Could this be the whole reason, or just a component exacerbating a
deeper issue? Been vegan for 15 years. (gets plenty of B12, BTW)
She's going to look into thyroid issues too, (though if her thyroid were
so screwed up that she couldn't make milk, wouldn't she have had
trouble getting pregnant, and have more irregular periods?)
Whew! Anybody have any thoughts?
Much thanks in advance.
Halle
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