~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd like to add to the sage words of Gonneke van Veldhuizen and Nina Berry
about milk supply and pregnancy.  Allowing for individual variation, and
perhaps a borderline supply in the first place, I would wonder what else was
going on with the mother-baby pair where the baby was hospitalised.  For
instance, I wonder if the mother has some kind of hormonal imbalance, subtle
enough not to prevent conception.  Some of the markers for these would be
ones not normally thought of in a lactation consultation, e.g. excessive
thirst, urination, and other.  This would be a medical, rather than a
lactation consultant, matter.

So many mothers these days, as Lactnetters know, breastfeed very nicely
through a pregnancy, even if one of the early signs of the pregnancy for
some are a noticeable decline in milk production.  Some go on to increase
the supply after the initial dip, others seem to struggle - but not like
this Mum.

Sorry to give a personal history here, but it's in the interests of showing
the range, and the possibilities.  Early in my first daughter's life I had
been told repeatedly by midwives and child health nurses that I was
physically unable to breastfeed.  (It was really their 4-hourly insistence
and refusing to let me feed at night, plus overtly hostile attitude to my
wanting to breastfeed.)  I went home and relactated, from dry to full
supply, after LLL's book arrived from the US, and heeding Marian Tompson's
advice by letter.  Near the end of the year, in an emergency situation in a
remote area, when my daughter was having about 2/3 of her milk intake in
other milk by cup and eating solids, I was obliged to resume full
breastfeeding overnight.  I was 2-3 months pregnant and my supply had
declined (around 7 weeks, from memory).  It never occurred to me that I
couldn't increase my supply to meet my daughter's needs - I just did it,
having her at breast at roughly hourly intervals, more or less continuously.
In the morning she was still adequately hydrated and by the time we reached
civilisation, she was full of energy and joie de vie and wanting to play
(when I wanted to sleep).

It never occurred to me to question that I could do it, and I went back to
giving my daughter solids and other drinks, as well as my breast.  I thought
no more of it till a few years later when a friend who knew my children's
ages, raised the situation (long story), and had to be done, and I have no
idea of its applicability to others.  Going back to the case being discussed
on this list:  I suspect there are other factors.  They may be too subtle to
pick up now, but may be apparent in the future.

Cheers
Virginia

Virginia Thorley, OAM, DipEd, MA, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant.
Cultural Historian working in the History of Medicine.
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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