Why would you not breastfeed?

Most low supply problems come from supplementing during the growth spurts that happen during the first 6 weeks of a baby's life. Why? Because the moms are told that if the babe is not getting enough when in fact, the babe is just upping momma's supply. And true supply problems, such as mine, can sometimes be reversed with fenugreek, pumping, Goat's Rue, and medications that act as galactogogues. Trust me, I know.

I also have inverted nipples. Not only was breastfeeding possible, but it caused my nipples to come out. Sometimes, a nippleshield might help. But most of the time, just some help from an IBCLC will help the problem. Nipples don't tear off because a baby latches on.

Maybe Maggie Sugar can figure this out.

Those diseases are so very rare, it's not even fair to bring it up!

No, most babies are allergic to the things in the MOMMA'S diet. Not the momma herself. If a mother will consult an IBCLC and try an elimination diet, they can often find the cause of the baby's allergy and just avoid the food.

I was one of those women, but I have to say. Alot of those reasons you gave are just products of uneducated medical professionals, and not seeking out the proper help during pregnancy and those first weeks: An IBCLC and LLL.

 

Eyez, will you be seeking the help of an IBCLC with your next child? Before birth? And have an appointment a few days after birth, or just formula feed again?

 

we'll see what happens.. we have about a year to decide!
I would like to try again..!

 

I know what the frequency of these diseases are and what happens when women have inverted nipples I have known many women who have had their nipple tear from breast feeding.... not all women are like you. Children can be allergic to their mothers breast milk it is very possible. I also have know women who where not producing breast milk at all. These things are possible, it is presumptions, and rude to try to argue away ligitament problems by assuming a DR. is uneducated. I have seen mothers who are not producing enough milk and their babies are thin sluggish they do not respond, and they sleep more than they should, it happens not matter what you believe. I was just trying to give some information I did not expect to be attacked or insulted on this forum.

 

my mother's milk made me severely ill. as such, i wasn't breastfed. i've breastfed both my daughters. i weaned my first daughter pretty early, though, around 10 months. it doesn't seem to be anything against her. i was under the impression that i couldn't breastfeed with the medication i had to start taking, and it seemed the thing to do at the time. however, my littlest daughter is weaning herself, preferring solid foods and drink, though she still nurses at night in bed. i can't really think of any reason why not to breastfeed, outside of illness, medication, etc. it's so much easier.

 

how appropos, i just read the post directly before mine. i was the only one of my mother's 5 children who became severely ill when i was breastfed. i broke out in boils and fevers and diarrhea, all that nastiness. it was very sad for my mom. i was her first baby girl. i don't have ANY food allergies, none at all. i was the rare case allergic to her milk. it DOES happen. she couldn't really afford formula, but she couldn't afford to keep putting me in the hospital either. she tried to do everything right, bless her, and i just couldn't do it. but we're still extremely close, it's not like i lost out, really. you can still cuddle and attach, even if you can't breastfeed.

 

Actual allergy to human milk is physiologically impossible. It IS possible that KC had a senstivity (not an allergy, as it usually takes at least 9 months to a year of more for the immune system to be strong enough to produce the histamine response reponsible for true allergy, but intolerences can happen from birth) KC may have had a sensitivity to something her mother was eating, wearing or putting on her body which made KC ill. (30 some odd years ago, much less was known about both allergy, intolerance and breastfeeding than we know now, so we can't really compare or even investigate why most of our mothers, or grandmothers didn't breastfeed.) Of course, KC, you've revealed quite a bit about your family history, and if your mother was already drinking heavily when you were a baby (I have no idea if she was or not, but you have told us that this has been an issue in your family) she may have either made the choice not to breastfeed you because of that, or you may have reacted to the alcohol in her milk. IF she wasn't drinking at that time (I'm in no way singling her out, as alcohol addiction IS an illness) she could have been eating or drinking something which you were sentitive to, and eventually overcame the sensitivity.

KC, are you, or were you at any time sensitive or allergic to wool? Just a shot in the dark, as it could have been something your mother was using ON her nipples as well. Some babies have even shown "allergic" responses to overdoses of Vitamin E, which is one of the most common sore nipple salves. Also, lanolin, the old kind, loaded with pesticides and aldehydes, was used, and was OFTEN implicated in the very symptoms you described.

But, as human infants are made of many of the same components of human milk, a person allergic to human milk would be allergic to HUMANS, thus allergic to themselves and everyone arounnd them, and would not have survived the first trimester of pregnancy in the uterus.

Addressing these issues:

There is no such thing. There CAN be blood in human milk, in fact milk is often refered to as "White Blood" and with things like untreated erroded nipples and internal papillomas (not an illness,) blood CAN get into milk, on occasion. However, neither of these conditions are a contraindication to breastfeeding. I've had hundreds, no, thousands of clients with blood in their milk (myself in cluded with two of my babies) and it is never a reason to stop lactating.

Yes, there is a VERY VERY rare disease called Galactosemia. It is the complete inability to digest ANY form of milk sugar. Yes, it can cause death or brain damage, HOWEVER, most pediatricians have never seen a verified case of this illness, most Lactation Consultants have never seen a verified case of this illness, Most Endocrinologists have never seen a case of this illness. As Evolution would have weeded out most people who ever had this illness soon after birth, it simply isn't something one sees. I've had three clients who were TOLD their babies had Galactosemia, and all of them except one weaned. When more definitive testing was done NONE of the babies had it. Most of them simply had dairy intolerance (from dairy products the mother was eating) or infantile colitis. Both of these illnesses are best treated while continuing to breastfeed the baby.

My Pediatrician, who has had a huge practice, which she joined more than 25 years ago, has only seen ONE case of Galactosemia. It was at a University Teaching Hospital, and doctor from all around came to see the baby, and his test results and imaging scans, as it was so rare, the Neonatologist told them, "You will, hopefully, never see this condition again. But, this is what it looks like." But, of course, babies with this illness can NEVER EVER in their entire lives have any type of dairy, cow, goat or any other type of milk of any kind, in any form. One does not "get over" Galactosemia, and most people who have it (the few that there are) lead very difficult lives, as there can be small amounts of milk sugars in almost anything. Also, regular formula will be just a damaging to an infant as human milk, so unless the trouble is found out soon, even formula fed babies, who don't get immediate diagnosis, will either die or have brain damage. Luckily, it is SO rare, that few to none of us willl ever see it.

As a Board Certifiied Lactation Consultant for more than 15 years, and a breastfeeding counselor for nearly 20 years, I have heard about every reason people can come up with not to breastfeed. With the exception of a severe case of unresponsive Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (approximately 25% or so of womyn who have this condition cannot make adequate milk supplies) Tubular Breast, with no development of breast tissue (only seen this one about four times in my carreer and two of the womyn actually nursed and used an SNS to supplement for what they couldn't make, the other two had such small supplies that the SNS was making them feel awful and it was better for them to move on, and feed the baby an other way) Treatment for cancer with Chemotherapy and Post Partum Psychosis, where the mother is too dangerous to be anywhere near her baby, and is almost always hospitalized, I cannot think of anything that would make breastfeeding undoable.

I've heard every excuse from "My milk dried up overnight." (and in ALL these cases the mother had perfect supplies only days earlier and then ALL of them refused to let myself or any other LC or doctor invesitgate their claims) to "My doctor said I can't take Amoxicillian while I am breastfeeding. It will kill the baby." (A complete lie, nearly ALL drugs in the USA and RMA drug lists are compatible with breastfeeding, regardless of what the CYA "insert" says. That insert is NOT based on evidence based information, it's based on the fact that the drug companies don't want to get sued AND that most of them have their own lines of formulea.) With the exceptions I listed above most womyn are at least capable of breastfeeding.

 

I'm going to breastfeed my children because of all the benefits to baby and my body. My doctor told me during my yearly exam that my nipples are really small and that I may have troubles breastfeeding when I decide to have children. Are there anyways to enlarge your nipples naturally or anything that I can do when the time comes. I know this may sound weird, but I don't want to cheat out my future babies.

 

Honey, small nipples will not cause any problem with breastfeeding. There is no reason to try to "enlarge" them. With the possible exception of gi-normous nipple ends (which, in a few weeks most babies can work well) the size of the nipple should have NO impact on breastfeeding.

Virtually no medical schools in the USA have classes in Lactation, at last count, I believe that about 10 out of the approximately 300 medical schools in the USA had Lactation courses offered. In none of these schools is the Lactation Course a required class. Not for Peds, or OBGYNS, or anyone else. Most doctors, unless they take additional courses and continuing education classes afther they get their medical degree, know very much about breastfeeding. And I have found that womyn doctors are actually, in many cases worse in terms of lactation knowlege than male ones. Most likely because they either have no children or wait until very late in life to have them, and also because they tend to work very very long hours, with little Maternity leave to establish a milk supply. Thus, many feel there is no reason to help mothers nurse, and often have no desire to do so.

And, don't get me started on the perks that Formula Companies give to Doctors for their "Loyalty."

My guess is, with the proper education and attitude and lining up help in advance, you should have no problem breastfeeding.

 

Wow, you try to share information in this place and you are called uninformed told that what you say doesn't exist. I thought this forum with for sharing knowledge not putting down people for knowing things. Do your research before you tell someone that they don't know what they are talking about. For the issue of illness causing a baby to not be able to nurse... there is more than one... and if you aren't a medical Dr. well....Also for women having blood in their breast milk I have know more than one woman who had a blood disorder that caused to bleed excessively if she breast fed her baby. I am not saying at all the bottle feeding is better than breast milk I am just saying that incases it is not possible.

I just wish people could be open-minded to what is in the world instead of thinking that they are the expert on everything.

 

Skittle, Maggie is an IBCLC. She knows more than most medical professionals about the facts and issues surrounding BFing.

 

What is an SNS?

I plan to breastfeed, so can't really respond to the original question. I have heard that some women try, but find it so painful that they decide to use a pump & a bottle. How common is this, and is there any way to get around this (different angle or something)? I tend to have a very low tolerance for pain and very very sensitive nipples during certain times of the month, so this is actually a fear of mine (that breastfeeding will hurt too bad to stand it).

 

Knowing about breast feeding doesn't mean you know everything. I just don't like people who think they know everything when in fact they don't.

 

No, dear, when IMPROPER information or outright disinformation is given, it is anyone's right to correct it. I've been practicing Lactation for nearly 20 years. Nope, not a doctor, but in the sphere of Lactation, I know hella of a lot more than most of them. (This, told to me, and most of my colleagues, from a number of doctors who refer patients to us.)

 

thanks Maggie Sugar.

I want to breast feed my babies because i believe mama and baby get closer that way. It's a bond that I can't explain because I never experienced it. I don't think anyone can experience it unless she is a mama and breast fed. I'm looking forward to the day that I can experience it though.

 

Dawn Sky, and SNS is a device which attaches around the mother's neck, holds a bottle or other recepticle, which is filled with either Canned Baby Milk or Human Milk, there are one or two small capillilary tubes, which attach to the recepticle, and are taped to the mother's breast, hanging slightly over the nipple. In the best case scenerio, the baby take the breast AND the tubes of the SNS and gets the supplement, as well as any milk the mother may have.

It is not a perfect system. Some babies hate it, some mamas just can't get the hang of it, or it is so stressful for them to use, they are better off with an other device. But, for the people it does work for, it's a pretty good device. I just wish we could work out more of the kinks out of it, so that it would be more "Mother Freindly."

Here's a pic.

 

Blessings to you, sweet sister. Chances are you will be able to feed your baby at your breast.

Bonding and attachment are always possible and can be just as remarkable, no matter the method of feeding, though.

My thoughts will be with you, when your Mama Time comes.

 

I'm not going to argue... it' s not worth it I just hope people stay informed and don't trust everything you read by poster. Make decisions based on all the facts available to you.

 

There is a huge difference between arguing and simply disagreeing.

skittle, I do suggest you re-read (or read, if you haven't already) the Site Guidlines, the Announcements FOrum Posts (which can only be posted by Skip, our Founder and Site Administrator) the site FAQs and the Stickeys at the Top of each Forum you will be frequenting.

The Guidlines http://www.hipforums.com/forumguidelines.htm

Site Announcements http://www.hipforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2

The WIF page with the first five Threads as Announcement Stickeys http://www.hipforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=40

 

I have one friend who didn't breastfeed because she is HIV positive and at that time it was widely believed that HIV could be passed on through the mother's milk. I believe current research goes opposite to that theory but at the time she was acting in her child's best interest. As for those who chose not to breast feed because they find it "inconvenient" or "messy" I personally wish people like that would reconsider having children altogether. If you don't dig messy and inconvenient than having kids probably isn't your bag. Motherhood is a full time commitment and in the first 3 years of life really it's literally round the clock full time. If you can't hack that then dont have children, they are not an accesory, a status symbol, or a dolly. THey are a completely dependant human being that you owe every possible moment of attention because YOU brought them here. We live in a society full of options and choices, if you don't want to be a mother than don't chose to have kids. it's not something to do half assed. It affects the entire world,the entire future and everyone else on the planet how you raise your kids. If that's too much responsibility get a dog.