Bf Question

[coronalime]

So I now am a proud momma of a 3 week old. I planned on breast feeding and now I dont know if it will happen for me.

Is there a link to celiac and low supply issues. Maybe I dont get enough food, nutrients etc to sustain my milk. I have been to the lacation MANY times and they never talked about celiac..they did mention my PCOS could have an effect but I wonder if the celiac compounded with it.

I pump every 3 hrs now..I was doing more and trying to get her to feed more but it consumed my day and I became hysterical b/c she dropped 13% of her body weight b/c I have no milk (I pump only 1 oz for BOTH combined)

Does anyone have a history of this and did something for their milk to bump up? I may be stopping the pumping all together soon..its hard to get 20 mins every 3 hrs with a newborn over the day

[CarlaB]

So I now am a proud momma of a 3 week old. I planned on breast feeding and now I dont know if it will happen for me.

Is there a link to celiac and low supply issues. Maybe I dont get enough food, nutrients etc to sustain my milk. I have been to the lacation MANY times and they never talked about celiac..they did mention my PCOS could have an effect but I wonder if the celiac compounded with it.

I pump every 3 hrs now..I was doing more and trying to get her to feed more but it consumed my day and I became hysterical b/c she dropped 13% of her body weight b/c I have no milk (I pump only 1 oz for BOTH combined)

Does anyone have a history of this and did something for their milk to bump up? I may be stopping the pumping all together soon..its hard to get 20 mins every 3 hrs with a newborn over the day

Can you put your baby to the breast instead of the pump so that the breast gets proper stimulation to build the milk supply? Also, feed on one side at a time so that the baby gets to the hind milk which is higher in fat and calories. I used to feed for a couple minutes on one side for relief for me, then feed for an extended time on the other side. I don't know if you really reach the hind milk by pumping. Even though you will feel like you sit around all day doing nothing but nursing the baby, this is productive!!

I always had trouble pumping, so don't be surprised if you're not getting out as much as the baby could. Unfortunately, we celiacs cannot benefit from what others use to bump up milk supply ... beer. I don't know if gluten-free beer has the same effect, but you could give it a try.

Oh, you will feel like sometimes your supply is adequate and sometimes it isn't due to the baby having growth spurts and eating more. Then, it seems that just as the growth spurt ends, your milk adjusts and you have what seems like too much!!

If you're supplementing with bottles, this will make it harder to build the milk supply. Your breasts need the baby to be sucking, even when you think the baby isn't getting anything.

Congratulations!!

[de caps]

Hi, I have celiac disease and breast fed all three of my children for a year or more each. Breast feeding is tough in the begining for everyone. It does get easier. You really need to drink enough fluids and get rest to make milk. The resting part is the hardest. In the begining I did hav

[penguin]

I always had trouble pumping, so don't be surprised if you're not getting out as much as the baby could. Unfortunately, we celiacs cannot benefit from what others use to bump up milk supply ... beer. I don't know if gluten-free beer has the same effect, but you could give it a try.

I think wine works too, from what my mom and sister have said.

[de caps]

I'm sorry, my 1 year old daughter touched the computer and cut off my post. I did supplement one bottle at bed time for the first month. I found that I made the most milk in the morning. After about six weeks into breast feeding with all my children, I was producing enough milk for them without supplementing. Good Luck. It should get easier soon.

Donna

[coronalime]

My baby is "ineffective" breast feeder (from lactation). She only gets out .5 oz from both breasts. So at first they were making me nurse, then pump, then feed her the remainder from the pump..well she kept losing weight and you can imagine all the time that took. So we moved to pumping to get my supply "up" somewhat and then maybe she would nurse better, and me nurse 2x day..My supply wont budge (1.5-2 oz combined) and she still does not take enough from the boobs. We HAVE to supplement or she would starve..Lactation last week I was there said my supply may just never get there, and with Jillian being "ineffective" nurser it doesnt help. She latches on fine and sucks forever if allowed but doesnt do it to get milk out..We nursed her for 45 min there and she didnt evern get .5 oz and then was screaming for food..I am just disappointed I guess. Wondered if my diet with no gluten had an effect on my supply, or it could be what I eat or dont eat throughout the day..

[jnclelland]

My baby is "ineffective" breast feeder (from lactation). She only gets out .5 oz from both breasts. So at first they were making me nurse, then pump, then feed her the remainder from the pump..well she kept losing weight and you can imagine all the time that took. So we moved to pumping to get my supply "up" somewhat and then maybe she would nurse better, and me nurse 2x day..My supply wont budge (1.5-2 oz combined) and she still does not take enough from the boobs. We HAVE to supplement or she would starve..Lactation last week I was there said my supply may just never get there, and with Jillian being "ineffective" nurser it doesnt help. She latches on fine and sucks forever if allowed but doesnt do it to get milk out..We nursed her for 45 min there and she didnt evern get .5 oz and then was screaming for food..I am just disappointed I guess. Wondered if my diet with no gluten had an effect on my supply, or it could be what I eat or dont eat throughout the day..

{{{HUGS!}}} That sounds really stressful. With my son, we used a nipple shield for a few weeks to help him latch on better. The problem with bottle supplementing is that it's a vicious cycle: it's easier for the baby to get milk from the bottle than from the breast, so she never learns how to latch on to the breast. And unfortunately, pumping will never stimulate your production as much as real nursing. That said, you gotta do what you gotta do to get your baby fed!

Are you working with a good lactation consultant? They vary widely as to how knowledgeable they are. if you haven't already, try calling your local La Leche League and ask them for a reference.

As for supplements, fenugreek is supposed to be good for milk supply; I used it a few times, and it seemed to help. (You can get it at any health food store.) Oatmeal is also good, but not exactly helpful when you're gluten-free!

Good luck! And hang in there; it does get easier!

Jeanne

[CarlaB]

If it makes you feel any better, I nursed all 5 of my biological children. With #2 I only lasted 6 weeks before I switched him to the bottle because he was a terrible breastfeeder. Three of the others breastfed for over a year! So, don't think that just because it's bad with this one that it will always be like this. Don't let it discourage you from breastfeeding with the next.

If babies are offered a bottle, they often become ineffective breastfeeders because they prefer the easier bottle. But, you have to do what you have to do to get the baby fed!

La Leche League was more of a help to me than the lactation consultant at the hospital. The LLL person wanted to help me nurse, whereas the lactation consultant seemed to have more of a medical type demeanor, if that makes sense. It was good advice to call LLL.

[AndreaB]

Yes, please contact La Leche League. Don't give up on breastfeeding unless there is absolutely no way to continue. Make sure you keep your fluid intake up. I have always had good nursers so I don't know what other advice to offer. The gluten free diet shouldn't effect your milk supply unless you are severly limited due to multiple allergies. I do know that some babies need some extra help which LLL can offer, and sometimes the mother isn't producing enough, which LLL can also help with. First babies can be more difficult as it is the first time lactating.

Congratulations! I just love babies.

[luvs2eat]

Me too!! (LOVE babies!) I drank beer w/ one of my kids cause I didn't think I was making enough milk... till a friend told me that iced tea would do the same thing... it's a diuretic! Drink TONS of liquid and keep letting the baby nurse. I hope it works out for you... but try not to stress if it doesn't.

[TCA]

I'm pumping too and have been for 14 mos. My supply starting dropping off and I just got a Rx. for reglan this week to pick it back up. You can call your obgyn for this. The main thing for me to eat plenty of calories. Don't worry about those pre pregnancy clothes, you'll get there later. Eat lots of fat and calories and drink a LOT. I drink 20+ cups per day. I've always had to watch my weight, so I'm programmed to eat low fat everything, so I really have to work at getting all the fat I need. Peanut butter is my salvation! I'm eating some now. If you have celiac, the breast milk can be very beneficial to the baby if it were to have your genes too. La Leche League has a message board at Open Original Shared Link that might be helpful. Good luck!!!

[mommyetb]

There are so many things you can do for low supply. Pump is one of them. Eat oatmeal one x per day. Take fenugreek. Take mothers milk tea. Have you tried a lactaid? It is a tube that attaches to your breast on one end and has a filled container on the other. THat way when you feed her she is getting nutrients, your breasts are being stimulated and it will help up your supply. This is a great way to contiue breastfeeding. You sound like a great candidate for that.

I am a little concerned with your lactation help there? are they IBCLC? Licenced? They should have already suggested the lactaid. And other herbs to help with supply. Have you had any breast trauma or surgery? That can effect milk. What were your breast changes like during pregnancy?

Hang in there! Breastfeeding even a little bit of what you have is so worth it! Especially with celiac. If you do not like the lactation help you are getting. Go somewhere else! Not all of us are as good as others.

Do find a la leche league meeting near you for free help. Their information can be invaluable. Don't give up yet! Keep us informed!

Taffy

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Hang in there! I went through exactly the same thing. My milk supply did not increase until I learned that pumping every 3 hours is not nearly enough (SORRY!). Seriously, try every 1-2 hours, especiallyduring the day (you can probably get away with every 3 hours at night if you do more during the day)--and drink drink drink--youcan't make milk if you're dehydrated!

As soon as I actually had something in my boobs, my baby latched on, even though he had been taking ONLY bottles until then. Once your baby latches on and actually sucks and swallows from your breast, the best thing for you to do might be to forget the bottles and let the baby suck every half hour or so. Sounds awful, but it really isn't so bad ("Oh, honey, I 'm so sorry, I can't make dinner, I have to sit here with my feet up and feed the baby....") (assuming your hubby is supportive). It's also THE fastest way to a bigger milk supply.

I didn't have any trouble with the next two babies, but ONLY because they WANTED to nurse evry 20 minutes. The hospital nurse yelled at me and told me I shouldn't nurse more often than every 2-3 hours, but the lactation consultant said that the nurse was WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Do try contacting a lactation consultant or someone from the La Leche League--they are very knowledgeable, much more so than the doctors.

The fastest way to ruin breastfeeding is to tell the new mom that she only has to nurse (or pump) every 3 hours. Very few new moms can make much milk on that schedule, especially with the first baby.

Good luck! If you have time, please keep us all posted. Hope it gets easier....

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I totally forgot to ask--do you have a decent pump?? That can make all the difference. I used one of those hospital-grade Medela pumps, and it was great. Months later, when I went back to work, I tried another kind, also a double-pump, and I got maybe 1/4 of the milk the big Medela got, so it really does make a big difference!

Hang in there! If you think you can stand it, give yourself another couple of weeks to do nothing but pump/nurse (or attempt to nurse), and sleep. Let someone cook and clean. You have an important job to do.

If you can get to the point where you have enough milk at the next session so that you can actually squirt some milk directly into the baby's mouth from your breast (pardon the graphic description ), you are 80% guraranteed that the baby will latch on and drink. The bottle really does make them lazy, unfortunately--it comes so easily. And of course, if you're stressed (what new mom isn't?), it's really hard to get a good let-down.

Judging by both research and a lot of the osters here with celiac babies, if you have celiac, being able to breastfeed your baby really is important to at least delay if not completely head off celiac and allergy issues.

As a last resort, you can pump and feed your milk in a bottle--TCA has been doing this for 14 months, and it has literally saved her baby's life. But I bet if you get some decent support (hubby, your mom, La Leche League, lactation consultant, friends who have nursed, and THIS BOARD (we're a very caring bunch ) and good, knowledgable advice (translation: NOT from doctors), YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!

I'm sending lots of good thoughts and milk-laden prayers your way....

[Roxyk]

I had the same problem. My daughter would not eat well at the breast. We used a SNS (bottle thing with a tube) with a nipple shield, then bottle fed by daddy while I pumped. I hate to tell you, but we did this every feeding for 3-4 weeks, then just the sheild until she was 6 weeks. Then BAM she just went for the breast. Now we have a hard time giving her a bottle when we have to do it. She is now 15 weeks.

It is so hard - but hang in there. It is worth it in the end.

[imsohungry]

I don't breastfeed because of the medications I'm on (otherwise I would)...so I can't be much help.

But I wanted to say:

CONGRATULATIONS on the birth of your baby!

Blessings to your family! -Julie

[KayJay]

Like the other women said keep at it. I bet she learns how once she gets a little older. I have problems with my supply too but I have been able to keep my baby mainly on breastmilk for 10 months now. I do use formula on occasion but that started a whole battle of problems with her so I don't recommend doing that unless you have too. I hope your baby starts eating and gaining tons of weight soon. I know that the other ladies have mentioned Fenugeek that stuff really works.

Enjoy your baby. I bet she is so sweet. I miss the newborn stage so much

[queenofhearts]

I would suggest upping the frequency too. I had twins & there wasn't enough milk for both to last more than 2 hours, so I just nursed every 2 hours until my boobs figured it out! Maybe even more often right at first. I realize not everyone has this option! I work from home so it wasn't as impractical as it sounds. One of mine was also a little slower to get the hang of it; he was smaller too & had colic, not sure if these were related. He caught on after a while. We did have one nightly "relief bottle", but I've heard that can be a problem for milk supply. Things did work out in the end & I nursed them both to a little over 1 year old.

I definitely second the "eat enough" advice. I nibbled most of the time when I wasn't nursing at first! And definitely drink plenty of fluids of course.

Hope all goes well, but remember if it doesn't work out, it doesn't make you less of a mother. There's a lot of emotional stuff around nursing, & while it is certainly the best method when it works, sometimes for one reason or another, it just doesn't. Remember that a lot of kids have survived bottles! Don't let the stress sap your energy too much.

Hang in there,

Leah

[harrisonsmom]

GIrl more power to you! I had a rough time nursing my son, finally gave up at five months but I think it was a combo my body didnt make enough (Bc i was cheating on diet, I'll never know til I have another baby! Maybe!) But I tried and tried and he latched fine, he just gave up real fast and it seemed like ti didtn come out right. I didnt see if anyone suggested ths, but get An SNS, supplemental nurser system. If you must pump or use forumula u attach the SNS to your breast while you're nursing so the baby gets nourishment while you are stimulatingyour breasts and the baby learns thats where the good stuff comes from. It is really hard and I wish I had gone longer. I had to supplement from the get go bc at his 2 wk appt he was still 12 oz away from birth weight so I had to supplemetn but he was 3 weeks before I used the SNS and it was too late. Keep trying and do what u can but dont feel guilty if it doesnt work out. Contrary to what everyoen preaches, sometimes it just doesnt work for everyone!Good luck!

Drink, drink, drink--WATER!

[jukie]

Congratulations on becoming a mom...it really is a wonderful thing! I truly feel your pain as my story was very similar. There's been some great advice here regarding food/fluid intake, lactation consultants, hospital-grade breast pumps, La Leche League, etc. Another thing to check is your thyroid as low levels can negatively affect milk supply. And since it's common to have thyroid problems post partum (not to mention in connection with celiac and PCOS), it's definitely worth considering. My son was 10 months old by the time I figured out that my thyroid was affecting my milk supply...and wouldn't you know that just a couple months later he decided he was ready to stop breastfeeding.

Even though that first year nearly killed me, I don't regret fighting for it even when everyone else thought I should just give up...especially now that we've confirmed the celiac genes in our family. Whatever happens, give yourself credit for being a loving, committed mom.

[CaliGirl]

Congratulations on your new little baby!

I'm four months pregnant, and I'm already starting to worry about potential problems with breastfeeding. I've been reading about it, and I read in a natural foods cookbook that quinao is supposed to increase milk production. Supposedly, South American Indians have been giving this to lactating women for centuries. Of course, I have no experience with this, but it could help. Besides, quinoa is (of course) gluten free, easy to cook, and very nutritious.

here are some links:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

This could be an old wives' tale, but it certainly can't hurt. If anything, this can just be a nice break from all that rice we eat ...

Rachel