Re: Breastfeeding Redux

[Guest guest]

You might consider the fact that pumping is just not the same as the baby nursing.  So, you are likely not getting nearly as much milk when you pump at nite as the baby would get if he was nursing on demand.  The amount a baby nurses directly impacts the milk supply.   So, the message your body is getting at nite is that it should cut back on production and thus you have less in the morning.  It is really important that a baby nurse frequently during the first few months to ensure an adequate milk supply.

I breastfed both my sons for an extended time while I was working.  I pumped at work and by the end of the week my milk supply had dramatically dwindled even though I was still nursing at nite and during lunchtime (a schedule the inverse of what you seem to have).  My sons would spend the weekend nursing a lot which dramatically increased my milk supply by Monday morning.  Again, your body produces milk entirely based on the baby demanding such.  And, pumping often doesn't produce nearly as much as a baby would consume.  I do think this is likely more of a problem if you are hypothyroid. Certainly, you have to do what works for you. I personally found that having the baby in my room and nursing the baby at nite was far easier and far less disruptive for my sleep than pumping.

B.

 

My precious little one is a month old and I've been able to successfully breast feed. However, it seems as if my milk supply is less in the morning than it is in the evening. He's basically eating every three hours. I'm pumping for two feedings during the night 3ish and 6ish because I have a night nurse giving him a bottle at those times. It seems to me that at 6 a.m. I get less milk which is very unusual because the mornings are when most women have the most milk. The 9 a.m. .feeding also it seems as if the baby is not getting enough to eat as he's sometimes hungry again very soon.

The lactation consultant was wondering if it was because of my thyroid issues. She thought maybe since I take my replacement dose (T4 levoxyl 125 and small dose of T3 cytomel .5) first thing in the morning, usually right before I start pumping around 6 that my body has depleted its thyroid supplies from the day before. I have lots of milk for the 6 pm and 9 pm feeding. I also take a second dose of T3 around 2:45 pm. every day.

I go back to see my ob next week, and will have labs drawn first thing in the morning before taking my medicine after I see her, but I want to be able to discuss my milk supply concerns with her and being related to my thyroid dosage.

I know that T4 is has a long half life in the body, and it takes weeks to see an adjustment in the numbers, but I've been back on my original stable dosage since the baby was born so that's definitely long enough to tell the difference, or at least long enough for my body to start adjusting. I wonder if I should ask her to bump the t4 up to the next higher dosage, or if I should consider taking another supplement of T3 in the evening or even sometime in the middle of the night. While my ob is pretty good with thyroid issues, I'm not sure how good she is with calibrating dosing with T3. She's pretty content with me on it but basically because I've told her I'm never going off of it and it does me no harm, but she is not a slave to a T4 only protocol which is good.

I know you can't offer medical advice, but most of you are much smarter than me when it comes to dosage and other affairs that I was hoping someone might have some thoughts as to issues I should discuss with my dr. or what I should look for in my labs.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

You might consider the fact that pumping is just not the same as the baby nursing.  So, you are likely not getting nearly as much milk when you pump at nite as the baby would get if he was nursing on demand.  The amount a baby nurses directly impacts the milk supply.   So, the message your body is getting at nite is that it should cut back on production and thus you have less in the morning.  It is really important that a baby nurse frequently during the first few months to ensure an adequate milk supply.

I would have to agree. My 4 week old babies usually nurse closer to every 2 hours rather than 3 or 4. They will sometimes go 4-5 hours one time during the night, but that is it. Your milk supply does not fully regulate until you are 6 weeks post partum. This may mean that you need to nurse during those night feedings for a few weeks in order to get your milk supply back up. My guess is that without the baby nursing in the night that your body doesn't think it needs to make as much milk during those morning hours.

I have nursed all of my children for varying lengths of time, working while nursing and pumping, as well. I took the pump to work with me and nursed during those times. I also pumped for another baby while nursing my own for a while. I've always noticed that I have more milk in the morning.

Susie

[Guest guest]

I found that I would be able to pump more milk while the baby was nursing on the other breast. But alas, at 9 months, he refused both breast and bottle of breast milk, but gobbled down his apple juice. My sitter suggested that I taste the milk. It tasted like cardboard. He could not tolerate formula, so he graduated to diluted cow's milk and real food.

>> My precious little one is a month old and I've been able to successfully breast feed. However, it seems as if my milk supply is less in the morning than it is in the evening. He's basically eating every three hours. I'm pumping for two feedings during the night 3ish and 6ish because I have a night nurse giving him a bottle at those times. It seems to me that at 6 a.m. I get less milk which is very unusual because the mornings are when most women have the most milk. The 9 a.m. .feeding also it seems as if the baby is not getting enough to eat as he's sometimes hungry again very soon. > > The lactation consultant was wondering if it was because of my thyroid issues. She thought maybe since I take my replacement dose (T4 levoxyl 125 and small dose of T3 cytomel .5) first thing in the morning, usually right before I start pumping around 6 that my body has depleted its thyroid supplies from the day before. I have lots of milk for the 6 pm and 9 pm feeding. I also take a second dose of T3 around 2:45 pm. every day. > > I go back to see my ob next week, and will have labs drawn first thing in the morning before taking my medicine after I see her, but I want to be able to discuss my milk supply concerns with her and being related to my thyroid dosage. > > I know that T4 is has a long half life in the body, and it takes weeks to see an adjustment in the numbers, but I've been back on my original stable dosage since the baby was born so that's definitely long enough to tell the difference, or at least long enough for my body to start adjusting. I wonder if I should ask her to bump the t4 up to the next higher dosage, or if I should consider taking another supplement of T3 in the evening or even sometime in the middle of the night. While my ob is pretty good with thyroid issues, I'm not sure how good she is with calibrating dosing with T3. She's pretty content with me on it but basically because I've told her I'm never going off of it and it does me no harm, but she is not a slave to a T4 only protocol which is good. > > I know you can't offer medical advice, but most of you are much smarter than me when it comes to dosage and other affairs that I was hoping someone might have some thoughts as to issues I should discuss with my dr. or what I should look for in my labs. > > Thanks.>

[Guest guest]

since you aren't nursing or pumping in the night your body is recognizing the

reduced demand and reducing the supply. Try nursing your baby on demand without

pumping an see if your supply increases.

Dana

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

I think you've gotten some GREAT advice here.

I'm still BFing my 19 month old son.

Just wondering if you've seen any results if you've tried feeding your little

one again (instead of pumping).

I actually battled oversupply for about 12 weeks. I figured I would struggle to

breastfeed also, but I didn't have that problem.

I did stay on the highest dose from my pregnancy after delivery and have gone up

twice since then. So there could be some merit to you needing a little extra

thyroid medication if you dropped back to your original dose right after

delivery.