Does anyone else have insuffient glandular tissue? - Page 3

[georgia]

Have you ever checked out the book Nursing Mothers Herbal??? Fantastic resource I thought I'd pass along!!! Great info about increasing milk!!! All the best,

[Steph1]

Grieving

I wish I would've found this forum 5 wks ago. I stopped BFing then (my son is 8 wks). 2nd baby, same story- no engorgement, pump 1/2 oz with good pump. At least this one didn't get dehydrated because we started supplementing in the hospital under LCs guidance. It was so frustrating and time-consuming pumping, nursing, bottlefeeding, and trying the SNS (not to speak of also mothering a 3 yr old) that I finally quit. I felt like I was spending more time with the equipment than with my baby. If I had read your posts I might've continued comfort nursing. I don't feel like a failure when I'm bottle-feeding, I feel like one when I'm nursing. I thought about relactating, but the effort involved seems impossible, plus I've started taking Lamisil tablets and I don't think they're compatible with BF. I know I'm a good mom: I wanted nothing more than to exclusively nurse my babies for extended time. I'm angry, feeling guilty, and betrayed by my body. Because I've been through this before I thought I was OK with all this. I'm feeling sad now. Any support, encouragement would be helpful. Thanks!
P.S. Unlike some other members, I hated the SNS- it was hard enough to get him to latch on correctly to me, much less with the tube in his mouth, then most of the time I wouldn't have it positioned right, so I had to squeeze it adn then it would leak all over me. After 20 minutes, he would only have drank half of what he needed to, so I would have to bottle feed the rest of it. The SNS sounds great in theory, but I thought "you try sucking through this tiny tube, and tell me how easy it is!"

[Corriander]

Hi Steph,

Yes, the SNS is difficult to use. It took me 3 kids to really get the hang of it. And I stopped using it regularly (for my most recent child) at 3 months when I realized that my ds can go breast to bottle without problem. I know what you mean about feeling like a failure when nursing - at least I used to feel that way. I quit nursing my first child at 6 months for all the reasons you described and it took therapy to really get over it.

CrunchyJen,

I breastfed my second child for 16 months, so yes it can be done with a partial supply. I think my supply is about the same as yours - maybe 20 oz. After 12 months I would nurse him 2-3 times times a day and it became apparent that as long as I kept it up he was very eager also, and we could have continued indefinately.

Have you read "Defining your own success"? It is written for moms breastfeeding after a breast reduction, but otherwise it completely applies to us. It describes how to bottlefeed without discouraging your own supply. Essentially always breastfeed first and then follow up with a bottle, not the other way around. I couldn't recommend this book more! It really changed my outlook. I still open it randomly and feel better after reading a page or two.

For me it took accepting that I could never fully breastfeed a child before I could finally move on with confidence. I even breastfeed and then bottle feed in public now. I used to think that people would think me strange for doing both.

[Steph1]

Looking for acceptance

What's hard is that you're not totally understood or accepted by either the bfing crowd or the ffing crowd. My BFing friends were sympathetic and supportive because they saw how hard I worked at it, but they didn't completely understand it because they had "normal" BFing problems (engorgement, mastitis, baby nursing all the time, etc), but not problems with supply. And my FFing friends didn't really understand what all the fuss was about, why I was still trying after 2 1/2 mos (with my 1st ds), just give him a bottle and get over it. BFing friends can relate a little to the grieving, they relate it to weaning. But FFing friends were either so relieved to change from BFing to FFing, or never wanted to BF in the 1st place. So forums like this one is the only place where I can come and breathe a little sigh of relief that I'm not alone.

I was thinking more about why I quit at 3 wks. My 2nd ds sleeps well at night-he wakes up once to eat then goes to sleep. I was remembering those 1st couple weeks, nursing for 20 min (it would take that long for him to get my 1/2 oz I'm sure, let-down on the pump took 5-10 min) then bottlefeeding him for however long it took for him to eat 2-3 oz. The whole shebang took 45-60 min, then pumping! And this was every 2-3 hrs! No wonder I quit. And in my case I think the pump was more effective than the child. I believe that because of my low supply he developed an ineffective suck, rather than the other way around (my 1st ds did this too). And he kept falling asleep because there wasn't much milk. It just seemed to take a lot of energy for him.

Does it make anyone else mad to have friends who didn't choose to BF get a milk supply/engorgement? I would've given my right arm to experience that.

When I look at the pics of hypoplastic breasts on that website, mine don't look as extreme. I have fullness on the outsides of my breasts, but the insides lack fullness. And definitely asymmetrical, with the lrgr one producing more (although he preferred the smlr one). And they're not that small- about a C cup. I didn't experience much growth during pregnancy- I couldn't fit into my tighter bras, but I could still fit into the looser ones. Although this time I experienced more sensitivity, achiness, itching, etc. Is that a good sign for next time? AND- while I was nursing I actually had some lumpiness if I hadn't nursed or pumped for a while. I was excited about that!

[Corriander]

since I bottlefeed and breastfeed (usually one immediately after the other) I think that there are some folks who just don't know what to think about me. But no one has EVER commented or asked. It is a real blessing to finally have the confidence to not care what anyone thinks and just do what I need to to feed my baby, but I couldn't tell you exactly how it came about.

My ds just got over an injury to his mouth that he got from a fall. For a day and a half he would not bf or bottle feed. I got really engorged which felt sort of nice for about an hour - then it was really painful. Thank goodness I have a pump, but it was so irritating to pump. I could never do it to increase my supply for longer than a week. I don't think it was working and it just took too much time.

for me bf did get easier for each child. But I couldn't say if that is really because things improved for me physically or if the previous experience just made me know how to handle things better.

[Steph1]

Corey: How long do you BF, and then how long does it take your kiddo to FF after that?

DS is now 11 wks old, and I really regret quitting at 3 wks. I have found some info on relactating, but it sounds so difficult. And with the sml supply I had in the 1st place, I'm not sure if it would even work. I don't know if he would even latch on. Does anyone have experience w/this? Maybe its time to let it go.

Stephanie
Sean (3/5/01)
Matthew (4/21/04)

[Corriander]

Hi Steph,

I just got back from vacation so that's why I haven't responded. If I am reading your question right... my ds usually bfs for about 10 minutes before he has drained the breast and then I give a bottle. I try to bf before every bottle, but the last two weeks vacation kinda screwed with that.

[lavendermama]

Hello!
I have this same problem. I am pregnant with #4 and can't believe I am even pondering getting out the SNS again! Ah-what mothers will do. It is late and I need to get to sleep, but I truly look forward to coming here for support. That is so great you kept it up for 16 months! My hero! My last breastfed for about 5 months. They just seem to lose interest. I would love to keep it up this time for longer though. I had to laugh when you talked about people wondering when you give a bottle and breast. I have gotten those looks too-how funny.

[Rainbowbird]

I think that says it all...

"I consider myself a breastfeeder, but I find that I always have to explain myself in the company of breastfeeders and then I feel like a fraud."

I certainly feel that way sometimes! It is a shame that we not only feel like failures, we feel like oddities or frauds around those who successfully BF. It's like a competition or something.

My husband and I have thought about having a second child;, we haven't decided yet...sometimes I think about having another and then wonder am I going to fail again and have to use formula for my second child? Can my psyche stand another failure to BF?

Good luck to everyone who is still trying!

[Rainbowbird]

I totally agree

I also felt like I was spending more time with the equipment than my baby, and the BF was session after session of crying for both of us. Whereas with a bottle at least I could peacefully feed him and he would be satisfied and full afterwards. I wish I had pumped longer but like you said, it is very time-consuming and I eventually quit. I too feel like a good mom and I know I did the best I could under the circumstance. I wish we could stop beating ourselves up over this.

Originally Posted by Steph1

I wish I would've found this forum 5 wks ago. I stopped BFing then (my son is 8 wks). 2nd baby, same story- no engorgement, pump 1/2 oz with good pump. At least this one didn't get dehydrated because we started supplementing in the hospital under LCs guidance. It was so frustrating and time-consuming pumping, nursing, bottlefeeding, and trying the SNS (not to speak of also mothering a 3 yr old) that I finally quit. I felt like I was spending more time with the equipment than with my baby. If I had read your posts I might've continued comfort nursing. I don't feel like a failure when I'm bottle-feeding, I feel like one when I'm nursing. I thought about relactating, but the effort involved seems impossible, plus I've started taking Lamisil tablets and I don't think they're compatible with BF. I know I'm a good mom: I wanted nothing more than to exclusively nurse my babies for extended time. I'm angry, feeling guilty, and betrayed by my body. Because I've been through this before I thought I was OK with all this. I'm feeling sad now. Any support, encouragement would be helpful. Thanks!
P.S. Unlike some other members, I hated the SNS- it was hard enough to get him to latch on correctly to me, much less with the tube in his mouth, then most of the time I wouldn't have it positioned right, so I had to squeeze it adn then it would leak all over me. After 20 minutes, he would only have drank half of what he needed to, so I would have to bottle feed the rest of it. The SNS sounds great in theory, but I thought "you try sucking through this tiny tube, and tell me how easy it is!"

[mariamommy]

Progesterone and hypoplastic breasts

Some women might benefit from the treatment described below.
But please don't do it on your own. One has to be so careful with hormones. And maybe this would only work for those who already have problems with ovulation/progesterone. Just a thought.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entre...&dopt=Abstract

Patient with insufficient glandular tissue experiences milk supply increase attributed to progesterone treatment for luteal phase defect.

Bodley V, Powers D.

Deaconess Family Birth Center, MT, USA.

A case report is presented on the experience of a mother diagnosed with insufficient glandular tissue at 3 months postpartum with her first child who then went on to breastfeed her second child (fifth pregnancy) without supplementation of any kind. The mother had difficulty becoming pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy. She was diagnosed with a luteal phase defect and was thus treated with natural progesterone during her fifth pregnancy. The authors speculate that this treatment may have stimulated the development of her mammary alveolar cells, allowing lactation to progress normally.

[lavendermama]

Well that is certainly interesting. Any thoughts?

[Greensleeves]

Hmmmm

That info is interesting!

[lavendermama]

I was wondering the exact same thing, Auburn. I have had trouble finding a source for Goat's Rue. How about you?

[Quirky]

You can get goat's rue in tincture form at www.motherlove.com .

[lavendermama]

Thanks for the link!
Has anyone had any success with Goat's Rue?

[Greensleeves]

Lavendermama,

Glad someone else provided the link! I think the goat's rue is not safe to take during pregnancy, if I read correctly. You might want to check that out.

Auburn

[larastheme]

This is my first post, so forgive me in advance!

My DD Larisa was born in late May, and I found I was unable to nurse due to insufficient tissue. I had very slight breast changes during my pregnancy. Nobody really told me that I had insufficient tissue, but my LC told me to give up with pumping, etc, and use a bottle.

I'm too stubborn for that.

I used the SNS for a while, until my midwife let me know about the Lact-Aid (IMHO, much easier to use.) I took fennel and blessed thistle, did everything I could think of. DD is almost 3 months now, I'm still using the Lact-Aid, and I'm still ambivalent about how long I should (I'd like to make it to 6 months.) I shed a lot of tears right after Larisa was born, when the hospital LC looked at me with sad eyes and said that she wished everyone who wanted to BF could, and that everyone who could, would.

Anyway, I found this thread and wanted to put in my two cents. Lord knows what I'm going to do with my next child. I'm already stressing about that, and Larisa isn't even 3 months old!

[Greensleeves]

Sara,

[Corriander]

Hi Larastheme,

You have done a great job to use the Lactaid or SNS for 3 months. Your dd is probably long past having any potential for nipple confusion. If you do at some point decide to use a bottle then you can BOTH bf and bottlefeed. I was able to do this for 16 months with my son. The hardest part for me is always dealing with what I just KNOW others are thinking of me when they see me doing both.

My almost 8 month old ds nurses and then follows up with a bottle 3 times a day as well as eating 3 meals a day in solids. The fact that he took to solids so eagerly has kept his intake of formula below 12 oz. a day for sometime now. He weighs about 20 lbs. I know that I can just continue this routine as long as he wants it.

Good luck and keep up the good work!