PCOS & Breastfeeding

When I was at a breastfeeding day-stay recently ,the lactation consultant did a very comprehensive history on me to try to determine what was the cause of my low milk supply.

After I said I had PCOS, she went away to do some research and came back with the information that PCOS can be a cause of low milk supply. In my situation, it is probably the PCOS, in combination with a c/section, delayed & painful recovery with morphine for 2 weeks post-birth, and a baby who is a lazy sucker.

Has anybody else with PCOS experienced low supply issues?
I am wondering what is the best way to minimise the effect of PCOS on my supply. Low GI diet? Metformin? I stopped taking the metformin when I fell pregnant, and haven't started re-taking it yet because I forgot to ask my OB about it at my check-up appt.

You can take metformin when breastfeeding, its perfectly safe I did.

I was lucky I guess as I found that my PCOS & C/S didn't affect my supply.

Goodluck hon!

*hugs*
Cailin

Thanks love :)
I've been wondering whether the metformin is safe to take while breastfeeding, so it's good to know that it is safe.

I was on metformin up until week 12 of the pg, but not since. I didn't have issues with supply.

FJ's link re medications & breastfeeding has an article on metformin. https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ad.php?t=31801 Just scroll down to Metformin Transfer into Human Milk

Apparently it does go through to the milk, but they seem to conclude that women taking Metformin for PCOS or diabetes should still be encouraged to breastfeed.

HI Cherie,

I have PCOS but I don't think my initial low supply issues were because of it. I also had a lazy sucker, an intially sleepy baby that didn't wake for feeds, c/section and other medical issues. It took about 3 months for my milk to come in properly AARRH!!!! (not the usual 6 weeks) but we stuck at it with no issues after that. I have certainly read that PCOS can be a contributing factor.

When I was having low supply issues I took a herbal mixture of fennel and other stuff prepared by a naturopath and it certainly helped me. I took it until DS was 6 months old. He was a booby baby until 14 months of age.

Rasberry Leaf is also meant to help - it is apparently not just for preparation for labour. The midwives recommended it. I drank it as a tea. I also tried domperidone but this didn't really help that much!!! Fenugreek is another herb that is meant to help. [Sorry, you probably heard some of these ideas before and they are not really PCOS specific.] And oh, after DS woke up after a few weeks, I also had a baby that feed very frequently!!! (yes, I was exhausted!!)

I usually follow pretty much a low Gi-diet so I have no idea whether that can help.

It did take us a while to get going but I just wanted to say it can be done and good luck.
Hope you find some answers soon.
TICKLISH

Cherie,

Hon, I took Metformin up until week 8 of my pregnancy, I have PCOS and has long labour 36 hours and emergency c/s and experienced low supply, and at 6 weeks she didnt put on any weight for 2 weeks and saw my lactation consultant weekly and we did switch feeding to up my supply which helped a tiny bit but not enough so I ended up comp feeding her twice a day with formula because after 2 weeks of trying to up my supply without taking medication she still wasnt putting on any weight. I did research on metformin and breastfeeding around this time and my GP told me not to take metformin while BF. I decided I preferred to give my baby formula over receiving some of my meds in my milk supply, but thats my choice its a very personal one.

Congrats on your little one! hes very cute.

Cailin-I was told by my doctors (both primary and an obgyn who has the condition) that breastfeeding while taking metformin was still in the "test stages". What dosage where taking? How long did you breastfeed your child?

I was fine breastfeeding my 2 year after a vaginal birth but I struggled with my 7 week old after 20 hours of labor and a c-section. I'm glad to see i'm not the only one!!

I decided not to breastfeed after trying, the pain and the bleeding to stick formula so I can take the metformin.

I have pcos and used Clomid to get pregnant. My milk came in on day 3ish and I've never had a supply problem.

A low GI diet is always a winner...in any situation! My low GI diet pre-pregnancy bought back regular AF but not enough to make me ovulate.

wow...i wonder if this is my problem too? I am taking 2x motillium tablets each day and JUST make enough milk to feed mason. No excess :(

Can you really take it BFing?

I asked my GP who used to be an OB and he looked it up on his computer and said it wasn't recommended for BFing. I really wanted to go back on it to be able to shift this weight too, as I'm unable to lose weight on my own with PCOS.

Cherie, I don't have supply issues, but I've always had too much milk for my babies, to the point of it being a problem. This time it's not problematic with the milk, so it is definatley less than I had with my other kids. I''m sorry to read you've had problems hun :hug:, it must be difficult.

Do you think pregnancy or BFing has helped your PCOS? I've often wondered if our extra female hormones in this time help the symptoms. I haven't started snoring again since having bubs which was a big issue for me before. Also, I didn't easily gain weight when pregnant which I normally do.

Hey hun,

I found a few articles which might be useful/interesting. I've PM'd you the links.

:hug:

Bec

Glad i found this thread, i have pcos and was taking metformin but stopped taking it as soon as i found out i was pregnant.(i found out at 4wks) I didn't manage to shift any weight while taking metformin so i'm not sure it helps everyone with weightloss etc.
I'm due to give birth soon and i was worried about my pcos as i want to breastfeed - or atleast try. The lactation speciallist said that the fact my breasts have gotten bigger etc it is a good sign but we wont know untill bubs is born how i will go BF. I have cysts and have had them through my enitre pregnancy and will have to go back in to have them sorted after birth; if i have a c/s i have been told that they may be able to take care of them at the same time.

I have a friend who is a lactation consultant and she suggested commencing expressing / breast stimulation from about 36 weeks to assist with milk production with PCOS. It is still a debatable topic as to whether it has any impact or not on breast milk production but having taking this long to (hopefully) get an established supply it can't hurt. I didn't do it as I am not a *confirmed* PCOS sufferer - just a few of the symptoms rather than all of them. You can store the expressed colostrum and give it to bubs too.

Yes i was asked if i have been able to extract any colostrum, unfortunately nothing yet. So i may be unlucky.

This is all really interesting and will definately be discussing this with my OB and the midwives cos I was diagnosed with PCOS several years before finally falling pregnant with MJ.

8 years ago when I had DS I had zero milk supply even though I went through 8.5 hours of labour and delivered him however I did have a manual removal of the placenta. Now when I went to book in at the hospital for this pregnancy and was discussing history with the midwife and my intention to attempt BFing she told me that it is not uncommon for low or zero milk supply to happen when there has been a manual removal of the placenta like in my case or from c/s because the role of the placenta coming away naturally actually is part of the process in establishing milk supply - something to do with the hormones that are triggered/released. Anyway my BP doc confirmed this info when I spoke to him.

Reading this back don't know if what I've said makes any sense...but I noticed that a few of the ladies had mentioned their c/s and low milk supply so perhaps there is a connection - who knows???

Hi guys, yet another PCOS person here. I had low milk supply with both my babies. DS was worse and he lost heaps of weight due to the lateness of my milk coming in. I have just finished BF him and am about to start up my metformin now. It was a constant struggle to keep up my breastmilk supply. I pretty much had to drink heaps, activite was a great drink, eating peanuts helped a little(old wives tale) and I went to a naturopath and got fenugreek and goats rue drops. They tasted AWFUL but it really did help with my supply.

Goodluck with BF, it may be hard but hopefully it will get better. I found we had some hard patches where formula top ups were required and then we were able to go back to full BF. As the dr said to me, just because I cant full time BF doesnt mean I have to go full time formula.

Love

Hi, I have PCOS and my supply was TERRIBLE! Now I think that could be the reason. I wonder if anyone (researcher/PhD student) has done any research into this? I wonder how we can fix it???

I too had a CS (emergency) and I wondered if the PCOS had something to do with that. My placenta was starting to stop working and I had reduced fluid (liquor). I wonder if that is a PCOS thing too because of the hormones etc???

How many PCOS women have ended up with a c/s??

omg!!!! wow!!!

I have PCOS and REALLY struggle to keep up my supply. I am taking 6 tabs of motillium a day and i dont think it makes a difference :(

ooo, whats the motillium???

Hi Cherie - I have also heard that having PCOS can affect your supply. I met up with a few girls from the POSAA group and they were discussing it and they weren't all on metformin. All I could think was - great, another problem with PCOS that I have to look forward to. So you definitely aren't alone. :)

you better look forward to it Belinda! Wont be long until you will be breastfeeding :D

Belmarks: Motillium is actually similar to Maxalon and it is an anti-nausea drug which helps to increase breast milk. It is under prescription from your GP :)

I have PCOS and my CS was due to my youngest not progressing. He stayed at 0 station for a very long time. But I have always wondered too but haven't found any to the contrary.

Mmm, it certainly makes you wonder doesn't it. Stupid PCOS, it causes so much other than what we have to deal with on a daily basis.

I hope whoever gets into parliament does something about this growing epidemic because ultimately, it will mean more and more women who are subfertile etc, and what a strain that will be on the economy and the population growth. They certainly need to fund some further in-depth research into this syndrome....