thread: PCOS and Breastfeeding

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jun 2005
    near the water
    1,230

    PCOS and Breastfeeding

    I had trouble with my milk supply coming in. I have just come across an article that said that there maybe a link! Did anyone else have this problem?
    Bec

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Oct 2005
    1,377

    Hi Bec

    When I had my beautiful baby girl 02/10/02 I was unaware that I had pcos as wasn't producing symptoms and falling pregnant was not much of a problem, however I did have some issues with breastfeeding.
    My milk came in however it did not satisfy bub at all and she didnt gain any weight no matter how much she drank. I had to supplement with formula and she went to being fully formula fed at 4mths.(even though I had no problems with attachment etc).
    The childcare nurse didnt have any explanation for this. I have heard things about some women just dont have good milk. If that means anything.
    Maybe it was the pcos which I have only just found out I have after nearly 2yrs of trying for another baby. Or maybe it was just the stress of wanting to be the best mother that I could be.

    Hope this helps.

    Helen

  3. #3
    Kirsty77 Guest

    Hey Bec

    I also have PCOS and had to put Gemma on formula from day 3 as my milk hadn't come in(midwife said she wasn't getting enough and lost so much weight).My milk didn't end up coming in till day 5-6 and even then my milk supply wasn't huge at all!I was only engorged for 1-2 days, the midwife said my milk supply was obviously not huge.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Mar 2005
    Melbourne
    22

    Hey Bec
    I had the same problem. My milk never really came in either. My son was in the Special care nursery at Monash and they started him on formula on day 2 planning to replace the formula with milk but it never really happened. I have a teeny bit of milk still and I found a low GI diet does help as well as being around other breastfeeding women! It's ironic as all my other friends milk dried up when they started dieting but it actually improved mine, however unfortunately I didn't start dieting until he was 4 months old so it was far too late.

    Corr

  5. #5
    Administrator
    Add Rouge on Facebook

    Jun 2003
    Ubiquity
    9,922

    I must be the odd one out ROFLMAO!

    I had a C/S and PCOS and an epidural and a spinal LOL! All things they say affect your milk supply. Well my milk came in the night she was born. And I had no problem with supply in fact I had overractive let down!

    So I can't say I'm too sure about this one

    *hugs*
    Cailin

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jul 2004
    5,756

    I have PCOS too and had a big supply. the only problem I had was DD kept coming off and i wasn't very confident. But my milk didn't dry up until she was 4 mths old. So I dont believe it either.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    Sydney
    2,212

    I mentioned that I may have PCOS (some symptoms but not all) to a friend who is a lactation consultant when I was pregnant. She said to give her a call in the few weeks prior to delivery as she had anecdotally noticed that women with PCOS seemed to have issues with breastfeeding. She had started some of her clients expressing pre-delivery to stimulate milk production (and freezing the colostrum for use in the first few days).

    Unfortunately, I didn't get that far BUT my milk supply came in 2 days after Caitlyn was born with milk production without feeding so I am not sure if it is all women or just something to be aware of.

  8. #8
    Administrator
    Add Rouge on Facebook

    Jun 2003
    Ubiquity
    9,922

    Ahhhh well there you go that could be it you know. I used my pump to help with nipple stimulation/induction prior to labour, and could actually get 5-20 mls ROFL!

    Maybe thats why? If so there's a tip girls

    But I leaked like anything and still do with this pregnancy, so maybe it is common but there are still a few that break the mould iykwim?

    *hugs*
    Cailin