and employing a technique called breast compression. Breast compression helps stimulate a
functional nursing rhythm at the breast, through
the mother’s timed compression and release of
her breast during nursing.
Low thyroid levels will cause many women
to struggle with milk production. Testing for
low thyroid levels can be controversial, because
blood work can reveal levels that appear to be
within the normal range; however, when these
same women are treated for hypothyroidism,
they experience an increase in their breastmilk
production.
If your blood levels appear fine, and a lactation
consultant has judged your baby to be nursing
properly, but you are still not producing enough
milk, another way to check your thyroid function is with a basal thermometer. This method
of testing is done by taking your temperature
every morning when you first wake up—preferably before you move. If your temperature
is lower than 97.4 degrees Fahrenheit, chances
are your milk may increase with some thyroid
boosting medications or supplements.
Women who are already taking synthroid, a
thyroid drug, during their pregnancies must
get their levels checked right after birth because
their need for more of less of the medication
may change post-partum.
Hashimato disease is an autoimmune disease
that affects the thyroid. With this condition the
immune system makes antibodies that damage
thyroid cells and interfere with their ability to
make thyroid hormone. Hashimoto’s disease
can be hard to diagnose during pregnancy because a normal pregnancy and Hashimato often
have the same symptoms, including weight gain,
and fatigue. And postpartum women have been
known to present with swelling of the thyroid,
or a pre-Hashimato condition, but happily this
is only a temporary state. However, if you test
positive for this condition, medications such as
Levothyroxine work well, and often can help the
woman begin to produce breastmilk. Working
with a medical doctor and a lactation consultant is important with this condition. For more
information on this condition you can contact:
womenshealth.gov.
Sheehan syndrome is a condition that
happens after the woman has lost a lot of blood,
following the birth of her child. Blood loss that
exceeds the normal range for vaginal birth—up
to 500 cc, or for Cesarean birth—up to 1,000
cc, can place a mother at risk for this condition.
This amount of blood lose can stop her pituitary
gland from functioning normally, and the pituitary gland is responsible for secreting the milkmaking hormones.
Other signs of Sheehan syndrome besides low
milk supply can be excessive sleepiness, hair
loss, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, weakness and dizziness, hoarse voice, joint pain, abdominal pain and constipation. Thankfully, this
is, often, only a temporary condition and it can
be treated by setting up a pumping schedule and
by eating a lot of healthy foods including vegetables and other nutrient dense foods, but it also
has to be managed by a medical professional.
Sheehan syndrome is rare, but often overlooked
by the medical profession.
The good news is that these problems are rare
and often misdiagnosed, while most breastfeeding problems come from poor management,
improper latch, or suckling issues, which are
easy to fix with diligent compliance. Nevertheless, as knowledge is power, knowing that these
problems exist is the first step in solving them.
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