Breastfeeding after RNY

I guess, since I have most things organised - or will be shortly, I have started to obsess about breastfeeding. It's really important to me, having managed to exclusively BF 2 out of my current 4 daughters - I really want to breastfeed DD#5 when she gets here in mid May.

I'm good with my vitamins - my prenatals cover them - thanks to research on here! And I take an addition monthly shot of B12. I will continue with them all afterwards, drink lots of water and eat all the protein I can.

I am just looking for info from people who've manage to breastfeed after RNY, hoping to get some personal experiences so I stop stressing over this!

TIA :)
Beth

I am interested too, in these responses :)

I had DS, not RNY, but of course we both have malabsorption.  I was worried about breastfeeding this time around.   I breastfed my first child 5 years ago with few problems and good supply.

It has gone perfectly this time around.  My milk came in faster and my son is growing nice and chubby.  I worried that malabsorbing lots of fat and calories would cause low supply, but I have plenty.  Just keep up with vites, calcium and labs and get enough to drink.  I've read a couple anecdotes about low supply after surgery in women who'd breastfed before, but overall it seems most women can nurse after surgery if they have nursed before.

I had RNY and was just past 5 yrs post op when my son was born at 37 weeks. I was able to successfully breastfeed him just shy of one year. Initially he did not latch so I pumped and bottle fed him for about 4 weeks and then he latched on after that and we were good to go. I never even went through a full can of formula to supplement. My supply was not the greatest and it was hard work because I had to pump at work but it was worth it. Once he started eating baby foods it helped. I did take fenugreek tablets, make the oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies (google) them and made sure to keep my fluid intake up to help, but all in all it was a success and I now have a healthy and happy 3 year old. :-)

Lactation cookies are awesome. I have the recipe... I loved adding butterscotch peices to em :)

My friend made me a batch and individually wrapped them so I could freeze them and grab one as needed.  What a woman!

Well, my son is 4 days old now, and I am exclusively breast feeding him! My Milk came in the day I came home from the hospital, and it is doing the job. He has the baby look of satisfied when he is done. We also had a nurse come in for a home visit yesterday and weighed him. He was only down 7oz from birth weight, and up one oz since we left the hospital. So I am guessing that something is going right.

I am eating more often but smaller meals because I am not able to eat as much as I did when I was pregnant. I am already down 25lbs from birth as well. Just have to eat high proteins still but up the fat intake.

So it is very doable! Good luck, hope all goes well.

I hope it keeps working for you. Even though the first few weeks are hard, it's one of the single most satisfying things to do.

Plus, nomming on baby fat that you helped them create is the best!

Did you have any problems gaining whilst pregnant? My weight today is the same as it was the day I found out that I was pregnant. 

I had the same experience as Lianne.  Breastfeeding 2 babies successfully after RNY 5-7 years prior only presented one problem:  hunger!  It was the first time that I really felt hunger since pre-op.  So I found myself keeping a little basket of high protien snacks on the table next to my glider where I breastfed the kids.  My husband's job was to keep it stocked and bring me WATER.  I was also so very thirsty.  I could tell my body was seriously working hard to make the milk and give it up to these hungry little birds.  Breastfeeding post-op was an experience that reaffirmed my decision to have the surgery.  Over the years I keep finding these affirmations in different areas of my life.  Being able to have the energy to breastfeed (because it does tax you in a unique way) is something I doubt I could have done at 350lbs. 

Yes, Lactation Cookies are awesome!  I make them now for all of my friends after they give birth.

Beth I hope you have a good experience.  Stress will keep your milk from coming, so relax!  Oh, and get a copy of the La Leche League's Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book and start reading it now.  It was my second Bible during these times!  It will help ease your concerns, too.  Good for you for being so diligent for your Baby!

I have the book :) This will be my third breastfed baby if it works out the way I want it to :)  I think I started freaking out because my OB kept telling me that it was impossible to BF after this surgery and my daughter Ped said the same. Then it occured to me that neither have any experience with WLS patients. My OB even said I'm the first he's had to deal with!

I think I am so nervous, because it's a new area. My entire last year has been a new experience - loosing 103lbs... running my first 5k race, getting pregnant, experiencing a MC, getting pregnant again... I feel like I have control over most things except this.

I do know the hospital is going to be glad to see the back of me... I am not backwards when it comes to demanding things ;)  I know the enviroment I am going into is NOT BFing friendly. But as you said, education is knowledge is key... and chocolate/butterscotch lactation cookies... that reminds me... I need to get some more brewer's yeast and I hope my pouch will let me eat oatmeal... I haven't tried it in over a year. My husband would laugh and call me a cow... I'd eat oatmeal and within an hour I'd be... well spilling EVERYWHERE!!

I am so glad to hear that it worked for you, and I'll definately be keeping a basket of protein snacks close by and keep the water coming.