Question:
Three and a half years post op one month old baby! Breastfeeding concerns.

I am wanting to start dropping the weight I gained with my baby and would like to start back on my protien shakes. I am concerned about the affects that too much protien may have on my breastmilk.I would appreciate hearing from anyone with first hand experience with breastfeeding after wls. Also did anyone have trouble producing enough breastmilk to satisfy your baby at each feeding? I have been in contact with lactation specialists in my area but they are all "unfamiliar" with wls and its affects on breastfeeding. Right now I am nursing as often as possible but my baby still seems hungry after most feedings so I end up having to suppliment with formula. I was told this was not harmful for her but I really wanted to breastfeed exclusively. Thanks for any help in advance!    — Tonia S. (posted on September 22, 2004)

September 22, 2004
Not post-op but a major breastfeeding advocate here. Both of my little nurslings were non-stop (it seemed) nursers at one month old. That is normal with many, many newborns. Mine used to fuss at the breast after feeding due to low supply, drove me nuts and made me eager to supplement. So, I understand your delima. With my first baby I supplemented with formula and got my supply built up by using a commercial pump, Medela. Do not give up on nursing. Sit and love that baby and let her nurse to her hearts content. It will really build the supply. Also, tucking her in with you at night and letting her co-sleep for a few hours works wonders for supply building. Composition of breastmilk will *not* be negativly affected by upping your protein intake. This could really help you produce MORE milk!!! Protein is the building blocks of life. Just be sure to increase your water intake at the same time to help your own body digest properly. The only thing I have been cautioned about is not to go into ketosis. Losing a pound pounds a week is the ideal rate. If you start losing more than that buy some of those ketostrips from the drug store and make sure you aren't in ketosis. If so, up your food intake by a couple hundred calories a day (ie: a couple very small meals or another shake). Also, check out kellymom.com or ivillage.com for a lot of good info. Best wishes! Your question sounds like one from many moms, not just wls ones. At three and a half years out you might be eating pretty normal. Your body is grew a healthy baby after the surgery so, you should be able to nurse exclusively tootoo but it's hard getting that supply where it needs to be. Best wishes!!!
   — Molly Mae

September 22, 2004
I agree with the last poster most 1 month olds nurse very frequently. I know my last one seemed to be on the breast just about every 2 hours for the first 3 months. That was pre WLS so I dont think that is a factor as long as you are getting adequate fluids. I want to become a Lactation consultant and Nutritionist that specializes in WLS for pregnant and Lactating women. Looks like it is a needed profession. It will take me years to complete but well worth it. Try not to supplement often and if you have to do it at the breast with a Supplement system. Ask your lactation consultant for the system. That way your breasts still get the stimulation if you are truely not producing enough milk at that time. If there is any way I can help please feel free to email me directly.
   — jenafwife

September 23, 2004
I really don't have an answer -- just some comments. Congratulations on your new baby! Personally I dont think it will hurt the milk if you drink your protein drinks because they have many vitamins also. I would think it would be good for the baby. Whatever you do please keep up the breastfeeding. I have breastfed 3. THe youngest of which turned 2 on July 10 of this year and had her very last breastfeed on the morning of my surgery on August 31st. When I came home from the hospital I just told her she was a big girl and no more boobies! She had already been without for two days and adjusted well after a few more days. My two older kids, 15 and 13 have never had an ear infection and rarely ever even get a cold! I truly believe it is because they were breastfed. Also the more you breastfeed the less chance you have of getting breast cancer or ovarian cancer. (this is a fact, not opinion). Good Luck with everything! Joy
   — gerardlovesjoy

September 23, 2004
My babies have had babies (all boys), so I cannot contribute to this discussion, but one of "us" has made this a special area of interest. She owns a group that discusses just this issue. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ossg-breastfeeding
   — vitalady

September 23, 2004
I am not an expert in this area, I wonder if there are any experts in this area as of yet. All I can tell you is what I would do if it were me... I would nurse as you are doing, to give the baby the benefit of the antibodies and other substances our bodies make, but I would also continue to supplement quite a bit with formula. Because if you've had a procedure such as RNY which involves malabsorbtion, there could be important factors missing from your breast milk, and you may not know it. That and also, your body may also throw your own much needed nutrients from your own bones or organs, and you can't really afford to give any up. This is what happens when the mother has poor nutrition during pregnancy for example, the calcium from mom's own teeth and bones goes to the baby. That's what I always heard was the reason to take prenatal vitamins and eat right. This is just what my thinking in this situation would be. This way, you have the best of both worlds without tremendous risk to you or your child. Good luck and God bless! ~Sue
   — sueboo

September 24, 2004
I only got to nurse my baby girl for 3 weeks, then I ended up in the hospital having emergency surgery to correct a small bowel obstruction. After being in there NPO for a week, on morphine, antibiotics, and then on vicodin once I was home, my milk supply dwindled and finally dried up. I really hated that I had to stop, but it was just too much. BUT, what I wanted to say, was that when I was nursing, I had a pretty good supply and she was gaining weight, so my docs thought she was doing just fine on the breastmilk. I would think that getting in the extra protein would not be harmful - the shakes are not as hard on our kidneys as food protein and as long as you do not go into ketosis by cutting back on the carbs, you should not have any problems. <p> Congratulations on the new baby!
   — Ali M

September 24, 2004
I am a certified lactation consultant. Your milk should be fine nutritionally, there is actually little difference in the composition of milk in mothers who are well nourished and those who are severly malnourished. To protect your own health, you must keep up on your supplements, multivitamins, iron, b complex, b-12, and also increase your calcium. Calcium requirements for nursing are higher than even when pregnant. good fluid intake is also important. Around 32 to 64 oz a day. Overdoing does not help and may hurt your supply. Getting enough rest is also important. you are still healing. nap! nap! nap! Adequate protein intake is nutritionally important to you. there is nothing in a normal shake that should be harmful. However, I would avoid ones that might have added ingerediants such as those that say they increase you metabolism and may contain things like ephedra or chromium picolate (spelling?) You might want to work face to face with a lactation consultant local to you, they can help you if it is possible to get off the formula, by monitoring the baby's growth and weight gain. This is not the time to restrict your nutrition in any way. Just making milk burns 500 - 700 calories a day. 1 month postpartum, your body is not even fully recovered from childbirth. Your organs have not returned to normal. the best way to know a nursing baby is getting adequate milk is minitor diapers, 6-8 pees a day and with breastfed babies , at least one and usualy severa bowel movements a day. also consistant weight gain. Your baby should be gaining around 1/2 a pound a month. All babies lose weight the first 4 or 5 days, up to 10% of their birth weight, that should turn around and regain by 2 weeks of age to birth weight. Even though they may not be familiar with wls patients specifically, your needs to build and maintain an adequate supply are the same as any other mom. The above plus, nursing very frequently, minimum 8 times in 24 hours. It is important as I said above though to be carefully monitoring your baby's weight gain, whether by working with a lacatation consultant or seeing your pediatrician more frequently. Good luck!
   — **willow**

September 24, 2004
I need to revise the above, your baby needs to be gaining 1/2 pound a WEEK! not a month.
   — **willow**