Before my baby was born, I had no idea having PCOS could impact breastfeeding!
Two weeks post-partum, I went to a lactation consultant for help with an injured nipple. I left devastated after learning my supply was not adequate to sustain my child (who was still half a pound shy of birth-weight).
Estimating my supply with a rented pump, I found I was producing about half the quantity of milk that my baby probably required. I was given instructions to nurse my baby every 2 hours, pump afterward, and supplement with formula and whatever I was able to pump. (As a new mom, this was completely overwhelming. Nursing my baby took an hour and pumping took probably half an hour altogether -- when was I expected to sleep?! Not a great solution!)
The lactation consultant suggested, and my own research confirmed, that taking Metformin could help my supply. Prior to my pregnancy I had been prescribed Metformin, so with the green light from my doctor, I recommenced taking it.
Although I still supplemented with formula, my supply seemed to improve. My nursing routine looked like this:
- Nurse on one side and simultaneously pump on the other
- Burp the baby & switch
- Bottle-feed the baby the pumped milk
- Bottle-feed the baby additional formula if she still seems hungry
While I was very disheartened to not be able to exclusively breastfeed, I continued to nurse my baby and supplement with formula until weaning at 10 months. My original goals had been much loftier, but I am glad I was able to provide immunity and at least some of her nutrition in this way!
What I will do differently next time:
- Go on Metformin right away after the baby is born
- Allow the baby to nurse longer at birth
- Start pumping in the hospital
- Weigh the baby more often the first couple of weeks to chart weight loss and re-gain
- Not give the baby a pacifier
- Just accept that a newborn wants to nurse ALL the time!
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