Looking for more balanced info about the impact of breastfeeding?

[foodiemountainbiker]

I am very positive about BFing and BF DD1 for 13 months and (so far) have been BFing DD2 for 18 months.

I am getting joint pains in my hands and, having been to the doctor today, it appears that I am getting the pain because I am still BFing (similar to carpel tunnel that I got when pregnant). The doctor was obviously very reluctant to say that to me (I guess, because she wants to be seen to promote BFing). A few months ago there was another issue (pain in my episiotomy scar) that also turned out to be due to me still BFing.

I am really annoyed that it is almost impossible to find out anything about any negative impacts of BFing. What I would really like is balanced information about the whole subject. I feel as though the BF counsellors, NCT, LLL etc. are trying to brainwash us into thinking it is all positive.

Is anyone aware of any more balanced information about the whole subject?

[confuddledDOTcom]

Usually if you have long term PGP it's worth getting Investigated because there's often an underlying cause. It's quite unusual to have it carry on beyond about 6 weeks and if months or years later it's still going on don't be fobbed off with breastfeeding being blamed.

[TruthSweet]

The hormone responsible for the softening of ligaments in pregnancy is relaxin.

It is released on ovulation in the corpus luteum (something that is normally suppressed during early lactation - average for return of periods is 14m post-partum I believe) in pregnancy (by the placenta and decidua (womb lining in pregnancy)) and by the prostate (if you have a prostate you are almost certainly guaranteed not to be lactating).

If you have periods and are breastfeeding then you may have PGP/SPD/other ligament pain at ovulation but that would be down to the hormones from the ovulation not from the bfing.

I definitely got flare ups of SPD pain after DD1's birth (and I was told not to bf by a HCA on the Maternity ward) as I got my periods back at 9 weeks pp due to bottle feeding for 1st 8 weeks and every time I was mid cycle I would get a few days of pain and tenderness in my pelvis. How ever with DD2/DD3 I didn't get my period back until 11m pp and I guess my body had had longer to heal/repair it's self. DD1 was bf directly from 8w-42m and DD2/3 are bfing now.

For the biologically minded further reading here

[working9while5]

How much evidence is there on bfing at these ages? Is there a substantial body so that we know that bfing doesn't have hormonal effects when it's established that might have an impact? I appreciate that there is no evidence that bfing has any negative effects at this point in time but am not sure that's necessarily the same as proof that it doesn't. I am coming up to 18 months now and I am finding I am very, very tired and run down in a way that is unusual for me.. I'm not saying it's the bfing and I'm not in a mad rush to stop but I know from my own field that often we simply don't know because the evidence base on some of the questions I am asked just doesn't exist.

[iskra]

rollitherecollette, what do you mean? Weak pelvic floor muscles & leakage on sneezing? Why would breastfeeding affect that?

[ChunkyPickle]

I had terrible pain in both thumbs for a few weeks post-birth (worst in my left hand), what worked was modifying how I held my baby, how I picked him up etc to always keep my thumbs in line with my fingers (ie. not use them to grip).

Perhaps before giving up the feeding you can try changing your feed style?

[EauRouge]

mercibucket- when you BF your body releases oxytocin which causes uterine contractions- however, the same thing happens when you have sex and women are not often told to abstain unless there is a specific reason. In a normal pregnancy it's fine to BF so if you are told not to then ask for detailed reasons why.

There's another thread about this at the moment and some more info here.

[mercibucket]

I was told to stop bf when pregnant as I had bleeding and the scan showed the uterus contracting - mw said this could be due to bf
have since decided that this might or might not be true as it seems much crap is talked about the neg effects of bf - but it could be true??

[Teenytinytoes]

Thanks AngelDog - found the link fascinating. Seems that bfing protects against osteoporosis although nobody is too sure why as it says the hormone profile is similar to post menopausal women. Doesn't help with the libido though and I've now spent 3yrs of my life bfing my 3 Dds. Fairplay that the first few months were never going to be great for sex but 3 years!!!

[AngelDog]

On calcium, Kellymom suggests that bone mineral density is recovered by 12 months in bf mothers.

She says Vitamin D is unnecessary if you get plenty of sunshine. However, the NHS recommends vitamin D supplements for bf mothers.

I take a multi-vitamin (when I remember) and I see that has 100% of the RDA of vitamin D in it. Now I'm wondering whether I have too much - I spend lots of time outside.

[Teenytinytoes]

Found the mention of having to use hormone replacement therapy to help with the episiotomy scar pain interesting. I presume that it was linked to the breastfeeding affecting general oestrogen levels. I am breastfeeding my DD at 14 months. I find the real negative effect is my low libido (not due to sleep deprivation, tis definitely hormonally related). I know from past experience it will only come back when my period returns. Don't think it's ever really mentioned as a downside of extended Bfing though so perhaps it's only me...

Also wonder what all this lack of periods is doing to my bones as was also anorexic as a teenager for about 5 years... Can anyone advise on bones/calcium/vitamin d? (I'm trying to get lots of sunshine and I do have a lot of dairy). Thanks.

[ChocolateHelps]

could it be more down to the way you're holding baby, head resting on your wrist while your wrist is twisted? i also know a mum who wasn't b/f but got carpal tunnel from carrying the baby and then as a toddler just up to school up the road but holding on hip, with her hand and wrist wrapped round child, very uncomfortable

[otchayaniye]

Yeah, a midwive told me to stop breastfeeding (I'm 6 months pregnant, my daughter is 2-1/2) mumbled something about the quality of milk being different for the baby and it would 'interfere'. I wasn't convinced but wonder where that comes from.

Not particularly worried as my supply has all but dried up 'Mummy, no milk comes out, but I don't mind' is what my daughter says! but would like to have to option of tandeming when baby arrives and won't refuse my daughter if she wants to join in.

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

foodie your friend should read "adventures in tandem nursing...bf through pg and beyond." It's very disheartening that gp's are bfing told such crap.

[llareggub]

I continued to breastfeed during my 2nd pregnancy because I had gestational diabetes and my consultant told me that breastfeeding would help regulate my blood sugar.

I've been breastfeeding since the end of 2006 and with both pregnancies my SPD cleared up almost straight away. I do get tired, but I've always put that down to having 2 small children rather than breastfeeding. I guess it couldn't do any harm to take vitamins however.

Generally I've found the health professionals to be remarkably uninformed regarding breastfeeding, so I'd take advice from with a pinch of salt, just like the MW who told me to save one breast for my toddler and the other for the newborn.

[iskra]

I've never heard bfing through pregnancy has a risk to the unborn child. You have to keep up your fluids & your calcium but that's standard isn't it, & that's about you.

[confuddledDOTcom]

I'm tandeming through pregnancy. I've had 3 preterm labours and they're expecting me to go early again. I'm under fetal medicine team and highly monitored through pregnancy. Guess what reaction I've had to breastfeeding...

Support, p&a tips because of my pgp (I couldn't bear to tell them p&a is irrelevant with a toddler!) No one has ever said don't do it to me, I've had midwives spreading the word there's a lady in who is breastfeeding her toddler and had them all come to pat me on the back!

This is all as someone who is expected to deliver early and being monitored for IUGR. What I've always been told is unless you're put on pelvic rest - no sex - there's no reason not to breastfeed.

[foodiemountainbiker]

Thank you all for your thoughts.

Yes - My episiotomy scar is painful during sex and oestrogen cream improved the situation which is why I was told it was linked to breastfeeding.
Your comments about vitamins and the body prioritising milk production are a good point. Although I believe I have a good diet I have started taking multivitamins just in case.
I do agree though that all sorts of things could be blamed on BF when in fact it just means they don?t really know the cause.

Yes SPD here too ? I suffered considerably and was unable to move without my belt for several months. It has improved a lot but I am still getting twinges of pain when I do anything silly like carry my 18m DD2 for any length of time. I remember getting conflicting messages from various health professionals as to whether breastfeeding would a) reduce the time it took to recover, b) increase the time it took to recover and c) not affect it at all.

Another query - a GP friend of mine tells me that she heard on a course that BF while pregnant is not good for your unborn child. Does anyone know if this is correct?

Peanut dream ? definitely agree with ?something about how it drains the mother would be helpful - in terms of how to replenish your stores etc?

[MummyBerryJuice]

I would tend to agree with tiktok and japhrimel here that it is most likely that your pain (both joint and episiotomy) have nothing to do with breastfeeding. The overwhelming majority of doctors have a very poor understanding of even the basic physiology of breastfeeding and their 'common sense' might tell them that producing foor for your baby would be detrimental to you ( I know) and that that may be the cause of your joint pain.

GPs tend to be crap at chronic pain issues too so if it really is causing you discomfort that is not relieved by OTC medication, perhaps ask for a referal to a rheumatologist.

[tiktok]

weasle, I have not checked this info recently, and to be 100 per cent sure I'd have to go to recent texts to ensure nothing has been uncovered - but that's my understanding. Prolactin levels are raised, compared to non-breastfeeding women, but a little goes a long way apparently.

[weasle]

thanks tiktok, i am interested to learn that prolactin levels are not much raised with long term bf. with ds2 i did feel physiologically totally normal at 15 months of bf, but that is also when he slept through the night and i was less tired and my periods returned.

boffinmum, you can have a range of painkillers and anti-inflammatories when bf!

[BoffinMum]

I think the reality is that we don't know very much about PGP and bf, as no research is ever done, it seems. Therefore bollocks is talked to fill the apparent vaccuum. What we do know is that stopping bf means you can access a range of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that help with symptoms.

[confuddledDOTcom]

I think breastfeeding can cause problems with PGP if you struggle with getting a good position but then it's true with sitting on a sofa, walking, driving etc.

I've had PGP for 5.5 years and not breastfed all of that time. One thing to bear in mind is if it carries on there's likely to be an underlying cause. It looks like I may have fibromyalgia, they've also found some degenerative spine disease which is causing sciatica, not the painful type, the "my leg's been replaced with a prosthetic" type. All of which is not getting on with the PGP. HMS is another one to keep it going.

I think the problem with HCPs is they're not always on board with breastfeeding until 2 plus and will put anything onto it they can't explain. I've got a history of depression and find the same with that. I've seen them write up what I've said as "Confuddled feels..." as though it's all in my head. I know someone who was misdiagnosed for over a year because the MH meant everything was imagined. There are these kind of issues, the taboos I suppose, that get in the way of other health issues because they refuse to see past it. I've found that leaving breastfeeding at the door is the only way around it. With my eldest I was proud to be going still but the youngest I realised it got in the way.