Underactive Thyroid and Breastmilk production....HELP needed please

[Dozymare]

Hi Ladies,

I have a beautiful 4 day old DD. Have sucessfully fed 2 DS's for 9 months, and thought that this would be just as lovely, easy and enjoyable experience. However, am suffering from no milk, very, very, very sore boobs and not even a feeling of milk about to come in

I take 150mg of thyroxine a day, which I didn;t take with DS's (incidentally, I had a fantastic milk supply and no problems whatsoever) but am literally feeding around the clock

eg

Sunday
2pm -3pm
4-530pm
7-9pm
12am-130pm
3-330am
5am-545am
7am-810am

Have had to top up with formula where my little DD guzzled 30-50ml of the bat even after being on the breast for up to 2 hours.

My questions are:

1. Does taking Thyroxine affet milk supply (have googled this, and it seems it does) Can anyone clarify?
2. Does thyrozine enter Breast milk, and if so, will it affect my DD's thyroid function?

Thanks in advance, if you have any questions, please let me know.....

Dozy, this referenced account of medical effects of throxine are reassuring:

toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~oSdYeE:1

The info about your little boy's feeding suggests he is a normal 4 day old with a healthy appetite - he's not feeding unusually often, and his length of time on the breast is perfectly consistent with the normal newborn need to be close to mummy

Giving formula is not a good idea, sorry - it's going to undermine your breastfeeding, possibly interfere with his learning to suckle skills, and apart from any health effects it's a Big Nuisance to have to make up and prepare

Hi Ladies,

Thank you so so much for your replies - I am absolutely as nobody had mentioned anything to me - Leonie, having spoken to my consultant you are absolutely right - I have made an appointment to see him tomorrow and have my own levels tested again. The only reason I am supplementing is because I have literally nothing - no colustrum etc. This is a huge shock to me as having sucessfully BF 2 DC's before, I assumed it would be a doddle 3rd time around. I am continuing to BF for as long as I can and then unfortunately having to top up with aptamil as the poor darling is absolutely starving.......I';m not sure how this one is going to pan out to be honest, I am so pro BF but I really, really don't want my LO to suffer which she evidentally has been doing these past few days.....

Leonie how long did it take for your levels to resume to normal leels and for you to continue BF? did you supplement in the meantime?? If not, then what impact did it have on your LO??

Cheers

Dozy, glad mumsnet helped.

Am a bit puzzled about you feeling you have 'nothing' in your breasts. What makes you think that? If your baby is urinating, and by now, producing several yellow poos a day, then you must be producing milk...

If you are, then the formula will be working against breastfeeding continuing

this is the thing - baby is still pooing meconium - no sweet smelling yellow poo's yet......may7be "nothing" was a slight exaggeration...I do feel something but not full, throbbing boobs that are on the way to producing milk........agree with what you are saing tittok but surely it is better for her to have something rather than nothing??

As you can see from my feeding pattern, to be 3 hours on the breast and still be very fractious and rooting surely isn't a good thing? She then literally downed 40ml? Surely if she was gettings omething from me, she wouldn't have done this???

I am finding this so frustrating and still not had a visit from the MW yet...

sorry, tiktok not tittok

Dozy, there may be an issue with your baby's intake from what you say - it is a disgrace you have not seen a midwife yet, and of course you are gonna have to see one asap to get a full assessment of everything. You'd be justified, IMO, in calling for a midwife to come and see you NOW, tonight....getting bf going well is a fundamental part of midwifery care. She needs to weigh your dd (accurately) and observe a feed to check for milk transfer.

Hope you get sorted.

tiktok have taken your advice - called both the NCT an LaLeche who have confirmed exactly what you ladies have said.......Have now called the hospital and spoke to the head of misdwifery who was a) very shocked that nobody has been to see us bearing in mind I only had her last Thursday and that b) nobody had explained how taking thyroxine could interfere with breast feeding. Had I been prepared, it wouldn't have been such a shock to be experiencing what I am going through now. She has advised that for the next 48 hours we continue as we are 20 minutes each boob, on demand and then top up if necessary.....

I am waiting for a BF councillor to call me back to see what she advises. Obviously I want to do waht is best by my daughter, which in my opinion is BF. (plus it is something that I hav thoroughly enjoyed with both sons). However, I can't stop taking my medication as it will affect how I parent the other 2 boys and my whole wellbeing....It feels as if I am caught between the devil adn the deep blue sea....

Both of you have been fantastic - from the bottom of my heart, i thank you both for your comments as you are helping me get through this and come up with some sort of plan! Any other suggestions??

Dozymare, Tiktok is a breastfeeding counsellor, so I would take her advice over what a doctor told a mumsnet poster. Doctor's are generally known to give out poor breastfeeding advice.

I have heard that babies will take formula when offered, as it literally can be poured into them with the bottle, hence it is not a true sign of hunger. But I'm just a nursing mum not an expert, I would stick to Tiktok's advice

All the best.

Thanks Ladies - I have got someone coming out this pm who knows what the consequences of thyroxine on BF are - she is a BF counillor with thyroid issues herself!!

will keep you posted, but thank you so much for all your help and kind words....I am determined this little lady is going to be BFed!!!

Yeah, keep us posted on how things go