Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Anyone with Hypothyroidism - what effect does it have on baby immediately post-birth?

26 replies

Olihan · 29/08/2006 15:36

I'm currently 23 wks pg with my 3rd baby. I developed hypothyroidism after my 2nd pg and it's now under control with thyroxine.

I saw the consultant last week who told me that they are likely to want to keep me in for 3-4 days after I deliver to keep an eye on the baby. He said the baby could be jittery and not great at feeding and that they would also need to do blood tests on the baby.

Has anyone else been through this? I've failed at bf twice now and really wanted it to work this time so this feeding business is worrying me.

Please can someone give me some reassurance about the whole situation as I'm starting to get really stressed about it.

TIA

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

fattiemumma · 29/08/2006 15:38

sorry hun. My dad has hypothyroidism and is also on thyroxine but clearly he hasn't given birth any time recently

i am sure the midwives will offer as much suport as theycan to help you BF successfully.
Maybe you could ask your HV if there is a local BF counceller thatyou coudl discuss this with prior to the birth so you know what to expect.

TheBlonde · 29/08/2006 15:45

Hello, not sure why they expect your baby to be jittery etc???
What is this consultant qualified in? Obs? Endocrine??

I have hypothyroidism too and apart from having my thyroid blood tests frequently during preg and afterwards all was fine
No one mentioned any possible issues with my LO
We stayed one night and that was only due to the timing of delivery

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 15:55

I think the consultant is an obstetrician with endocrine being his speciality iyswim.

At my booking in the mw said they may want to do bloods from the baby after a couple of days to make sure its own thyroid was functioning correctly but no mention of extra stays etc.

But the consultant is now talking about the longer stay in. So I'm confused and stressing!! Really should have asked more questions at the appt but it didn't really sink in until afterwards.

I'm hoping more people with your experience will come on here and say the same. I don't see the consultant again for another 6 weeks.

OP posts:

TheBlonde · 29/08/2006 16:05

The check on the baby is done to all babies anyway - it's just the heel prick test

Maybe your consultant was just having an overcautious day.

My LO breastfed fine (I found it awful but that's a whole other story and nothing to do with hypothyroidism)

I saw a consultant Obs at 22 & 36 wks last time and an endocrinologist about every 8 weeks.
None of them mentioned any possible issues and at the 36wk appt I saw the Head of Fetal Medicine
I'm pg again now and due to see an Obs at 15 wks (diff hosp)

mummyhill · 29/08/2006 16:07

Hi there I am on 150mcg thyroxine a day I gave birth this time last year and we both came out on a 6 hour discharge with no problems at all.

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 16:20

Thanks The Blonde and mummyhill. I was looking to go on a 6 hour discharge so maybe at my next appointment I'll ask again. In the meantime at least I can stop stressing as much!!

If there's anyone else out there who hasn't had such an easy experience, I'd be interested. Just wondering why the consultant would want to be so over cautious if that's what it was?

OP posts:

mummyhill · 29/08/2006 16:54

I had a quick discharge with DD as well as with DS. When her Guthrie test was done there was a problem and they took blood every 3 months till she was 2 when they deemed that the problem had sorted itself out and she will be re tested at 16. DS's results were fine.

suedonim · 29/08/2006 17:04

I've had two babies after being diagnosed with low thyroid levels and had no problems at all. I was initially told (when in full-on labour!!!) by a junior dr that I'd not be 'allowed' to bf dd1 until after the heel prick test had been done. I later challenged his opinion and the Consultant went off the deep end when she heard what he'd said. She asked him where he'd got his info and he said he'd read it in a book. She repeated, in a foghorn voice 'YOU READ IT IN A BOOK????' and proceeded to tear him off a strip or two in front of everyone. And I didn't feel sorry for him in the least, insensitive git. So, that's the only problem I've had with hypothyroidism. Hth.

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 17:09

OMG suedonim, that's unbelievable. Will definitely ask again then. Thank you.

OP posts:

QueenPeaHead · 29/08/2006 17:33

not much to add to what has been said, but as the mother of a child with hypothyroidism diagnosed soon after birth, I'd just say that the thyroid function tests they will want to do on your baby shouldn't really be done until about 5 days afer the birth (and certainly no earlier than 3 days) because any earlier and you could get a false normal result because of the mother's thyroid levels. ie it takes that long to be sure that what you are measuring is the baby's levels.

no reason why you couldn't be released from hospital and either return for a blood test in hospital (fast turnaround for results) or do the guthrie as normal at 5-7 days (takes aroudn 10-14 days for results though).

if the baby has no thyroid (why should it? not genetic) or low thyroxine this is likely to manifest itself as jaundice which is perhaps where the "not great at feeding" bit comes in. but please remember that something like 30% of babies have a bit of neonatal jaundice, so if your baby goes a bit yellow don't assume it has a thyroid problem!!!
hth

SpaceCadet · 29/08/2006 17:46

i have underactive thyroid and enjoyed a perfectly normal pregnancy with dd2(i wasnt diagnosed until after ds2 was born), the only concern was that it was important to keep my levels functioning well as mothers with underactive thyroid have more chance of giving birth to a baby with hypothyroidism.
i was allowed home after 2 days and dd had her heel prick test at 7 days, there was never any mention of dd being jittery etc and i was looked after by 2 consultants, one obs, the other endocrine.

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 18:05

You are all making me feel much better, thank you. My levels have settled right down since I've been pg, they're at the lowest they have been since the dx and they're being checked every 6-8 weeks so I don't think there's any probs there.

OP posts:

SpaceCadet · 29/08/2006 18:19

as long as your thyroid is kept under control while you are preg, i wouldnt worry about anythi8ng else.

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 20:46

Just bumping to see if anyone else has had experience of this?

OP posts:

Original poster

Olihan · 29/08/2006 21:40

One more bump, anyone?

OP posts:

mygirllolipop · 30/08/2006 09:39

Message withdrawn

bubblepop · 30/08/2006 15:04

hi, im hypothyroid aswell. never had any problems.had regular blood tests throughout the pregnancies just to make sure everything remained stable. ive had four children and the last two i came home from hospital within six hours. nobody ever mentioned the baby's possible condition afterwards. all the babies were in good shape after birth with no problems related to my thyroid, all bf ok.the only test they did was the 'heel prick' test which the midwife did at home, im sure all babies get this done anyway. i think your consultant is giving you worst case scenario. regarding the breastfeeding, there are lots of interesting threads on here, maybe you could have a mooch around, you never know , you might be able to identify some of the problems you had last time and then this time around you will be ready to tackle it all head on! good luck and chill. x

Original poster

Olihan · 30/08/2006 15:08

Thanks bubblepop. I'm definitely thinking the consultant was over reacting for whatever reason. I have my 'successful bf' battleplan in my head, mainly based on all the stuff I've read on here. I really wish I'd known about MN when I had my 1st but hey ho!!! I'm just glad that the thyroid issue won't make any difference. It seems everyone on here has had no problems so I'm feeling much better about it all now.

Thanks again.

OP posts:

Libra · 30/08/2006 15:27

Yet another who is hypothyroid, has had two babies and was not kept in for long. With DS2, out in 6 hours, cooking Christmas dinner in 24 hours and snow-bound by 48 hours, so didn't really worry about my thyroid!

Original poster

Olihan · 30/08/2006 21:18

Libra, this one's due Boxing Day so that scenario may not be far from the reality I will be facing!!! Glad you had no probs either.

OP posts:

kama · 30/08/2006 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

serenity · 31/08/2006 02:11

I developed hypothroidism after DS2, and was on 125mg thyroxine when I was pg with DD. I had no problems other than I was refused the use of the home-from-home birth center at St Thomas' in London, because they wanted to keep an eye on me, and the unit was short staffed. It was never really explained why though (but I was a bit distracted at the time!) I was out within 6 hours too, me and DD went back a week later for blood tests which were a bit iffy, so we then returned when she was 14 days old for more. These were fine, and there's not been a problem since.

No jitters, no problems feeding and absolutely no need to stay in for 3 or 4 days.

suzywong · 31/08/2006 02:58

hello 'roid girls
I had two babies before being diagnosed with it. As the others all say, there is not problem wiht the baby usually, don't know what your doctor is on about. Both mine fed immediately and often in the week after birth. The body is a wonderful thing and even if it is at your expense sometimes it will ensure the baby is getting what it needs.

pootlepod · 31/08/2006 12:50

I am hypothyroid and had dd with no problems, had a few extra blood tests in pregnancy but my level didin't change. It did change about a year after the birth though, so keep insisting on regular blood tests as it's easy to assume the tiredness etc is just due to having a LO.

This time I'm having a baby in a different area and the care formy thyroid has been far more cautious. Think it's definately an area thing.

DD had no thyroid problems after birth (had heel prick test which all children do) and breastfed well also. I would be personally not happy at staying in for extra time just for thyroid reasons- think as a poster says it takes a few days to settle anyway.

Good luck!

Original poster

Olihan · 31/08/2006 16:12

I think that settles it, I'll ask for a 6 hour discharge and demand some very good reasons if he refuses.

Thanks everyone, for all your positive stories!!

OP posts:

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread