IGT is a condition where the breasts do not have enough glandular tissue to make the amount of milk needed to nourish a child. It has nothing to do with breast size, although breast SHAPE can sometimes be indicative of the condition. For more info and a self-diagnostic checklist go to http://noteveryonecanbreastfeed.com/
10 reasons I continue to breastfeed, even though I have to supplement.
1. Because some is better than none
Every drop of breast milk is doing good!
2. Because she deserves my best
Even if my best means she needs to be topped off after nearly every feeding.
3. Because my mother breastfed me
I remember nursing my stuffed animals while my mother nursed my sister. I always knew I'd breastfeed my babies.
4. Because I want my daughters to breastfeed and I want my son to support his wife's breastfeeding
And when they ask me for advice, I can give it, because I've been there.
5. Because we both get comfort out of it
Nothing says, slow down and relax like a nursing session.
6. Because she'll have me, despite bottles being faster and easier
'Nuff said.
7. Because milky smiles are beautiful
Is there a sweeter sight than the smile of a nursling with milk dripping down her chin?
8. Because I can still pass on antibodies, which is important with a big brother in school
who brings home all kinds of icky germs.
9. Because I made it through the days of gritting-my-teeth-every-time-she-latched, bleeding nipples phase, why would I stop now that it doesn't hurt?
10. Because night feedings are as easy as pulling out a boob
And, I love my sleep.
10 Milk Supply Boosting/Breastmilk Enhancing Supplements:
1. Fenugreek -supply booster
2. Blessed Thistle- works with fenugreek to boost supply, hormone balancer
3. Marshmallow root- enriches the milk (vitamin A, calcium, zinc, iron, sodium, iodine, and b-complex vitamins), boosts the effectiveness of fenugreek
4. Alfalfa- mammary stimulator, nutritive (vitamins A, C, E, and K, calcium and iron), pituatary support
5. Oats-(I prefer Steel-cut Oats) pituatary support, nutritive (iron, magnesium)
6. Goat's Rue- boosts supply and may increase breast tissue
7. Virgin Coconut Oil- increases substantially the amount of lauric acid nearly doubles the amount of capric acid
8. Borage oil- makes the milk creamier, high gamma-linolenic acid
9. Nettle leaf- nutritive (iron, calcium, vitamin K, potassium), antidiabetic, hypotensive
10. Chasteberry- hormone balancer, mammary gland stimulation, milk ejection, pituatary regulation
Check out The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk for more suggestions and ideas if you need to increase your milk supply!
Other Milk Mama Diaries for Mother's Day:
Top Ten Breastfeeding Partners
Ten Things a Handy Mommy Can Do While Breastfeeding
Ten Life Altering Moments of a New Breastfeeding Mom
Nurturing Rafael: A Breastfeeding Mother's Top 10 List
Ten Things I Now Know About Breastfeeding Because I Breastfed
10 Ways to Cheer Up a Breastfeeding Wife
Aria's Habits While Breastfeeding
Top Ten Tips for Pumping and Working Moms
Our Breastfeeding Library
My Top 10 Favorite Foods for the Breastfeeding Mom
More to be added as they are posted.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
wow!! with your condition, you are definitely not a lactation failure!! kudos on continuing on despite this challenge!
ReplyDeletei just heard about alfalfa too! will try virgin coconut oil too (not that I have a supply problem, I just want faster pumping time, hehe)
ReplyDeleteand i'm sure your child has benefitted with the compromise sis... :)
I commend you for your determination to nurse despite your condition. Bravo! As I mentioned in my own entry, there is no such thing as a breastfeeding failure! I even read that 99% of women are capable of breastfeeding, even at different capacities. Whether we have much milk or a little, mother's milk is STILL mother's milk, and the best for our babies. I give you props for how you've pressed on! :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this post and I understand ALL the reasons WHY you love to Breastfeed! <3
ReplyDeleteKudos to you! :) I always tell my friends and sisters that no mom has no milk and breast is best!
ReplyDeleteThey say that barley helps too. I think that helped my milk supply during my first month breastfeeding.
I only just started reading your blog from your post on "Mama Birth" but wow, its so nice to read someone being honest about their problems, and not being all mad at people supplementing. I have had SO many problems breastfeeding. My baby and I didn't get a start on it for a week after his birth, I have to use a nipple shield, low supply, for some odd reason my boobs hate the pump? lol on and on. I have to use formula sometimes. He gets about 6ozs a day and man people act like that's giving him poison. But it works for us, and I feel like if he's getting some of the good stuff its a good thing, even if its not all the time. And I'll totally be trying the stuff on your list!!! Much love Momma!
ReplyDeleteI just bawled reading this. I've been struggling to breastfeed for the past 10 1/2 months (fighting mastitis, yeast infections, and a host of issues). We have tried many supplements - none made a huge difference despite other mom's insistence I must not be taking them correctly because Fenugreek should always work magic.We have borrowed money from family to rent a top-of-the-line hospital-grade pump. I am now a student who works and tries to pump 3-5 times a day in order to pump an ounce.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any diagnosed conditions to explain low supply (except a history of PCOS and hormonal irregularities). But, we really have tried everything. And, I dreaded going to large support groups at times because the other mothers can treat you as if you are a monster for supplementing. I didn't WANT my child to have to have formula.
But of all the things we might be, we are NOT failures. We are great moms for finding the best for our babies. Keep your head up. Thank you for sharing.