"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." -Winston Churchill

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Motherlove More Milk Special Blend Giveaway! (Take Two)


We're in the homestretch of 1 whole year of nursing, and Motherlove wants to help us celebrate! They're giving away 12 bottles of More Milk Special Blend to commemorate 12 months of nursing!

I'll be holding additional (Motherlove) giveaways March 5th, and March 12th, so if you don't win this time, try next week!
This contest ends Thursday the 1st of March.

And don't forget to come back and enter my BIG birthday giveaway (starting March 1st) for a chance to win a copy of Mother Food, a hands-free pumping bra, a set of Pumpin' Pals Super Shields flanges, a $30 coupon for Bamboobies, and maybe some surprises!

An alcohol free liquid concentrate in vegetarian capsules. This formula blends the herbs in the more milk plus with goat's rue. Specially formulated at the request of lactation consultants, this product can stimulate mammary tissue and increase breast milk for women who did not increase in breast size during pregnancy, have had previous breast surgeries and adoptive mothers.

Not for use during pregnancy. 

Ingredients: goat’s rue herbfenugreek seedblessed thistle herbnettle herbfennel seed, non-GMO soy lecithin, vegetable cellulose, coconut oil
All herbs are certified organic

Does not contain any milk, dairy, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or gluten.



Sunday, February 19, 2012

Deborah's story (link)

"When my daughter was born in 2004 there was no question in my mind that I would breastfeed.  I wanted to give my daughter the best start in life and what better way to do it.  It never occurred to me I would have difficulties that couldn't be overcome."

Read the rest of the story here.

Motherlove More Milk Special Blend Giveaway! (Take One)



We're in the homestretch of 1 whole year of nursing, and Motherlove wants to help us celebrate! They're giving away 12 bottles of More Milk Special Blend to commemorate 12 months of nursing!
Feel free to enter all 3 posted here.
I'll be holding additional (Motherlove) giveaways the February 27th, March 5th, and March 12th, so if you don't win this time, try next week!
This contest ends Thursday the 23rd.

And don't forget to come back and enter my BIG birthday giveaway (starting March 1st) for a chance to win a copy of Mother Food, a hands-free pumping bra, a set of Pumpin' Pals Pumpin' Comfort flanges, Bamboobies reusable breast pads, and maybe some surprises!

An alcohol free liquid concentrate in vegetarian capsules. This formula blends the herbs in the more milk plus with goat's rue. Specially formulated at the request of lactation consultants, this product can stimulate mammary tissue and increase breast milk for women who did not increase in breast size during pregnancy, have had previous breast surgeries and adoptive mothers.

Not for use during pregnancy. 

Ingredients: goat’s rue herbfenugreek seedblessed thistle herbnettle herbfennel seed, non-GMO soy lecithin, vegetable cellulose, coconut oil
All herbs are certified organic

Does not contain any milk, dairy, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or gluten.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Maternally Yours show!



Listen to the show! 


Mic check, 1, 2.

The other guests, Cheri and Ciera.

Our hosts, Ryan and Cheryl, setting up for the show.





We're on the air!

LEPTADEN!!!

I have over 6 and a half ounces of *my* milk in the fridge right now, already enough for both supplemental feedings, and it's only 10:30am. About half of that amount was pumped last night, but still. I've never had more than 2 or 3 ounces in the fridge at once before.
Oh, did I not mention, I've been able to drop a supplemental feeding?
We used to do a feeding with the SNS around 11 am, around 3pm, and at 8 pm. This weekend, we were out of the house all afternoon, and though I brought the SNS with me just in case, we didn't need to use it. I just nursed her in the wrap, and she was satisfied!


Tonight, I'll be on a radio show called "Maternally Yours," talking about donor milk. Will you be listening in? The show's at 6:00pm EST, and you can listen to the live broadcast here!
I will also post the podcast after the show, in case you miss it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Leptaden!

So, someone posted a link about an ayurvedic medicine from India called Leptaden. It made to be used during pregnancy if one is prone to miscarriage, pre-term labor, or stillbirth. It's also used for insufficient or absent lactation. So, of course, I couldn't resist, and I ordered some. And it is helping! My supply has gone up a bit since I've started using it. I used to have really low supply in the afternoon, getting barely half an ounce per pumping session, now I get close to an ounce! It hasn't been a miracle cure, but it has made a difference.

Almost 11 months old! Still a boobah girl.


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Anna's Story


Growing up I was always extremely self conscious about my small breast size. I didn't felt anything was not normal about them, just on the smaller side. The only thing I was confused about was that when my weight would fluctuate my breast size would remain the same, small. I didn't pay much attention to this and just thought I was unlucky and I would eventually get implants, that is if I could convince my parents. Towards the end of my teen years I did realize that my breasts did not look like most other women's, but it wasn't a huge deal as I was already self conscious about them due to their small size. The other big issue was that I dreaded clothes shopping when I was on my heavier side. Clothes are not designed for bigger women with small breasts. If something fit me in the stomach, the breast area sagged horribly. If it fit in my breasts, the stomach was way too tight. Bra shopping was another issue as its hard to find an A cup for a plus size woman.

I ended up getting married almost out of high school so my implants would have to wait. My husband and I got pregnant a little after a year of being married. We purchased no bottles or formula because I was going to breast feed, I was determined, and I was not going to give up like I felt other mothers did too often. My daughter was born at 10lbs 4oz and I started her on the breast right away. I felt like things were going normal for breast feeding, didn't have much to compare to. The hospital requested I supplement with some formula while in the hospital though because my supply hadn't come in yet and my daughter was appearing to be hungry, they thought it was due to her large size. By the time I left the hospital my breasts had grown slightly bigger and heavier, so I'd assumed my supply was in and we wouldn't have to use formula anymore. My daughter was on my breast constantly and literally nonstop. I just figured this was normal and she was just hungry. She would fuss if I tried to take her off. Finally I got her to unlatch to go to bed but the screaming started shortly after. She wouldn't stop and I tried putting her back to the breast, but ultimately gave in, and we drove 30 minutes away at 3 in the morning to get formula and bottles.I lasted for about three months trying to feed. If my daughter wasn't latched on I was hand pumping with the pump the hospital gave us. My husband even went and purchased me the best automatic pump on the market. I could only pump an ounce and a half on a good pump. Finally I felt as though I just gave up and resorted to formula feeding.

I was constantly questioning myself, did I give up? What did I do wrong? When we got pregnant with our second we were a bit more realistic in that I was going to try to breast feed, but still purchased a back up just in case. I had my son at a different hospital, and I was ecstatic to find out this hospital had a lactation consultant. Well the day they visited my son and I, they were extremely busy. They came in while I was trying to feed. They asked if I had breast fed before and I just simply said I had tried for about three months with my daughter. At this point I still did not think there was anything "abnormal" about my breasts in regards to breast feeding so I didn't feel any reason to divulge any other details. The consultant basically took a look at my breasts and said something to the tune of I did not have good breast feeding breasts, but since i'd had some success previously she would come back and try to work with me. She then left because she was in a hurry to see others. I didn't have good breasts? What the heck does that mean? Any hope I had to feed my son went out the door with her. I tried about a week with her voice in the back of my head and then stopped. I felt as though failure should have been tattooed on my forehead.

By my third pregnancy I finally started to research what was going on. I wanted to know why I didn't have good breasts. I started searching the web by simply searching for deformed breasts through images until I found ones that looked like mine. I felt such a relief just finding out my breast condition had a name, tubular breasts! Ok, now what? Back to the search engine. This time I searched tubular breasts and breast feeding. The information I found I felt was so empowering, and that I did have something going on hindering my ability to breast feed. I had found a few options I could try and almost immediately ran to my OBGYN's office to see if they could offer me any sort of assistance so I would have the best possibility to breast feed. One of the doctors I saw pretty much said there was not anything they knew of they could do. I went home and tried what I could on my own. When my third child was born I went back to trying. I didn't last long. He was struggling to even latch, and pumping only supplied me with an ounce at a time. I stopped again.

Despite knowing this condition greatly impacts my ability to breast feed, I felt as though part of me died. I had such remorse over this situation and am still constantly questioning if there was something else I could have done differently. My husband and I would like one more child and I am still going to try breast feeding. I think in the back of my mind I keep thinking maybe the next time will be different. I guess you could say I have not completely come to terms with it, but I am working on it. I get so jealous when other moms are doing just fine breastfeeding and then I hear they stopped because it was too tiring, or for whatever other reason. I feel such resentment towards them. I want to breastfeed, I can't, and you can but you CHOOSE to stop?! We are a military family, and move around a bit so I am always meeting new moms and children. The one and only thing I dread about this is that the question almost always comes up, "did you breastfeed?" It has become as natural to ask as, "Hey, what's your name?" I have tried the simple approach and just say I couldn't. I feel as though I'm being judged then. I feel that in their mind they're telling themselves, "You mean to say you just quit." I then face embarrassment if I choose to go the route that I have a deformity.

One thing that puzzles me is why no one has ever mentioned tubular breasts to me. I had one breast exam done in my teen years, and at least once at the beginning of each pregnancy. Have none of these doctors seen this before? Why hadn't one, just one, person said something? I realize nothing can be done but I spent many nights crying because I couldn't breast feed and felt I had selectively just given up, and that my body was normal. I had to discover this on my own and I just hope other women out there with the same condition are able to find the resources they need.

My journey has been a long one and I am only slowly crawling towards a path of acceptance. My husband has been so supportive and understanding about my situation, and if I still want implants he will support me there. I haven't decided but it will be after I give myself, and my breasts, one last shot at breast feeding.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Trying to find a balance.

I was so obsessed about pumping enough so that I would only have to supplement with my own milk that I lost sight of what really mattered. Lola was only nursing 4 times from waking to bed time. She didn't want to nurse without the SNS because there wasn't any milk there because I pumped it all away.
I'm not giving up pumping, but I'm going to offer her a breast first.
The most important thing is preserving our breastfeeding relationship. So what if I still have to supplement 3 ounces per day?

Natalie's story

When I started puberty I realized that my breasts were small, but figured they would develop in sometime in my teen years.  The summer when I turned 17, I went on a trip to Europe with my high school and spent one night bonding with my roommates by showing each other our breasts.  One of my friends was very intrigued by the way my breasts looked and did not think they were "normal".  She started doing research on the internet and found out there was a term called "tuberous breasts" which described my breasts.  I then realized that my breasts were not going to grow anymore and that I was stuck with what I had.  I suffered from severe self-esteem issues and was incredibly self conscious.  I felt like I could never get close to a man because he would reject me for how my breasts looked.  Also,  I was a bigger and taller girl, 5'8'' size 10/12 in high school and the size A cup did not fit the rest of my body.
When I was 18 I decided to have reconstructive surgery and implants on my breasts.  Part of the impetus of my decision was realizing that women with breasts shaped like mine had difficultly breastfeeding anyway.  I knew that surgery could lower the little milk that I potentially could have but I decided to go forward with the surgery because of my severe unhappiness.  A big part of decision was that my health insurance actually considered my condition a deformity and covered the surgery as reconstructive, not cosmetic.  I had to have 2 surgeries, the first to put tissue expanders in, and a year later to put in permanent implants. Recovery after the first surgery was incredibly painful, but ultimately I was so much happier with my appearance.  
I gave birth to my daughter when I was 24.  She had jaundice in the hospital so we started supplementing with formula immediately.  I rented the hospital grade symphony but the most milk ever made with her was 5ml.  I knew she needed formula and she is a healthy and intelligent toddler.  With my son, born when I was 26 I took fenugreek and had a better latch and also pumped around the clock, and I was able to produce 10ml a pumping session.  I was happy that I made more milk the second time and that my son was able to latch a little bit so I was able to experience breastfeeding.
I make very little breastmilk and I have come to terms with it.  There is not much I can do.  I am happy I made the decision to get the surgery before having kids, but always wonder whether I would have had more milk if I hadn't.  I am glad to know that there are other women with IGT, I am tired of feeling self conscious when people ask me if I am breastfeeding and I have to explain the reasons why I am not.  




If you have IGT, also known as hypoplastic breasts, and you'd like to share your story, please e-mail me at nyssaretter@gmail.com with the subject line "IGT moms."

Claire's story


After experiencing 2 miscarriages--at weeks 5 & 9, I was referred to a reproductive endocrinologist who diagnosed me with a genetic mutation called mthfr. He put me on baby aspirin & a high dose of folate, b6 & b12. 

When i got a positive test the 3rd time at 4w3d, I visited the doctor immediately. They tested my levels and tested again 2 days later, my hcg doubled & progesterone stayed at 21. Two days later my hcg doubled again but my progesterone levels dropped from 21 to 14.9. I was put on suppositories until week 10. My pregnancy was uncomplicated but I was slightly anemic the entire pregnancy despite taking extra iron. 

My daughter was born at 41w1d. We had a planned homebirth with 10 hours of labor & 20 minutes of pushing. My 3rd stage of labor turned scary when my placenta wouldn’t detach. It was manually removed at home with no pain medication. My midwives had to reach in & pull it out because after an hour it hadn’t begun to detach.

Breastfeeding was initiated immediately & my baby had a great latch and was eager to feed. Three days later my daughter went 24 hours with only 1 wet diaper we contacted an IBCLC who told me to supplement immediately. Upon a visual inspection of my breasts, they suggested that I might have IGT due to my low supply, minimal breast growth during pregnancy, no engorgement, no letdown & I never felt my milk “come in”. 

I got an SNS and I’ve been using it ever since. My daughter is now 6 months old. I tried a hospital grade pump but it didn’t seem to increase my supply. I think I make 1-2oz per DAY. I have tried Mother Milk Special Blend, More Milk Plus, fenugreek, domperidone, goat’s rue & alfalfa. I’m still taking the latter three. I hope to have more children & I will use progesterone during the entire pregnancy in the hope of increasing my supply.





If you have IGT, also known as hypoplastic breasts, and you'd like to share your story, please e-mail me at nyssaretter@gmail.com with the subject line "IGT moms."