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Breastfeeding
GoodToBeGeib
member
Vitamin B6!! (XP from 3-6)
GoodToBeGeib
member
So breastfeeding has had quite the ups and downs for us from the beginning. We stayed an extra day and a half in the hosptial b/c my son wasn't eatting well. He finally was classified as "failure to thrive" because he lost so much weight and didn't make it back to birth weight until three weeks. When we got home my husband had to use an iv syringe to get extra breastmilk into him while he was nursing...
We finally got him nursing better and I was having rediculous pain in my nipples and breast. I thought I had thrush. After some investigation and conversation with our LC we discovered I had raynaud's in my nipples! Raynaud's runs in my family (fingers and toes) but I don't suffer much from that. I did, however, have breast reduction ten years ago and it's probably a result of that. At my six week follow up with my midwife she suggested B6 to help with that (200mg three times a day).
Fast forward a couple of weeks and I felt like my milk was drying up. I kept saying that and people didn't believe me. Then I convinced myself that LO was just going through a growth spurt (which he was) and that I was just struggling to catch up/keep up. But then again I felt like I was drying up and not able to keep up with him. I've been taking Fenugreek, drinking mother's milk tea and lots of water, and doing lots of power pumping, but it didn't seem to work. Two weeks again I attended our breastfeeding support group and LC assured me everything was fine and it was just my supply evening out and I had plenty. I attended again this week and again explained that I thought I didn't have enough milk and DS was ALWAYS hungry and never seemed satisfied after nursing anymore. Again I was assured it was all normal and no I didn't need o supplement with an evening bottle (I had been doing this on and off because I didn't feel like he was getting enough milk, but then would worry the extra bottle would prevent my breast from catching up even though I'd do an extra pump).
So last night after group my husband and I were talking and I was very upset and just keep saying how I really felt like I was drying up and something wasn't right in spite of all the reassurance. My husband makes some comment like, "Geez you just wonder if that b6 or something is messsing with you...." and so I jump on Google.... HOLY SH*T! Not only can large amounts of B6 decrease your supply, but it's actually recommended for drying up milk when you are not breastfeeding and dealing with engorgement! I was beyond flabbergasted! I was so upset that I was literally draining my supply (while at the same time doing all these things to increase it!) but also so happy to have figured it out. I'm 99.9% positive this is the problem and **really** hoping that it's not too late to reverse it. I'm off the B6 immediately and wil continue to do all the other stuff to increase my supply back up while offering DS extra bottles to make sure he's full while I get my volume back up.
I just had to share my story, especially with the hope that it'll prevent this from happening to anyone else. I'm glad I kept lisening to my gut that something was off and my husband and I finally figured it out!
PS- The B6 DID do wonders for the Raynaud's!
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Re: Vitamin B6!! (XP from 3-6)
Huh. I didn't know b6 could dry up supply. Good to know.
I also have Raynauds of the nipple and have been taking Nifidepine to help control the pain. Thats really worked for me, and I don't think its affected my supply. Its a calcium channel blocker, and it prevents the vasospams from happening. If you google "vasospams, nifidepine" you should get a great article from the AAP to take to your OB so that they'll prescribe it. GL!
No not really. Nifidepine is a blood pressure medication- so if you already have low bp you'll have to keep an eye on it.
I started out on 30mg and it wasn't helping. My doctor bumped me up to the highest dose- 60mg and I think its helping some. It no longer feels like needles when I'm pumping. It still hurts, but its better. I was crying at the beginning of each pumping session, and while nursing. Its why I gave nursing up and just pumped- pumping hurts at first, and then it goes numb the rest of the time. Nursing doesn't hurt at first, but then its excruitiating the rest of the time. Pumping=less pain, so I stuck with that
The Nifidepine has made it so that I'm willing to try nursing again. I've been on the higher dose for 2 weeks now (can take a while to fully work), so I'm probably going to try again this weekend.
No side effects other than my bp has been a little low- 105/65. As long as I'm monitoring it though, my dr doesnt care (I already had a bp machine because I had pre-e while pregnant and had to monitor it hourly...they aren't expensive though- like $50).
Let me know if you have any other questions!