The journey to motherhood is an exciting and beautiful process. However, that does not mean that it is not without its ups and downs. Many women face a variety of challenges throughout pregnancy and even after giving birth.
However, as mums-to-be, women face these obstacles head on and do what they can to give their babies the very best. One such goal for many mums is to be able to breastfeed their babies for six months or even much longer if possible.
Breastfeeding is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the exclusive source of nutrition for infants up to six months after birth. But, that being said, it is not always easy or even possible for some women. Some women struggle with milk supply while some have a host of health concerns to contend with after giving birth such as increased blood pressure or gestational diabetes. While these may or may not directly affect breastfeeding, they can affect the mother’s quality of life (stress, lack of sleep, etc), which can indirectly affect her breastfeeding journey.
As a woman with PCOS, you may have already encountered problems during your fertility and pregnancy journey. Women diagnosed with PCOS often face challenges trying to conceive.
With the fertility obstacle already often difficult to overcome it hardly seems fair that breastfeeding for women with PCOS can be challenging as well. But, never fear, while PCOS may present breastfeeding issues it is not impossible for (most) mothers with PCOS to breastfeed their babies. It might just be a matter of enhancing your diet and incorporating best breastfeeding practices.
So, if you want to breastfeed your little one, there are ways to achieve PCOS breastfeeding success!
PCOS factors that may impact breastfeeding
To determine how best to manage PCOS when breastfeeding, it is essential to understand how PCOS can potentially impact the breastfeeding journey. While there aren’t currently many studies on PCOS and breastfeeding, there have been some that show how various PCOS factors can adversely affect initiating and maintaining breastfeeding and the production of milk.
Let me share some PCOS breastfeeding research with you.
In a 2000 case study, a potential connection was identified between PCOS and low milk supply. The connection implied that PCOS may interfere with the hormones required for the breast to produce milk-making tissue, thus making breastfeeding challenging to start and even more challenging to maintain. Additional findings from the study conducted by Lisa Marasco include:
- Poorer breast tissue development during puberty and pregnancy. Fewer menstrual cycles in early puberty may lead to low oestrogen, which, in turn, affects the development of mammary tissue, which is needed to support breastfeeding.
- Those with PCOS have higher levels of androgen hormones, which can interfere with the hormone prolactin reaching its receptors. This may affect breastfeeding, as the primary hormones involved in lactation are prolactin and oxytocin.
- In addition to the above, the formation of limited prolactin receptors in pregnancy may also limit milk production.
- Oestrogen is known to inhibit lactation, especially the onset of breastfeeding. This is why contraceptive pills are not the recommended birth control method for breastfeeding mothers. PCOS is often accompanied by oestrogen imbalance, and high levels of oestrogen could inhibit lactation in the early days after delivery.
- Insulin, along with prolactin and cortisol, plays a vital role in lactation. PCOS-related insulin resistance can significantly affect breast growth and milk synthesis.
These are some of the obstacles that could arise in new mothers with PCOS. While it is essential to be aware of the potential obstacles PCOS presents to breastfeeding, please don’t forget that it is not impossible, and many women with PCOS have been able to successfully achieve their breastfeeding goals.
What can you do to improve PCOS breastfeeding success?
Knowledge is essential, and knowing the PCOS factors that could negatively impact breastfeeding puts you in a better position to prepare for these potential problems early on. Here are a few tips to help you on your PCOS and breastfeeding journey.
- Manage your PCOS symptoms. Firstly, as with any other issue, it is essential to discuss all your health concerns with your healthcare provider as soon as possible. They will be able to help you further and, based on your overall PCOS diagnosis, deduce what hurdles you might face. Managing your PCOS symptoms can be an essential step to ensuring they don’t stop you from breastfeeding.
- Follow a healthy diet and limit your sugar intake. A healthy diet is essential during breastfeeding, so be sure to consume sufficient calories — an extra 400-500 calories a day may be needed to help maintain a healthy milk supply. With PCOS, improving insulin resistance is vital for hormonal balance. When insulin blood levels increase, there follows an increase in androgen hormones, which can impact breast development and milk synthesis. Try to limit your intake of sugar, as it can cause insulin spikes.
- Optimise best practices for breastfeeding as early as possible. While PCOS can present challenges, it is essential to remain positive and implement best breastfeeding practices as early as possible. These include the following steps right after giving birth:
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- Immediate skin-to-skin contact after delivery.
- Feed your baby soon after birth, preferably in the first hour.
- Breastfeed on demand and around the clock. Room with your baby, if possible, at the hospital and explore bed sharing when you go home. Studies have shown that mothers who bed share with their infants tend to have increased breastfeeding throughout the night, which can help increase their milk supply early on.
- If your baby has difficulty attaching to the breast, hand express to provide colostrum for them.
- Avoid using dummies (pacifiers) or supplemental formula feeding, unless necessary.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it! Breastfeeding is a skill, and it comes more easily to some and is more challenging for others. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctors, nurses, and lactation consultants for help, especially in the beginning.
These tips are for immediately following birth. There are several best breastfeeding practices you can maintain throughout the first six months with your infant to help you and your baby get the hang of things and to help establish milk supply. The Australian Breastfeeding Association provides good direction.
Supplements to support breastfeeding in PCOS
Alongside a balanced diet, there are also natural galactagogues that can help increase and maintain your breast milk supply, including specific supplements and vegetables. Some of these include:
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- Fenugreek – Fenugreek is a seed that’s been used to increase milk production for years. This herb contains phytoestrogens, which are plant chemicals similar to the oestrogen hormone. Fenugreek can be found in various galactagogues, such as maternity teas, which have been shown to help increase breast milk supply.
- Ginger – Nursing mothers who experience low milk production after giving birth may consider ginger. Ginger is a food with many health benefits. Studies have shown that mothers who took ginger immediately after giving birth had an increased milk supply compared to mothers who did not.
- Spinach – There are many reasons why milk supply might dwindle. One of the reasons could be postpartum anaemia. Anaemic mothers reported a higher level of milk supply insufficiency. To help combat anaemia, you can eat foods rich in iron and calcium, such as spinach. Spinach contains calcium, Vitamin A, B9, E, C, beta-carotene, and iron. Not only will spinach help prevent anaemia, but it’s also beneficial for the immune system.
PCOS may present challenges to mothers who wish to breastfeed, but that does not mean that breastfeeding success is not attainable. Knowledge of the potential obstacles and proper management of PCOS symptoms, coupled with best breastfeeding practices, a balanced diet, and nutritional supplements, can help you to successfully achieve your breastfeeding goals.
From PCOS to perfect health, with love,
Dr. Rebecca Harwin
The PCOS Expert
Chiropractor & Bestselling Author of
Conquer Your PCOS Naturally
www.ConquerYourPCOSNaturally.com
P.S. For more success strategies and scientific secrets, head to our Facebook page and hit ‘like’. There is so much more I have to share with you to balance your PCOS hormones!
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References:
i. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827
ii. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0884217515339927
iii. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome
iv. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/089033440001600211 – Marasco L, Marmet C, Shell E 2000, Polycystic ovary syndrome: a connection to insufficient milk supply? J Hum Lact 16(2):143-8.
v. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565623_5
vi. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/breastfeeding-nutrition/art-20046912
vii. https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-overview/good-feeding-practices/
viii. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/100/2/214?terms=nocturnal+breastfeeding+behavior+Bedshaing+Promotes+Breastfeeding&searchqstr=tyear%3A1997!fyear%3A1997!fmonth%3AJan!tmonth%3AOct!tdatedef%3A1+October+1997!fdatedef%3A1+January+1997!hits%3A10!fulltext%3Anocturnal+breastfeeding+behavior!sendit%3ASearch!titleabstract%3ABedsharing+Promotes+Breastfeeding
ix. Canan Turkyılmaz, Esra Onal, Ibrahim Murat Hirfanoglu, Ozden Turan, Esin Koç, Ebru Ergenekon, and Yıldız Atalay. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. February 2011, 17(2): 139-142. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2010.0090
x. Paritakul Panwara, Ruangrongmorakot Kasem, Laosooksathit Wipada, Suksamarnwong Maysita, and Puapornpong Pawin. Breastfeeding Medicine. September 2016, 11(7): 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2016.0073
xi. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7779228