Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Help! I'm afraid I'm losing my supply!

Don't worry, I'm not panicking. I have enough medical conditions that I have to manage, that I won't freak out until it's time. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I also take what you are saying very seriously. I'm holding with my PCM's office right now. I'll leave a phone consult and ask for a referral to a breast specialist.

Thanks for the info! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Whew! You are most welcome. Delivering this kind of news is always so difficult. I've been sitting on it for a couple of days while probing you for more information. I had my suspicion the minute I heard your babies were suddenly avoiding the breast. If it were mastitis which can also cause an aversion, usually the breast has some redness and you would have a fever and then they would start to fuss because the milk becomes salty. But you're not describing this and so I'm here in Montreal having fits of worry about you because I care about each and every woman on this site.

Note that not all doctors know about Goldsmith's Sign. Most radiologists have heard about it so the mammogram interpreter is probably the best person to discuss it with.

Anyway, fight for the appointment. Don't let this go. And keep on top of it even if everything is fine. It can be microscopic at this point and show up later. Remember this moment because your babies may have just saved your life.

For those of you who wish to know more about Goldsmith's Sign here is the citation: Goldsmith HS. Milk rejection sign of breast cancer.Am J Surg. 1974;127:280-1. 70. Here is the science direct abstract which is all you really need to read: Here is the science direct abstract which is all you really need to read.

For those of you who cannot access it for some reason, this is the direct quote:



The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 127, Issue 3 , March 1974, Pages 280-281

Scientific paper
Milk-rejection sign of breast cancer

Harry S. Goldsmith MD, FACS , 1
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Available online 17 March 2004.

Abstract
A clinical observation has been made in nursing mothers whose infants rejected milk from a breast in which a malignant mass was subsequently discovered.

Corresponding author. Reprint requests should be addressed to Dr Goldsmith, Department of Surgery, Jefferson Medical College, 1025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.

1 From the Department of Surgery, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

So Jamie, if your doctor gives you any grief, bring this citation and the abstract with you.

And lets all give a round of applause to the folks at the Healthy Children's Project who include this information in their lactation program. www.healthychildren.cc

Best,

I really appreciate the passion and work you put into this website, helpinbg us all to nurse our babies. It has been an invaluble experience and gift. Sadly, if a LC hadn't directed me here, and I had believed what the docs, including the birthmom's perinatologist, told me about adoptive breastfeeding, I would likely have been too discouraged to even try with triplets. It is wonderful that you care so much! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I haven't spokne to the nurse yet. hubby is in the military and my PCM is an internist on base. The nurses have 72 hours to return my call. I plan on bringing both the citation, and a printout of this thread with me. Usually docs are very good about giving referrals to specialists, at least from the Internal Medicine clinis, which deals with more complicated patients. But with something obscure like this that most docs won't know, I may have a bit more difficulty.

How far are you from Montreal? By the way, I'm sorry this thread page has become so "out of bounds". It happened when I posted the quote off the internet. I asked our wonderful webmaster Sandy to look into it and see if she can straighten it out.

Best,

I'm not sure how far we are from Montreal. We live in Glendle, AZ, which is right outside of Phoenix, so it's probably pretty far.

Things are a little better today. Jarence seems willing to nurse from the left about half the time, though the other two won't.

I heard back from the nurse. I read her pretty much word for word what you told me, an including the citation, and she said, "well does she [meaning Lenore] have a specialist in mind?" I told her you are in Canada, and she said, "oh, I don't know what a breast specialist would even be called." This worries me a bit. She is going to talk to my internist, and she said she would also talk to the women's health clinic on base. I'm not sure the clinic will be much help, since the lady I spoke to there the other day about bc knew very little about inducing lactation or adoptive breastfeeding. It might take a while, but I'll get what I need eventually.

If the babies go back to nursing from the left side normally does that mean everything is likely to be ok? If there is something wrong, is it safe for them to nurse from that side? (I know that's probably a silly question.)

Hi Jamie,

A breast specialist is anyone who specializes in diseases of the breast. You're a bit far from Montreal (we're an hour by plane from NYC) but you're not too far from MD Anderson which is one of the best cancer facilities in the world. It's located in Houston, Texas.

If your baby is willing to breastfeed from that side it's fine to do so.

With your permission, I would like to ask Dr. Jack Newman if he knows anyone in Glendle, AZ who can assist you.

Best,

This seems like a serious thread and I'm sorry to invade it with a trivial question. As I was reading this thread, I saw a posting about caffeine and does it help. How could caffeine help? Does it affect the baby? I love coffee, but stopped drinking it due to producing breast milk. I sure wouldn't mind drinking it again. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Punky

Punky, Jaime has a medical issue that causes her to fall asleep suddenly. Here is what Lenore said "you can drink 2-3 cups of coffee or other caffeinated drinks per day while breastfeeding?" She was hoping it would help her to stay awake.
If you like coffee you can drink up to 2-3 cups daily. Just make sure you are well hydrated with other fluids through out the day

Hi Jamie,

I discussed all of this with Dr. Newman and according to his experience, the most common reason for breast refusal is diminished milk supply. He doesn't want us to jump to the wrong conclusions which can cause all kinds of anxiety without going through the usual steps first.

So before we get ahead of ourselves please arrange for a visit by an international board certified lactation consultant to see what's going on with you. You can find one here: www.ilca.org Just click on "find a lactation consultant" if you can't contact the ones you know.

Once you've seen the IBCLC she can direct you to a breastfeeding friendly doctor who can investigate further.

Best,

Hi Punky,

You can have 2-3 caffeinated beverages per 24 hours.

Best,