Our story this week comes from Dana. She shares her journey as an oversupplier with breastfeeding. While many moms might be envious of her milk supply, Dana shares first hand about how such a “blessing” can also come with its fair share of troubles.
Being a first-time mom and a Labor and Delivery nurse, I thought breastfeeding would be easy and come naturally, but little did I know I had a lot to learn. In my profession I have helped many moms start their breastfeeding journey. So, I thought it would be easy for my daughter and I, but from the beginning we have had our ups and downs.
My husband and I couldn’t wait to start our family. So, after many months of trying, it finally happened, and we were ecstatic! Being a nurse in labor and delivery, I am well aware of all the changes that come along with pregnancy, and I was blessed to have a very easy and healthy pregnancy. On April 3rd, at 39 weeks, I began having contractions and after hours of laboring at home we decided it was time to go to the hospital. Once we arrived my blood pressure was in the severe range and I was diagnosed with Preeclampsia, which they had been monitoring for towards the end of my pregnancy. Thankfully my body had begun the laboring process on its own and I didn’t need to be induced, but rather helped along a little.
I have helped countless moms bring their new babies into this world and helped many moms through the pain of contractions, so I thought I knew what to expect. Well let me tell you, I have a whole new perspective on things and have a lot more empathy for my patients! I applaud those mama’s who attempt an all-natural birth, but this labor and delivery nurse is very thankful for pain medication. My daughter entered this world at 4:20 pm on April 4 th 2019, just five days before her due date. Besides my blood pressure being high, my labor and delivery was thankfully uncomplicated, because as a nurse I know nothing ever goes right when we are the patient.
Our breastfeeding journey started in the recovery room. I was so thankful when my daughter latched on and nursed well for the first two hours after she was born, but this is where our breastfeeding struggles began. My daughter nursed well the entire time we were in the hospital and has been great at nursing her whole life. Those first few nights in the hospital were very tiring, as to be expected, with her constant want to cluster feed. I never once thought that I needed to ask for help with breastfeeding. The pain I was feeling I thought was normal and was due to her constant want to nurse. The nurses evaluated her latch for a tongue-tie, and all looked good. They told me she must have initially had a shallow latch causing some nipple trauma which was causing the pain, but that it should get better after a couple days.
We took our precious little girl home two days later. We had some long nights up every one to three hours. Nursing was going well on my right side, but I dreaded feeding her on the left side because her latch was so painful. It was to the point I had constant pain on my left side even when she wasn’t nursing.
I cried even thinking about nursing her on that side. Five days post-partum my milk came in and this was the first time I pumped. We were leaving the house for the first time and I wasn’t comfortable nursing in public yet. The first time I pumped I got three ounces within the first five minutes! I was ecstatic because I know so many moms struggle with low supply. However, I also knew this could be because it was morning and it was my first pump after a three hour stretch of not nursing. Little did I know this was my first sign of being an over producer.
We went to my daughter’s first pediatric appointment and I met with a Lactation Consultant to discuss the painful nursing on my left side. Her latch still looked good, and they evaluated her for a tongue-tie yet again, which they said she wasn’t. I was just told to work on a good latch and to continue nursing. I also consulted a dear friend, co-worker, and neighbor of mine who I owe many, many thanks to for my constant questions. She was always willing to listen and answer my questions and even come over to my house to make sure my daughter had a good latch.
I continued my nursing journey and after a week with no improvement, I noticed I had oversupply as well as a fast let-down (my left side produces a lot more than my right side). With my research, I learned about nipple blanching and vasospasm, which stemmed from her initial bad latch (nipple trauma), but also from my daughter clamping down on my nipple while nursing as her way of coping with my fast let-down. She would frequently pull off while nursing on my left side because she was learning how to handle the sudden rush of milk she would get with my heavy and fast let-down. I decided I would solely pump my left side for 48 hours to try to heal the nipple trauma, and to give my nipple a break, and just feed her off my right side. When those 48 hours were up, it was time to nurse her on my left side again. To say I was nervous it was going to be painful again is an understatement, but to my surprise the pain was gone! It didn’t cure my fast let-down or oversupply (nothing will), but my nipple healed enough that when she did latch and clamp her mouth down to try to control my let-down, it was no longer painful! Hallelujah!
One month into our breastfeeding journey is when my first clogged duct appeared, which turned into mastitis. I would never wish this pain upon anyone, and I told my husband multiple times within these three painful days that I would rather have given birth without an epidural a million times, than to go through the pain of a clogged duct and mastitis. Despite all the remedies I tried, it took three days for my clogged duct to finally release and the pain to disappear. I was so afraid of my clogged duct and mastitis returning, that I pumped after every feeding as well as in the middle of the night even when my daughter was now sleeping through the night. Having oversupply already, this increased my supply even more. As the days and weeks went on and I was feeding on demand, I would still have clogged ducts two to three times a week, which were almost always relieved just by frequent nursing and hands on pumping.
Two months into our breastfeeding journey we were faced with yet another hurdle, Milk and Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI). My daughter would have frequent blow out diapers, which then turned into her stools being green, watery, mucousy with the occasional streak of blood. Which you can imagine would scare any new mom seeing these in your new babies’ diaper! Thankfully after my daughter’s Pediatrician suggested I cut out dairy and soy products from my diet this was resolved. However, living in the dairy state and having to cut out dairy was very difficult, especially when dairy is a big staple of my diet and there is some sort of soy product in almost every food. I was told many times by friends and family to just stop breastfeeding because it would be easier, especially with my frequent clogged ducts and new dietary changes. This new change to my diet was a big lifestyle change for my husband and I, as we would frequently order dinner out on the weekend to have a break from our weeknight cooking. But, also let’s be honest, being new parents is exhausting so who has the energy to cook a healthy meal every night! Not all people were supportive of my desire to continue to breastfeed, but one person who was always there for me and supported my decision to continue was my husband. He understood every aspect of all my challenges and never once pushed me in either direction, but was there to support me through it all. He also understood that breastfeeding was something I cherish and having oversupply I couldn’t just abruptly stop; it would have to be gradual overtime. Three months into our breastfeeding journey and it was time for this new mom to leave her baby for the first time and return to my full-time career helping other mom’s. This was one of the hardest and most emotional days for me, as I’m sure any new working mom would tell you. I pumped religiously every three hours for my baby and would come home with 25-35 ounces (or more) of breastmilk each day. Many moms would envy being able to pump this much for their baby, but being an over producer is a blessing and a curse. I knew my baby would always have breast milk while I was away, but now that I was solely pumping for 12 hours a day, this was causing me to have clogged ducts almost every other day due to my oversupply and my pump not effectively emptying my breasts. To help relieve all my clogged ducts and with fear of them constantly returning I would pump religiously every three hours at work, then every night before bed and at least once if not twice during the night while my daughter was sleeping. I was continually able to freeze 25-40 ounces or more of milk each day, not including what I would send to daycare the next day. I was freezing so much I finally became an approved milk donor so I was able to provide for babies who could benefit from all my hard work, sweat, tears and sleepless nights.
Five months into our breastfeeding I was continuing to pump for my daughter, and I was just diagnosed with my third case of mastitis. I knew at this point something needed to change. Even though I had seen four different Lactation Consultants and IBCLC’s (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) I needed answers as to why I was continuing to have these issues. I made an appointment with one of the best IBCLC’s and physicians in the area, who started the Donor Milk Bank in my region of the country to hopefully get the answers I was desperately looking for. When the day of my appointment came, I couldn’t have been more excited to get answers as to why I was having recurrent clogged ducts and mastitis. She took the time to do a full evaluation of my history, breasts, my baby, watched my daughter nurse and pump. My daughter was diagnosed with a mild tongue-tie, which we were told she didn’t have, but since it was no longer causing issues, we left it alone. She discovered that all my issues were related to my oversupply, which I was doing more harm than good, with my continual pumping especially during at night. We came up with a plan to decrease my flange size and alter my pumping schedule with a backup plan of medications to try to help decrease my supply.
We are now 11 months into our breastfeeding journey, and I cannot believe my little girl is going to be one soon! From a painful latch, to recurrent mastitis and clogged ducts, making a significant change to my diet to benefit my daughter and to currently have donated 8000 ounces and counting (some to the milk bank and some to babies who have dairy intolerances/allergies). We have had our ups and downs to say the least, but I am so glad that we stuck with it, because I will forever cherish these moments that seem to go by way too fast. The bond and connection I feel with my daughter is something so special to me that I feel was only strengthened throughout our breastfeeding journey.
What do you think about Dana’s story? We love how she selflessly pumped so that she could feed not only her own baby, but other babies - especially those with MSPI. Thanks for sharing Dana!
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