Needing to stop breastfeeding for medical reason

[jhonkim]

Hi, I am a new mom. My baby is 2.5 months old. I have been breastfeeding/ pumping, and rarely use formula. She is healthy, and growing appropriately. I unfortunately am dealing w prolapse and the docs have told me that if I stop breastfeeding my estrogen level will go up and my prolapse will heal.

Mentally I am having a really hard time at the thought of stopping breastfeeding/pumping to feed my baby. I feel like I’m quitting, and feel selfish at the thought of not providing her my milk. However I can’t stand holding her longer than 30 mins without pain and pressure in my crotch. I can’t go on long walks w her bc of the pain and pressure.

Has anyone dealt with this? I know fed is best, but I just feel so guilty.

 

[ckm]

@jhonkim I made a list on my phone of reasons I was stopping breastfeeding and referred to it regularly when guilt hit. The list included the most basic and obvious reasons, but also things like “I want you to know you can be fed/nourished by your dad or grandma too.”

I also wrote a letter to my baby (that I won’t ever share for him, it was really for me)! In the letter I talked about how meaningful our time spent nursing was.

Last, it is always worth a second opinion on the medical advice if it doesn’t fully make sense to you or seem right!

 

[jhonkim]

@ckm Thank you very much!! Those are wonderful ideas!

 

[chiropracticcenter]

@jhonkim Just remember, no matter what - fed is best! If you need to use formula, or even want to use formula, your baby will still thrive.

Please don't feel guilty, you need to feel healthy and comfortable to provide the care your baby needs.

It's not you sacrificing your babys health for your own comfort, you're looking after yourself so you can look after your baby.

You're doing so well, you fed her breast milk for as long as you could.

No "mum shaming" here.

 

[jhonkim]

@chiropracticcenter Thank you sooo much

 

[thefoxwife]

@jhonkim If you go into r/beyondthebump people said they stopped and it didn't help at all maybe see if there is another option. But if you do choose to stop or reduce your breastfeeding it does not make you a bad momma.

 

[jhonkim]

@thefoxwife Thank you! I know I’ve read that it doesn’t help and then some women have written on other blogs it helped them heal along w pelvic pt. Feels like a crap shoot.

 

[205]

@jhonkim Can you just reduce instead of stopping completely? And combo feed?

Your cycle will likely comeback if you reduce

Then after you heal you can pump to get supply back up if you wish

 

[jhonkim]

@205 Thank you! I’ll have to look into restarting breast milk production after stopping. I’m not sure if that’s possible.

 

[rksharma]

@jhonkim I would base this on how you feel - and also whether you will still be okay with the course of events if the doc is wrong and stopping BFing does not fix it.

If you want to stop and are feeling guilty - it is totally not needed. In another couple months the baby will probably try to eat random items they can reach - you’ve provided a great start!

If you really don’t want to stop, I’d probably look for other options. Docs can be wrong and can advise the easiest thing (for them), when there are other options and even options they don’t know about.

The body takes a long time to heal after growing a baby and letting it out - it took me a year to feel like my body was healed again, and closer to 2 years to feel a high libido regularly.

 

[jhonkim]

@rksharma Aww thank you soo much and you make great points!! I really appreciate your response

 

[mkh60]

@jhonkim I like the comments where they remind you to take care of yourself and not to feel guilty about having to do something else for you that compromises your breastfeeding journey. But I seriously doubt that your prolapse will magically heal by stopping breastfeeding.
I would go to a pelvic floor pt to ask for a second opinion. It’s not only for your baby, but for yourself. A prolapse sounds serious enough

 

[ola2019]

@jhonkim I second the pelvic floor therapy and vaginal application of estrogen cream that some are suggesting. I also suggest backing WAY off on physical exercise (even standing).

I had to take vaginal estrogen because of granuloma tissue growth/pain associated with healing. The body does weird things hormonally when you're breastfeeding! With the estrogen cream I was able to heal "down there" but keep breastfeeding. My period did come back (boo!), but my milk didn't dry up (yay!).

I had a fairly severe prolapse too and it took a lot of time and pelvic floor therapy to regain normal activities. I did not even go for walks until I was about 6 months postpartum. I do not believe that stopping breastfeeding would have made this recovery magically faster. My pelvic floor therapist told me to never do activities that caused the heaviness feeling or pain. So, I was sedentary for several months.

I took my recovery very slowly. Backed off on all household chores and activity and I recovered. By 6 months PP I was walking, 1 year PP I was doing walk/runs and I did a half marathon when baby was about 2. I have been running and active ever since (with occasional (~monthly) pee leakage after laughing/sneezing being my only lagging symptom). All of my heaviness symptoms are gone.

If you want more information on my recovery, send me a DM.

 

[jhonkim]

@ola2019 Wow, thank you for sharing your journey! I really appreciate your comment. I’ll dm you

 

[timh42]

@jhonkim I had a mild bladder prolapse with my first and breastfeed until 13 months and it healed with a couple PT sessions with pelvic floor exercises and then just on its own

 

[johnathan_d_hill]

@jhonkim Have you done pelvic floor PT? Of course do whatever you feel is best, but I would hate for you to wean and regret it without exhausting other potentially very beneficial options.

 

[jhonkim]

@johnathan_d_hill Thank you for your response. Yes I just started pelvic pt. I got an extension on my disability before going into baby bonding time. So hopefully I can heal before end of July!

 

[kadian]

@jhonkim Also dealing with prolapse. Have you asked about estrogen gel that can be applied vaginally? I’ve heard good things but have not tried it.

 

[jhonkim]

@kadian Thank you for your response! That was an option they gave as well. However, I work w cancer patients and although it might not be a studied I’ve noticed a correlation w post menopausal women and estrogen feeding breast cancer. My mom had estrogen positive feeding cancer so I told them I did not want to use the cream. Even though I’m not post menopausal, it makes me feel worried.

 

[rhaven]

@jhonkim Hmm, a quick google search showed me that there’s no evidence that there’s a direct link between breastfeeding and an increased risk of prolapse. While I agree there’s no harm in stopping breastfeeding because fed is best, I also think what YOU want to do matters. I would get a second opinion, mama. Best of luck!