Medical Challenges Affecting Lactation

Since medical challenges can affect lactation and impact your milk production, it's crucial to stimulate your hormone receptors as soon as possible after your baby is born to enhance milk production and breastfeeding success. Even if you believe you don't have any medical conditions that could lead to lactation challenges, your baby might. In particular, all newborns are at risk for jaundice.

Maternal medical conditions affecting lactation include:

• any metabolic or hormonal condition such as diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (Grave's disease), insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

• postpartum hemorrhage

• retained placenta

• Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, high blood pressure

• PTSD, especially is related to physical or sexual abuse

• breast surgery of any kind

• mammary hypoplasia (aka insufficient glandular tissue)

• taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications

• taking illegal (and some legal) drugs

• lactation anaphylaxis

• increased age, especially after the age of 35

• giving birth by cesarian section

• neurodivergence may cause the mother to need alternate breastfeeding teaching methods

• engorgement

• oversupply (overproduction)

• mastitis

Newborn challenges affecting lactaion include:

• admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

• prematurity- less than 39 weeks gestation (more challenging as gestational age decreases)

• tongue ties

• lips ties

• cheek ties

• cleft lip

• cleft palate

• cardiac anomalies

• Down syndrome

• skeletal issues such as torticollis, broken clavicle (collarbone), hip issues

• narcotic withdrawal

• twins, triplets, and higher order multiples

• jaundice and increased bilirubin

By following the advice from my other blogs, you can significantly lower your risk of experiencing lactation difficulties, particularly if you encounter two or more of these challenges. Be sure to check out specific blogs like:

• Hand Expression of Colostrum or Breastmilk

• Breastfeeding Late Preterm Infants

• Activation of Hormone Receptors to Increase Milk Supply

• Breast Engorgement During Lactation

• Oversupply or Overproduction of Breastmilk

• Influencers of Breastmilk Production

• The Impact of Breast Capacity on Milk Production