Only 5% of women suffer from a Physiologically Insufficient Milk Supply — NIH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting
Well, I’m part of the 5%. Only ever transferred one ounce during weighted feeds and only ever pumped one ounce.

Me too. I would throw a party when I pumped over an ounce. I kindly told by 3 different lactation consultants that I just wasn't made for breast feeding. I was disappointed, but my babies grew up healthy and happy and securely bonded with their parents.

[Anonymous]

It depends on how they’re defining insufficient. My kids all gained while EBF, but not the 1oz per day that the pediatrician and lactation consultants were looking for. They gained more like 4 oz per week. With my third, he was literally sleeping attached to the breast for half the night, but I wasn’t making enough.

[Anonymous]

I find it odd that many women here apparently feel that saying problems like breastfeeding can by psychological is a “diss.” It’s not. Breastfeeding is a HUGELY psychological phenomenon that only occurs in a woman’s body when the amygdala functions appropriately. Even just “thinking” about breastfeeding being hard can trigger cortisol levels that interfere with the oxytocin in your brain. It is psychological. Saying that it is doesn’t mean it’s not “real” - but it’s often not a physical issue like someone who broke both legs and can’t walk. Very very different functions.

[Anonymous]

Is there a link to this “study”.

I guess mine was psychological. My dad died the day before my son was born and my boobs did not produce milk. Le leche was on it right away. Nothing. I kind of feel it’s disingenuous to say it wasn’t physiological.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting
Well, I’m part of the 5%. Only ever transferred one ounce during weighted feeds and only ever pumped one ounce.

Me too. I would throw a party when I pumped over an ounce. I kindly told by 3 different lactation consultants that I just wasn't made for breast feeding. I was disappointed, but my babies grew up healthy and happy and securely bonded with their parents.

Same. PCOS and my boobs are shaped weird, never made anything but drops.

[Anonymous]

I have had physical low milk supply with both my babies and made myself crazy trying to up my supply. I worked so hard and it didn’t fix me. So much of the messaging about milk supply feels a bit like gaslighting to me. I already felt inadequate and stuff like this didn’t help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had physical low milk supply with both my babies and made myself crazy trying to up my supply. I worked so hard and it didn’t fix me. So much of the messaging about milk supply feels a bit like gaslighting to me. I already felt inadequate and stuff like this didn’t help.

Narrator: she doesn't actually know what this term means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had physical low milk supply with both my babies and made myself crazy trying to up my supply. I worked so hard and it didn’t fix me. So much of the messaging about milk supply feels a bit like gaslighting to me. I already felt inadequate and stuff like this didn’t help.

Narrator: she doesn't actually know what this term means.

Nope, that was my experience and is indeed the correct word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a link to this “study”.

I guess mine was psychological. My dad died the day before my son was born and my boobs did not produce milk. Le leche was on it right away. Nothing. I kind of feel it’s disingenuous to say it wasn’t physiological.

Why did you put study in quotes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it odd that many women here apparently feel that saying problems like breastfeeding can by psychological is a “diss.” It’s not. Breastfeeding is a HUGELY psychological phenomenon that only occurs in a woman’s body when the amygdala functions appropriately. Even just “thinking” about breastfeeding being hard can trigger cortisol levels that interfere with the oxytocin in your brain. It is psychological. Saying that it is doesn’t mean it’s not “real” - but it’s often not a physical issue like someone who broke both legs and can’t walk. Very very different functions.

But what you are describing as a “psychological” phenomenon is actually a *physical* process, i.e., cortisol levels impacting milk production. That’s physical. It’s at a different physical level than broken bones, molecular instead of mechanical, but physical nonetheless. It’s hard to argue otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about social reasons? Women are not supported in breastfeeding by a system that provides no paid maternity leave to most women.

I haven’t read the study and know that “psychological” reasons exist as well - I believe I personally struggled with supply while pumping because in addition to the pump being less efficient than the baby, I hated the pump. But I do think that realistically, many women who would otherwise be able to breastfeed are either culturally trained not to want to or are living lives that are not conducive to breastfeeding. I truly don’t care how other women choose to feed their babies, but I do think that lack of meaningful social support for breastfeeding results in a lot of milk supply difficulties.

So you’re mad because you chose work over your child and turn that into an excuse as to why you can’t breastfeed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More women should be warned that for SOME women, there IS a difference between your ability to make and let down milk for a baby and your ability to PUMP milk.

I couldn't pump milk to save my life, but had no supply problems when actually feeding a baby. I wasn't working, so I didn't have to pump and had very fat EBF Infants.

But the second I tried to pump, To build a back up supply, I dried up like a raisin. It was totally psychological.

+1000

I never had milk supply issues until I tried to pump. It was very frustrating. A lot of people will tell you pumping can allow you to EBF and still have a lot of freedom/flexibility to leave your child with your spouse or other caregivers, to work, etc. Congrats to the people this is true for. It’s not true for everyone.

If you are a BF advocate, you should advocate for longer maternity leaves and stuff like onsite infant care at your workplace. That’s the only thing that would have enabled me to breastfeed while working.

Or we could just be less stigmatizing about using formula (or BF+formula if that works for you) as a solution that allows women to return to work, something most women HAVE to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about social reasons? Women are not supported in breastfeeding by a system that provides no paid maternity leave to most women.

I haven’t read the study and know that “psychological” reasons exist as well - I believe I personally struggled with supply while pumping because in addition to the pump being less efficient than the baby, I hated the pump. But I do think that realistically, many women who would otherwise be able to breastfeed are either culturally trained not to want to or are living lives that are not conducive to breastfeeding. I truly don’t care how other women choose to feed their babies, but I do think that lack of meaningful social support for breastfeeding results in a lot of milk supply difficulties.

So you’re mad because you chose work over your child and turn that into an excuse as to why you can’t breastfeed?

You don’t live in the real world if that’s how you’d summarize that post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Universal paid six month maternity leave seems like a big ask, why not just invent better freaking breast pumps?

You’re kidding right? Please tell me you are kidding.

Women like you are the reason why we’ll never get universal paid maternity leave.

You probably think it’s ok for women to be asked to pump in bathrooms and janitors closets while at work, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about social reasons? Women are not supported in breastfeeding by a system that provides no paid maternity leave to most women.

I haven’t read the study and know that “psychological” reasons exist as well - I believe I personally struggled with supply while pumping because in addition to the pump being less efficient than the baby, I hated the pump. But I do think that realistically, many women who would otherwise be able to breastfeed are either culturally trained not to want to or are living lives that are not conducive to breastfeeding. I truly don’t care how other women choose to feed their babies, but I do think that lack of meaningful social support for breastfeeding results in a lot of milk supply difficulties.

So you’re mad because you chose work over your child and turn that into an excuse as to why you can’t breastfeed?

“Chose work”? Not all of us are as privileged as you. Some of us have no choice. Let me guess - you probably think we shouldn’t have had children, am I right?