Good Morning!  A while ago you may have read a post about my inability to breastfeed my newborn, and after eight weeks of breastfeeding and bottle feeding at every feeding, my ultimate decision to give it up.  It was tough, and I felt so sad that I just never had a supply for my son.  I am a huge proponent of breastfeeding, and the benefits for both mother and child.  When I finally made the decision to stop, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy and wondering just what I did wrong.

The simple fact is, I believe there are just times when breastfeeding doesn’t work.  In today’s society, we are told anyone can breastfeed, and that with a certain degree of stick-to-it-ness, you’ll be a breastfeeding pro in no time.  That’s almost true.  I personally tried everything to have a supply: from drugs to herbal supplements to pumping and on and on, all to no avail.  I was simply told I gave formula to my son too soon, but no bloodwork was done.  I too should have insisted.

If you are finding yourself in this boat, please go and have your thyroid checked, (and for that matter get checked for anemia, too). Hypothyroidism can cause supply issues, and that’s exactly what seems to have happened in my own case.  Furthermore, some women will develop temporary thyroiditis after giving birth.  The problem is, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are almost perfectly masked by the changes a woman experiences after giving birth.  Here’s a list of the symptoms, courtesy of endocrine web.  Don’t they all sound familiar?

Fatigue
Weakness
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance (can’t tolerate the cold like those around you)
Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
Constipation
Depression
Irritability
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Decreased libido

If you have your thyroid checked, I would also recommend asking for the test result as a number.  The range of normal is apparently quite broad (TSH at 0.5 - 4,5 and 5.5 ) - current research suggests people in the high range of normal for their TSH may also benefit from treatment.

I’ll never know if a simple blood test and treatment while breastfeeding would have changed the ultimate result.  It could have - and that’s enough for me to urge you to go get tested if you even have the slightest inkling this might be a problem for you.

Cheers and best of luck!