Unable to breastfeed due to medical issues?

Question

I've seen many answers on here where women say they couldn't breastfeed due to medical issues. I wanted to know what they were!

Personal stories would be great!

Answer 1

I have a breast defomity, only one of my breast produces milk (well, I can get a 1/2 oz out of the other, but thats it). But I still nursed while using a supplimental nurser with formula.

there are medical reason some women cant feed, usualy due to a predious surgury of injury, or a disease that cna spread through breat milk, or a medicaion that the mother needs to take that is expresed in milk. For the most part, women who think they can;t nurse have just not been given the support they meeded to succeed.

Answer 2

I am on about 5 different medications that are passed through breast milk and are considered very harmful to my baby. I could have breast fed if I chose to go off my medications but my doctors and I discussed the situation and we all agreed that my little girl would be better off having me be a healthy mom and bottle feed her than have me be unhealthy and breast feed her.

Sometimes you have to weigh the benefits of breastfeeding against the medications the mother needs and see what is more important. I am very glad that I made this decision. My daughter is 4 months old and is thriving. (mentally and physically) and I am able to give her the love, attention, and care that she needs and deserves from me.

I would not be able to be a great mom or probably even a good mom off of my medications. That is why I feel that in my case the breast isn't the best.

Answer 3

I have a breast deformity to where I only have 1 full nipple and half of the other. Unfortunately the only one that produces milk is the deformed one and even then it doesn't come out of the nipple but just under it.

I had an accident when I was about 4 years old that took half of my nipple. When the doctor's attempted to fix the situation they did it wrong which is why the milk comes out right below the nipple instead of out of it.

And this is why I'm unable to breastfeed my children.

Answer 4

My SIL can't nurse. She has epilepsy and is under orders NOT to breastfeed by her ob/gyn because he doesn't want her meds passing through the breastmilk. He told her pregnancy is bad enough but nursing would just push it. Last year after the birth of her second child, the maternity nurse ostracized her for not nursing and almost had her in tears when her doctor walked in. Needless to say, she got reamed out and didn't return to her room for the rest of their stay.

Answer 5

I breastfed my son until he was almost a year..I would've gone longer,but I ended up going to work and he started biting and was onto solids anyway (I would've liked to have gone longer....) so I did breastfeed.
My friend however had a c-section and ended up with a really bad infection in her stitches..They gave her antibiotics that wouldv't hurt her baby,so she couldn't breastfeed (she would've pumped to maintain her milk supply,but she was REALLY sick because of the infection)
Breast or bottle is a free choice..breast is best...But when breast isn't an option,a mothers love is more than how she decides to feed her baby...it doesn't mean that a baby is loved any less if bottle fed.

TO the girl who had twins:I'll give you a thumbs UP for trying...I know it's alot of work:)

Answer 6

I was unable to breastfeed because my body never made more than 1 oz. of milk every two hours... I tried for 3 weeks and still would only get 1 oz. of milk... The doctors never knew why but we just happily transferred over to formula and stopped all that frustration with trying to breastfeed and it was much healthier for both of us... I understand being curious about it and don't mind sharing...

Update: I had a lactation specialist the entire 3 weeks...

Answer 7

My aunt nursed her second child for only a short time. The baby was really sick. Not gaining weight and severe vomiting. It was horrendous. My aunt went on a severe elimination diet to try and pinpoint any allergies to food but the baby was still really sick. It turned out after a ton of medical tests that the baby was actually allergic to her breast milk. My aunt was devastated. It is not that common. She was heart broken.

I've also heard of women who are on medications that are not safe for breastfeeding.

I on the other hand, was very lucky and I had no problems establishing a nursing relationship with my son. WE still nurse at night - he will be 3 in November and hopefully weaned by then!

Answer 8

I couldn't breastfeed my oldest do to an infection I had that the doctor didn't want me to pass to my daughter. My youngest I couldn't because I had to take some medication for bipolar disorder that could be passed through my milk to my baby.

Answer 9

http://www.007b.com/breast_size_breastfeeding.php

heres a good website about tubular breasts and the inability to breastfeed

and yes i agree that ALOT of women say they cannot produce enough milk when in fact they simply didn't have the education and support to know otherwise that yes....they in fact were making enough milk and their breastfeeding relatinship was fine or fixable

and then attribute it to a medical problem when none existed

Answer 10

My twins were preemies, and they were tiny tiny little things, with small mouths. My nipples are HUGE so they were unable to latch on. I pumped for a while and gave that to them, but that was WAYYY too much to keep up with so eventually I switched to formula. No regrets!

Edit...how is someone going to give me a thumbs down for TRYING to breastfeed and not succeeding, isnt that what the question was all about...not latching on is a medical reason people..trust me I went and saw my lactation consultant all the time. You try pumping for twins in between feeding and taking care of them, when would you sleep? trust me, the answer was NEVER.