Low hormone in obese women linked to cutoff in breast-feeding

Jenrose wibbled

Overweight and obese women tend to have a weaker biological
response to their babies suckling, which might be the chief
reason that such mothers are more likely to stop breast-feeding
earlier than normal-weight moms, according to a nutrition expert.


snerk

That's why fat-ol'-me nursed my kidlet for 6 years successfully.
Okay... my milk production dropped off year three or so....
Sheeesh.

My kid went from 7 pounds 10 1/2 ounces at birth to 20 pounds by 4
months, 24 pounds at 6 months and 26 pounds at one year. Low
prolactin my ass.

Anecdotal evidence. Like Chotii/Angela says, it's the overall trends
that are showing this, not individual cases.

That said, I'd also like to *personally* snerk at this. If I had
lower prolactin because I weighed ~240 when my milk came in (~190
now), I could probably have fed the whole ward if I'd been thinner,
given how ridiculous an oversupply I had. And my 24.5lb one-year-old
is doing just fine and showing no signs of giving up yet. I think
most if not all of my RL "skinny" friends (bar Linz) have weaned
already - one of the thinnest switched to FF at ~6 weeks. More
anecdotal evidence, I know. If someone had told me this last year I
think my reaction would be the same as Hillary's - this is a
challenge, not an excuse to FF or to feel bad about my weight for
*another* reason.

I do wonder if the prolactin rate is a partial red herring though,
if there's some other factor (also) making it 'hard' for obese women
to BF for longer - positional issues, for instance, or other day-to-
day living factors. I was told (in pregnancy) that SPD patients BF
for shorter periods, because lifting a growing child into a
comfortable nursing position is more painful than feeding a bottle
in a seat or crib or getting someone else to do it (SPD that doesn't
'magically' go away at birth, of course). And of course there is
child-determined weaning to take into account. Every child is an
individual and some of them are set to screw the statisticians. :-)

Jac

"Hillary Israeli" wrote in message
...
In ,
Jenrose wrote:

*"Chotii" wrote in message
. ..
*
* No, no, Jen. You're not supposed to take this personally.
*
*Yes, but many fat women *will* take this personally. I know enough
women who

I imagine if I had read this article when I was fat and trying to BF
(which I also did successfully) I would have taken it as a challenge
rather than an excuse.

That being said...

I don't think that because a group of people with a problem might be
upset
to hear about the consequences of that problem, we should not
publicize
data regarding those consequences.

I agree that the data should be publicized and discussed, but in a forum
like mkb (where I am reading this thread), it is also important that
overweight women who have successfully breastfed make their success
known. Many women come here to lurk when they are undecided about
breastfeeding and I think it is important to encourage them to try,
rather than let them assume it will be too difficult for them. My
comments are not directed at you, Hillary, because I know how hard you
work to encourage women to bf, but are in general support of a
successful fat-chick hand count (raises hand).

eggs.

"Jacqui" wrote in message
. 7...


I do wonder if the prolactin rate is a partial red herring though,
if there's some other factor (also) making it 'hard' for obese women
to BF for longer - positional issues, for instance, or other day-to-
day living factors. I was told (in pregnancy) that SPD patients BF
for shorter periods, because lifting a growing child into a
comfortable nursing position is more painful than feeding a bottle
in a seat or crib or getting someone else to do it (SPD that doesn't
'magically' go away at birth, of course). And of course there is
child-determined weaning to take into account. Every child is an
individual and some of them are set to screw the statisticians. :-)

I was actually wondering about the NIP angle. Many overweight/obese
people have serious issues with displaying their bodies in public,
sometimes even with showing naked parts of bodies to their families &
friends. They may not be so concened with people seeing their *breasts*
when they bf, as they are concerned with revealing the torso area in
general when they lift their shirts.

I can remember bf'ing my DS toddler in public not long after his sister
was born and I *know* some people were eyeballing my postpartum stomach
thinking "wowzas! would you look at that gut!". I can see how this
would be a big turnoff for some women.

eggs.

"eggs" wrote in message
news
I agree that the data should be publicized and discussed, but in a forum
like mkb (where I am reading this thread), it is also important that
overweight women who have successfully breastfed make their success
known. Many women come here to lurk when they are undecided about
breastfeeding and I think it is important to encourage them to try,
rather than let them assume it will be too difficult for them. My
comments are not directed at you, Hillary, because I know how hard you
work to encourage women to bf, but are in general support of a
successful fat-chick hand count (raises hand).

I've done fine with two -- weaned #1 at 2 years 8 months, when I got
pregnant with #2, now nearly 10 months old. No supply problems, over or
under. However, I don't think I have PCOS or other hormonal problems. I am
currently about 50 lbs over my personal "ideal" weight, but started out 80
lbs over.

Jan
--
Mum to Stephen, 22 May 2000
and Sophia, 2 October 2003
My personal page: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/
Baby-related crafts: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/crafts.html

"The Voice of Reason" wrote in message
om...
"Jenrose" wrote in message
...
Apple: Most of your extra weight is around your waist or above
Pear: Most is below your waistline.
For example, I have a belly (even not pg) and heavy breasts and tend
to
store weight around my middle, but have relatively thinner legs and
no butt
to speak of.
A "pear" would have less weight around her waistline, more around
hips,
thighs and butt.

It's definitely healthier to be a Pear.

It'd definitely healthier to be neither.

This can't be true? Surely the health factor is due to issues like diet
and weight and activity levels, not to do with where your body stores
any fat it may (or may not) have? If it is unhealthy to be an apple and
unhealthy to be a pear, what's left? A banana?? Don't know *anyone*
shaped like that!

eggs

eggs wrote:

This can't be true? Surely the health factor is due to issues like diet
and weight and activity levels, not to do with where your body stores
any fat it may (or may not) have? If it is unhealthy to be an apple and
unhealthy to be a pear, what's left? A banana?? Don't know *anyone*
shaped like that!


Studies show that abdominal obesity (apple shape) can be caused by
insulin metabolism problems (pre-diabetes and diabetes). So it is likely
that a woman with an apple shape who carries a significant quantity of
extra weight would have an insulin metabolism problem, which would of
course effect her hormone balance (estrogen dominance). Skinny women
with insulin metabolism problems also are usually found to have a
reduced hip/waist ratio due to increased amounts of abdominal fat.

Studies also show that certain areas of the body store different
nutrients and different types of fat; fat in hips and thighs is usually
the healthier kind. When you're pg your body tries to store fat there in
order to bulk up for breastfeeding. Abdominal fat carries more estrogens
which can affect hormone balance.

"Shena Delian O'Brien" wrote in message
...
eggs wrote:

This can't be true? Surely the health factor is due to issues like
diet
and weight and activity levels, not to do with where your body
stores
any fat it may (or may not) have? If it is unhealthy to be an apple
and
unhealthy to be a pear, what's left? A banana?? Don't know *anyone*
shaped like that!


Studies show that abdominal obesity (apple shape) can be caused by
insulin metabolism problems (pre-diabetes and diabetes). So it is
likely
that a woman with an apple shape who carries a significant quantity of
extra weight would have an insulin metabolism problem, which would of
course effect her hormone balance (estrogen dominance). Skinny women
with insulin metabolism problems also are usually found to have a
reduced hip/waist ratio due to increased amounts of abdominal fat.

Studies also show that certain areas of the body store different
nutrients and different types of fat; fat in hips and thighs is
usually
the healthier kind. When you're pg your body tries to store fat there
in
order to bulk up for breastfeeding. Abdominal fat carries more
estrogens
which can affect hormone balance.


Oh, OK. I didn't understand that "apple shape" inherently meant
abdominal obesity. I thought it just meant you didn't have an hour
glass type figure. So what "shape" are you if you are straight up and
down in the torso, i.e. not much of a waist indentation, but not
necessarily fat?

"eggs" wrote in message
...
Oh, OK. I didn't understand that "apple shape" inherently meant
abdominal obesity. I thought it just meant you didn't have an hour
glass type figure. So what "shape" are you if you are straight up and
down in the torso, i.e. not much of a waist indentation, but not
necessarily fat?

I'd read about this a few years ago, and there was a formula you could use
for determining if you were an apple or a pear, based on your waist
measurement and your hip measurement. Unfortunately I don't remember the
formula. It wasn't as simple as saying that your waist measurement was
larger than your hip measurement. My waist is definitely smaller than my
hips and I'm not overweight, but I calculated to be an apple. Also, it
seemed there was nothing I could do about it. Losing or gaining weight
wouldn't change my appleness. I just have no butt.

It was all about risk of heart disease though, rather than general health.
This was obviously just one of the many risk factors to be taken into
account.

Lucy

successful fat-chick hand count (raises hand).

Another hand here. :-) I have been at least 50 lbs. overweight after the birth
of each baby, and have nursed enormous (as you know!) babies exclusively for at
least six months with no problems at all.

Leslie
Leslie

Emily (2/4/91)
Jake (1/27/94)
Teddy (2/15/95)
William (3/5/01 -- VBA3C, 13 lbs. 5 oz.)
and Lorelei, expected 11/2/04

"Children come trailing clouds of glory from God, which is their home."
~ William Wordsworth