First, let me say that I am a HUGE breastfeeding advocate through and through, so in no way am I trying to discourage breastfeeding. However, I told my endo this week that I am convinced in that in 10 years there will be more awareness and knowledge that breastfeeding is VERY, VERY hard on your bones and that IF you have a low baseline (or undiagnosed and 'silent' osteoporosis or osteopenia), and then you breastfeed, you are very likely to fracture. I am hoping that maybe someday OB's will even do proactive bone densities for women planning for pregnancy. I fractured 3 months into breastfeeding my first. I waited 3 years before getting pregnant with our second, and hit -2.6 (woo hoo!) before getting pregnant. Was convinced that I wanted to breastfeed but would be very careful. My bones went from -2.6 post delivery to -3.2 in 4 short months! I was in pain where my old fractures were (pain I remembered too well) and my dr's told me to STOP BREASTFEEDING NOW!! And don't even STRETCH in the morning. That is how fragile I was. Well, I hated to stop, but I did :(. They put me on ovcon - 50 for the estrogen and I just had my 6 month bone density check up - I am back to -2.6!!! That is great for my spine and it was what I was before I got pregnant with #2. My husband says to not get any ideas though I still feel like I have a third in me someday! If you have osteoporosis and want more babies - there is hope! Just think hard about breastfeeding and if you do, don't do it for too long (5 mos was too long for me they said as I almost fractured again). Maybe I would do it for just a month if we did have #3. 2 at the most as hard as it is to stop. Best of luck!!
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Osteoporosis and breastfeeding
- By waters
- Posted July 19, 2009 at 3:36 pm · 5 replies
- In Premenopausal women (ages 25-50) with osteoporosis
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Back pain Forteo Fractures Pregnancy Osteopenia Pain Memory Osteoporosis
5 replies
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- Newest first
- By YoungMum88
- Posted July 21, 2009 at 1:40 am
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I totally agree with everything you have said. Many mums diagnosed with osteoporoses think it is more important to breastfeed than to care for their bones.
I too have osteoporosis with a young baby. I was diagnosed 2 months after my son was born and suffered 6 fractures in my spine. It has been a long journey but i am slowly getting there.
If there is anything i want from my terrible experience its to make others out there aware of how hard breastfeeding is on your body and bones and if the doctors are warning you to give it up then just do it! Your health is SO important to your baby, much more than breastfeeding. I ended up in a wheelchair and couldnt care for my baby, let alone lift him.
My son is so healthy and full of life, formula has done no harm to him and i am now able to care for him like a mother should be able to.
I do want more children in the coming years and i am determined to make that happen. And if it means only breastfeeding for the first week then so what. At the end of the day everyone benefits. I know my back will never be the same and i wish no one will ever have to experience the pain and heartache i have just because they thought breastfeeding was much more important.
- By waters
- Posted July 21, 2009 at 9:18 am
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Youngmum - oh, 6 fractures. I am so sorry. I had 3-4 and the pain was unbearable. How long ago did you fracture? I am now 4 1/2 years past my fractures, and my back pain is gone (it feels a little sensitive when I near my period since that is when your estrogen is lowest). But - I'm normal for the most part. I never felt like I'd be the same (or without pain) again. The memory of the whole experience will never leave me. I too didn't lift my baby from the time that he was 4 months until he was 1 1/2. That was life changing, but we made it through. The crazy thing is that the DR's DIDN'T tell me to stop breastfeeding the first time around. And I had no idea that I could have healed much faster if I had. And the second time around, it was only 'suggested' that I stop (and not even by an endo- it was my orthopedic who saw me for my first fractures and remembered what I went through). The endo who did tell me to stop was a very specialized one - she is doing a study at Columbia University in New York City on premenopausal women and osteo (and the use of Forteo). But the normal endo's here in Atlanta said nothing about it. That is the awareness that I hope comes with time. Otherwise, there is no warning and very little support on such a lifechanging and preventable disease. I totally agree with you that it is more important to be healthy for your family than to breastfeed. I didn't see that clearly for a long time and insisted on nursing, but if we had a third, I'd be open to a week or a month of nursing, and now realize that there is nothing wrong with formula afterall. PS. I love Australia! Spent 5 weeks in 'Melbin' and 1 week in Sydney for work close to 10 years ago now. Best of luck to you and be sure to watch your blood estrogen levels (I've achieved the almost 7% improvement in 6 months vs the 3 years that it took me to improve 6.6% 4 years ago). I know that it is due to the estrogen birth ctl pill that I am taking (prescribed specifically for the estrogen called ovcon 50).
- By YoungMum88
- Posted July 22, 2009 at 1:18 am
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Hi waters, its been 8 months since my fractures and i am pleased to say that my pain has reduced dramatically (this has been through alot of gym work and just time). The pain was unbearable so much worst than child birth, I was so worried i would never be pain free but aparantly you do recover :)
I was never told about how important my estrogen levels were for osteoporosis and it was only be reading about it on here that the i asked the doctor to prescribe me one but im pretty sure its just a regular pill. So ill have to ask next time if i should be on a higher dose. Does this come with any side effects??
Yes Australia is such a beautiful country im currently living about 2 hours away from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, weather is perfect and beaches are amazing.
Good luck with everything and you have given me confidence to have more kids. When it first happened i thought there is no way my body can go through this again but obviously it is possible!
(was your 2nd birth natural or c-section?)
- By April995
- Posted July 22, 2009 at 6:50 am
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Hi YoungMum & Waters,
I would like to know if you where into sports, very active , exercises, went to the Gym etc. before you got Preg, and Nursed, and found out you had Osteo?
Glad to hear your feeling better.
Take Care,
April
- By jpod
- Posted August 18, 2009 at 8:31 am
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Hi Waters,
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis after my first baby at 41 and after I fractured 2 vertebrae. I stopped breastfeeding and convinced my doctors to give me a bone density test after 6 months. I had a 4.3% average improvement in my spine. Since they base your T-score on the highest number, I went from a -3.6 to a -3.2. (6% improvement). Are the numbers in your earlier post (-3.2 improving to -2.6), your highest worst number, or are they an average? My endocrinologist said I should be looking at averages, not my worst score. Thank you for any information, Julie
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