[blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern- BF when diabetic

Tue Apr 17 14:38:54 UTC 2012

Hi, Bridgit.  If you pump, whether or not you nurse as well, you're going to 
find it a very drippy experience if you have to drop the pump bells and 
treat your low blood sugar.  A greasy one, too, if you rub lanolin on the 
inside of the pump bells to help them stick to your breasts, which was the 
number one biggest thing I was told to do that helpmed me get more out of 
the pump.  In any case, you'll want to keep a towel nearby because when you 
try to put the pump bells back on, your breasts and your hands will get all 
gooey and milky.  You'll want to shut the pump off, too, before you try 
re-centering your nipples in the bells.  To avoid all of this, could you 
have a small snack before you pump or nurse, maybe to guard against the 
drop?  I don't have experience with diabetes, but my ex husband was 
hypoglycemic to the point that he sometimes couldn't get a snack to his 
mouth by himself during an attack.  I found if I gave him something like a 
slice of cheese before a taxing activity, it helped a lot.  Good luck.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist

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From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 1:23 AM
To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern- BF when diabetic

> I already know it will be crucial to continue checking and monitoring
> glucose levels if breast feeding since it typically causes diabetics to
> run lower. Since I lean towards lower ranges naturally and have a higher
> metabolism, I will definitely be more at risk of low blood sugars.
> Regardless if pumping or using breast or combo of both, it will cause my
> sugars to drop, and usually these things happen over a certain period of
> time and not necessarily right away, so I may feed fine, but then will
> drop an hour later, but I could also drop while feeding and/or pumping.
> I've been at this for 27 years, so I'm prepared in terms of a checking
> schedule and having items on hand if I need to treat, but I will have
> this extra step along with what any new mother will go through.
>
> Along with having a basket of some sort nearby and handy with baby
> supplies, it will also contain items to treat low blood sugars, and of
> course I keep my glucose meter on hand wherever I am.
>
> Feeding from the breast is perfectly fine for a diabetic, but my
> thoughts are that I can have a bit more control over monitoring my
> glucose levels and being able to treat without disrupting baby at least
> when pumping, and from personal experience, setting a bottle down and
> laying baby down is a quick, fluid step when experiencing a low blood
> sugar and needing to treat immediately. Though I have yet to compare it
> to feeding from the breast with my own experience as I have not had any
> natural children yet, grin. Of course Ross totally intends on helping as
> well.
>
> I completely intend to try feeding from the breast, and who knows, maybe
> I will prefer it. I also will need to adjust and acclimate to the new
> parent schedule and finding what works best for me and baby. I'm open to
> all and new ideas and seeing what works best for us.
>
> It will be a headache concentrating on both baby and my own health
> during the adjustment phase, but my health will be priority since of
> course if I'm passed out on the floor, I won't be much help to the baby,
> smile. I'm very in-tuned  with my body and diabetic symptoms including
> while sleeping; I will wake up from sleep if low. Somehow I'm able to
> recognize these symptoms in my sleep. I think the fact that I can lucid
> dream helps with this along with just having dealt with diabetes for
> almost my entire life. I also am aware of how hectic and taxing things
> can be at first after bringing baby home, so I want to be safe and know
> my options in order to achieve the best plan and schedule for us.
>
> That's why I love this list. Beyond advice in terms of blindness, it is
> also a great resource for other parenting info. I like to learn what is
> out there and compare it all in order to make the best decision for me.
> Thanks everyone.
>
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
> Message: 23
> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:35:52 -0700
> From: "Erin Rumer" <erinrumer at gmail.com>
> To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern, ladies only
> Message-ID: <002601cd1c18$e664f020$b32ed060$@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Bridget, I'm sure there are lactation specialists who have an extra
> specialization in diabetics who nurse their babies.  If you find one I'd
> love to hear what advise she gives you.  You may prove to be completely
> different from your mom and sister and as you already know I'm sure,
> bottles bring on their own problems like more risk of ear infection,
> colic from the bottle letting air into the stomach, more choking from
> baby getting too much milk at once and more.  I have always said that
> breast feeding allows you to have more immediate time with your baby
> since you won't have to take several minutes to get a bottle ready with
> a screaming baby waiting and you don't have to deal with all those
> bottles to sterilize and keep at the perfect temperature when you go
> out.  My son was a constant eater so to give my nipples a little rest I
> would supplement with one bottle a day until he was 4 months old and
> even then there were too many bottles to deal with in my opinion. LOL
>
> Erin
>
>
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