Side Effect of Breastfeeding

What is the difference between side effect of breastfeeding and benefits of breastfeeding?

Well, the benefits of breastfeeding are something we don’t need to debate. Breast milk is golden standard of infant feeding which has the most beneficial nutrient for babies. These make breast milk become the most precious gift for the newborn.

What I'm going to share here is the side effect of breastfeeding which is based on my real experience. And side effect is usually related with "negative" impact.

This side effect is similar with those in medication label which usually declare the side effects of consuming certain drugs, such as; nausea, constipation or sleepy. However, depending on the patient’s condition, not every person will experience such a side effect. This side effect of breastfeeding is just the same, not every woman will experience this uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, it did happen to me. That's why I can write and share this story.

So, what I mean by side effect of breastfeeding is; (sorry) dryness in my vagina and causing a domino effect, pain during intercourse.

I’m a kind of woman who had no periods during breastfeeding. My breastfeeding for my first baby is only 4 months, so in the 5th month after delivery, I've already had my period just like usual. The breastfeeding time for my second baby lasts longer, which is 20 months, and I've just get back my menstruation 14 months after delivery.

Actually, the dryness of my vagina area is not a big problem; it was in fact made me more comfortable because I didn't feel dampness on this area. The problem was occurred when it's time to have a sexual intercourse. The pain caused trauma.

When I tried to discuss this matter with some friends on a healthy mailing list, they suggest me to do longer foreplay or creating a more supporting atmosphere before having sex. I've tried many efforts but get no result. I still always felt pain, poignant and burnt in my private area.

Finally, my husband tried to use a lubricant. Well, OK it's quite helpful. At the beginning, he could finally penetrate, but the feeling of pain and burnt inside the vagina can not diminish. It was just felt like being rubbed with coarse paper.

After my boy had his 1st birthday, I could not stand any longer and went to my obgyn. I hope there were some kinds of vitamins of supplement which cause lubrication effect but do not reduce my breast milk supply. Moreover, I also felt worry, because one of my friend thought that there's something wrong with my reproductive function and suggested me to consult with the obgyn.

According to the obgyn’s explanation, breastfeeding will inhibit the production of estrogen which has a very important role on menstruation cycle and produce “oil” in the vagina. He gave me two solutions. The first and instant solution; if I want a normal estrogen’s level back, I have to stop breastfeeding. But surely he didn’t recommend it. The second alternative was waiting until I pass the breastfeeding period, which is until my baby is 2 years (WHO recommendation). I can not imagine that I’ve to restrain with this pain for one more year until I finally can enjoy a sexual intercourse just like before.

Finally, I brought nothing from my obgyn as the result of my visit. He did not write recipe for any vitamins or supplement. I decided to accept this situation and waiting for my boy reach his second birthday. If this breastfeeding period ended and there’s no significant change, I promise to visit my obgyn again.

Fortunately I don’t have to wait for such a long time. Not long after my visit, I got my period and soon after that I can have a normal intercourse as before breastfeeding. The fact was after getting my normal menstruation, I did not feel anymore dryness in my private area.

That was my experience about breastfeeding’s side effect?

What about yours?

My Weaning from Breastfeeding Experience

OK, I admit, it was not my experience. It's actually my son's experience when he had to be separated from breast milk for the first time.

I know weaning from breastfeeding is not an easy process, because a mother had to face a dilemma; keep weaning her baby or delay this process because of the baby's excessive crying.

But thanks God, my son did not have to experience such a horror. So, let me share you what I did.

Actually, I've already planned to wean my baby since he was 18 months. At that moment, I had to go out of town for several days so I think it will be a good opportunity to separate him with my breast. But I had to delay this plan, because my breast milk supply was still abundant and I felt so pity to stop breastfeeding at that moment.

I’m a working mother, so my son has already recognized milk bottle and formula milk. He had these two items while I was working. However, he always refused formula milk when I was around. I also pumped my breast milk at the office until my baby was 1 year, so he’s truly familiar with the taste of breast milk.

Two months later, just 2 months before his second birthday, I think my breast milk supply was decreasing. So I bought a pack of Band-Aid and put them on both of my nipples. Then as he asked for breastfeeding, I showed him my breast and told him that my breast is wounded so he must drink from his milk bottle instead. Although my boy can already understand some simple statement, his first reaction was crying.

His crying was so touching that I almost re-stop my plan. Fortunately, he cried for only 5 minutes, (if he cried even longer, maybe I'll delay this plan to weaning from breastfeeding again) and began to accept his milk bottle and drink his formula milk. Since that day, he never returned to breast milk again.

***

That’s my story. What about yours? Do you face the same problems when weaning your baby from breastfeeding?

You can try what I’ve already done, or you can use other tools instead of Band-Aid. You can spread something bitter or other awful-taste liquid/cream on your breast (but just make sure you didn't put something poisonous or hazardous).

Uterine Fibroid Embolization Procedure

The basic principle of uterine fibroid embloization (UFE) is blocking the arteries that supply blood to the fibroids. The blockage is created by injecting small particles in the arteries. That's why uterine fibroid embolization is also known as uterine artery embolization (UAE). The blockage of the blood supply will cause degeneration of the fibroids.

The UFE procedure was first applied in fibroids patients in France as a means of reducing the blood loss that occurs during myomectomy. It was then discovered that after the embolization, the fibroids symptoms went away and further surgery was no longer needed.

The UFE Procedure

First, a needle is used to enter the artery to create access for the catheter. Before the embolization is started, an arteriogram is carried out to provide road map of the blood supply to the uterus and fibroids.

Catheter inserted into the artery

After that, particles of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are injected slowly with x-ray guidance. After several minutes, the arteries are completely blocked. Once one side is completed, the other side is embolized. Arterial flow will still be present to some extent to the normal portions of the uterus, but flow to the fibroids is blocked. This procedure takes approximately 1-1.5 hours and usually done in the hospital with an overnight stay after the procedure.

PVA blocked the blood supply to the fibroids

The Side Effects

Several hours of moderate to severe pain will be experienced by most UFE patients. Most UFE patients are hospitalized overnight and those symptoms are usually improved by the next morning, when the patients are allowed to go home. After that, patients may have periodic moderate to severe cramping for several days.

Patients may also feel tired, have a fever or nausea periodically. All these symptoms will be diminish after several days, but may last longer. For working women, they can usually go back to work in 7-14 days after the procedure.

The Complications

Complications after UFE are quite rare. However some complications that may occur after UFE procedures include;

-Injury to the uterus from decreased blood supply or infection.

- Injuries to other pelvic organs.

The good news is these complications is almost impossible and happened in less than 1% of patients.

The long term complications causing by x-ray exposure during embolization are not expected. However, a study measuring x-ray exposure was found to be below the level that can be harmful to the patient herself or future children.

The Possibility of Pregnancy After UFE

Actually UFE is not recommended for women who are still willing to carry babies since the outcome of pregnancy following UFE is not known.

Most women that had this procedure are finished with childbearing and only few of them have tried to become pregnant after UFE. So far, at least a dozen patients have become pregnant after UFE worldwide.

Another uncertain fact is whether this procedure affects the menstrual cycle. Most of the UFE patients were reported to decrease bleeding with normal menstrual cycles and only few of them have lost their periods after having UFE. However, it's uncertain and still need further study whether these cases are a result of decreasing ovarian function resulting from this UFE procedure.

The Expected Results

Nowadays, about 3000 patients have already had this procedure and most of them rated this procedure as very tolerable. 

The expected reduction in the volume of the fibroids is 50% in 3 months. However, it's not yet known if the fibroids can regrow after embolization.

Related post on this blog;

O My God, I'm Having Fibroids and Pregnancy

Medication and Surgery for Fibroids

Why Should Women Know About Fibroids

Uterine Fibroids Natural Treatment

Natural Treatment for Uterine Fibroids

There are actually many treatment options for fibroids instead of drugs and surgery. Even if the fibroids are causing problems, there's a lot that women can do to deal with the fibroids.

From "Healing Fibroids: A Doctor's Guide to a Natural Cure", written by Allan Warshowsky, MD (a certified ob-gyn), there are some important points about how to deal with fibroids in natural ways;

1. Reduce consumption of "white" foods

"White" foods like white bread, cookies, cakes and pasta increase insulin, which changes the way estrogen is metabolized and creating compounds that are more likely to cause cellular inflammation and fibroid symptoms.

2. Consume soy and flaxseed

Soy and flaxseed are rich in phytoestrogens, which decrease the effects of estrogen levels naturally by blocking the estrogen receptors on the cells of fibroids.  Researches have shown that soy and flaxseed help the body in producing smaller amounts of unhealthy estrogen while flaxseed is also high in fiber and omega-3 fats, which helps reducing inflammation and tumor growth throughout the body.

3. Consider herbs

There are many varieties of herbs that help balancing estrogen levels naturally, such as chasteberry, dong quai and black cohosh. These herbs have been used for centuries for many gynecological cases.

Fat Facts

Although many people told that all fat is bad, it's not simply true. Our body actually needs fat to absorb and store certain vitamins such as; vitamin A, D, E and K. Those vitamins are important for our gynecological health which helps balancing hormone's level in our body.

Below are just a few fruits, vegetables, grains, nut and animal protein that we need to helping our body fight against these painful and sometimes cancerous fibroids;

• Berries
• Apples
• Bananas
• Pineapples
• Melons
• Pears
• Oranges
• Grapefruits
• Radishes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Leafy greens
• Rice
• Oates
• Barely
• All whole grains
• Peanuts
• Peas
• Dried beans
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Brazil nuts
• Walnuts
• Filberts
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Flaxseeds- are the best
• Deep sea fish

What if the natural treatment method is not enough to fight against fibroids?

Next time I’ll post about Uterine Fibroid Embolization procedure.

Why Should Women Know About Fibroids?

Uterine Fibroids FAQ

Every woman, especially those who are in productive age should know and be aware about uterine fibroids. It is because fibroids can happen to 20-80% of all women below the age of 50.

What are fibroids?

Fibroids, or in medical term often called as myoma are muscular tumors grow in the wall of uterus (womb). Although fibroids are almost not cancerous, they can become very large in some unusual cases. Fibroids can grow as single or multiple tumors. The size can be as small as apple seed or as big as a grapefruit.

Uterine Fibroids

What causes fibroids?

No one knows exactly what causes fibroids. Many researchers blamed these two factors as the cause of fibroids; hormonal factors (estrogen and progesterone) and genetic factors.

Because nobody knows exactly what causes fibroids, no one also knows what causes them to shrink or grow. However, while fibroids are under hormonal control, they'll grow rapidly when pregnant (when hormone levels are high) and shrink when anti-hormone medication is used. Or when women reach menopause, fibroids may stop growing and shrink.

Who have a high risk of getting fibroids?

- Women whose age is 30-40 years old. This is a productive age. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink.

- Women who have family members with fibroids history will have higher risk of having fibroids.

- African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than white women.

- Overweight women are at higher risk for fibroids, it is 2-3 times greater than average.

- Women who eat a lot of meat and ham are linked with a higher risk of fibroids.

Where is the exact location of uterine fibroids?

Most fibroids grow in the wall of uterus. Based on the location of the fibroids, doctors put them into 3 groups;

- Submucosal fibroids which grow into the uterine cavity.

- Intramural fibroids which grow within the wall of uterus.

- Subserosal fibroids which grow on the outside of the uterus.

There is also one more type of fibroids called pedunculated fibroids which grow on stalks out of the surface of the uterus or into the cavity of the uterus. They may look like mushrooms.

Schematic drawing of various types of uterine fibroids: a=subserosal fibroids, b=intramural fibroids, c=submucosal fibroid, d=pedunculated submucosal fibroid, e=fibroid in statu nascendi

What are the symptoms of fibroids?

- heavy bleeding which can heavy enough to cause anemia.

- painful periods.

- feeling of fullness in the pelvic area.

- enlargement of the lower abdomen.

- frequent urination.

- pain during sex

- constipation

- lower back pain.

How can you know for sure that you have fibroids?

Actually, the doctor can feel the fibroids with his or her fingers during an ordinary pelvic exam as a lump or mass on the uterus.

Your doctor can also do imaging test to confirm that you have fibroids, which include;

- Ultrasound

A very large (9cm) fibroid of the uterus which is causing pelvic congestion syndrome

- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

- X-Rays

- Cat Scan (CT)

A very large (9cm) fibroid of the uterus which is causing pelvic congestion syndrome

- HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) which involves x-ray dye injection into the uterus and taking x-ray pictures.

The doctors may also need surgery to know for sure if you have fibroids, such as;

- Laparoscopy.

The doctors insert a long, thin scope equipped with bright light and a camera into a tiny incision made in or near the navel. So they can view the uterus on a monitor during the procedure.

- Hysteroscopy.

The doctors pass a long thin scope with light through the vagina, that's why no incision is needed.

When you go to the doctors, what question should you ask them about your fibroids?

- How many fibroids are there?

- How large is their size?

- Where is the location?

- Can they grow larger? and how rapid are their growths?

- How can I detect if the fibroids grow larger?

- What further problems that may arise?

- What are the treatment options?

It's recommended to search second opinion if you don't find answers that meet your needs.

How to treat fibroids?

This part is separately posted in another section of this blog: Uterine Fibroids Treatment.

In the future, I will post more about natural treatment forfibroids.

Read also;

How to Deal with Fibroids and Pregnancy

Uterine Fibroids Treatment

If you're diagnosed to have uterine fibroids, but show no symptoms (such as heavy bleeding during menstruation, prolonged menstrual cycles, bleeding between menstrual periods, pain in the abdomen, frequent urination, pain during intercourse sexual or constipation), then you may not need further treatment. What doctors will do is examining during your regular checkups to see if the fibroids grow.
But for those who have fibroids with one or more of the above symptoms, there are some treatments that can help. Generally, there are two types of fibroid treatment, medication and surgery.
Usually, your doctor will ask you a few things to consider before choosing an appropriate treatment, such as;
- Whether you have symptoms of uterine (as mentioned above).
- Your age and proximity to menopause you are.
- Whether you are planning to become pregnant in the future.
- The size and location of fibroids.

There are 4 common types of fibroids location;
- Intramural fibroids, located in the wall of the uterus. It's the most common types of fibroids.
- Subserosal fibroids, located outside the wall of the uterus. This kind of uterine fibroids can become quite large.
- Submucosal fibroids, located in the muscle beneath the lining of the uterus wall.
- Cervical fibroids, located in the cervix.

Location of Fibroids in the Uterus

Medication Treatment for Fibroids

The doctor may suggest you to take medicine if you have mild symptoms. Drugs that are recommended for fibroids may include:

-          Ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain.

-          Iron supplement to prevent anemia if you have heavy bleeding

-          Low-dose oral birth control pills to control heavy bleeding.

-          GnRHa (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone agonist) to shrink fibroids and usually used before surgery to make fibroids easier to remove. This drug has some side effects like depression, trouble sleeping, reduced libido and joint pain. GnRHa may cause bone thinning, so their use is limited to a maximum of six months. These drugs are also very expensive but offer only temporary relief of symptoms of fibroids. This means that when you stop taking the drugs, the fibroids often grow back quickly.

Surgery Treatment for Fibroids

If you have moderate to severe symptoms, the best way to treat your fibroids is surgery. There are some options for fibroid surgery;
- Myomectomy
This is an action to remove the fibroids without removing the healthy tissue of the uterus. It is probably the right choice for those wishing to get pregnant in the future. However, if your fibroids are located deep in the womb, you may need a cesarean childbirth. After performing a myomectomy, new fibroids may grow and cause problems.

Myomectomy

- Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is performed when the fibroids are large and cause bleeding, it’s often carried out to those who are already menopause or will not get pregnant in the future. This is major surgery to remove the uterus. Although this surgery has a high risk of complications, but hysterectomy is usually quite safe.
- Endometrial Ablation
A woman can not carry a baby after this surgery; endometrial ablation removes or destroys the lining of the uterus. The goal is to control bleeding. This can be considered a minor surgery and made with the laser, the loops of thread, boiling water, electric current, microwaves or freezing. Approximately 50% of women who have this surgery have not menstrual bleeding and more than 30% have much lighter bleeding.
- Myolysis
It is also an action to destroy the fibroids by inserting a needle into the fibroids (usually guided by laparoscopy) and destroy them by the current method of freezing or electric.
- Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) / Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE)
This is an action to reduce fibroids by blocking the blood supply to the fibroids. Studies have shown that fibroids do not grow back after UFE, but more research is needed for a long time. However, not all fibroids can be treated with UFE. Good candidates for UFE are women who: have fibroids that cause heavy bleeding and pain on the bladder or rectum, do not want a hysterectomy and do not want to get pregnant in the future.

Read also: O My God, I'm Having Fibroids and Pregnancy

Oh My God, I’m Having Fibroids and Pregnancy!

You're pregnant and the doctor told you that you also have fibroids! Don't worry; it's not the end of the world. Because there many women who have successfully conceived and delivered normal and healthy babies although they have fibroids and pregnancy at the same time.

First question that might be appearing in your mind is, do these fibroids cause any complications with your pregnancy? The answer is maybe yes maybe no, but mostly no. Uterine tumors will not cause any major problem during pregnancy for many women. However, there are indeed some risks when having large size of fibroids during pregnancy;

1. It can block the birth canal, so you may not possible to deliver normally.

2. If the location of fibroids is closed with the fertilized egg, it can affect the abnormal position of the baby.

3. Fibroid tumors which continue to grow will require spaces and nutrition, this kind of tumors can cause miscarriages.

Uterine Fibroids and Pregnancy

So, how to treat fibroids while having pregnant?

Surely it's wise to avoid chemical medication or drugs. If you require, you can try these two natural methods before going in for surgery;

1. Pay attention to your diet

- Avoid processed food and consume organic food.

- Consume high-fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables, especially iron-rich green leafy vegetables.

- Avoid consuming dairy products, milk or yoghurt.

- Reduce the consumption of red meat and increase and increase consumption of fish.

2. Avoid stress life

- Use meditation or acupuncture.

- Be optimist and trust God that He'll help through fibroids and pregnancy safely.