Photo by Jyn Meyer

Symptoms of Postpartum Thyroiditis

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include anxiety, insomnia, weight loss, increased heart rate, fatigue, and weakness. Hypothryoidism causes fatigue, unexplained weight gain or inability to lose weight, coarse and dry skin and hair, constipation, and depression. Lots of new mothers are tired and might attribute any of the other symptoms to the demands of caring for a baby! Fortunately simple blood tests can determine whether there is indeed an underlying thyroid condition, and mothers experiencing any unusual and ongoing symptoms should contact their doctors.

How Postpartum Thyroiditis Affects Breastfeeding Women

Nursing mothers should work to protect the breastfeeding relationship with three key considerations throughout the process: (1) compatible diagnostic testing, (2) compatible treatment and medications, and (3) management of milk supply, both oversupply and low supply.

Lucky me, I have hit the statistical jackpot and had both postpartum Graves’ Disease and now postpartum thyroiditis. The first doctor I saw wanted me to pump and dump my milk for an uptake scan and encouraged me to wean altogether. Needless to say I sought a second opinion. As MyThyroid.com explains:

The diagnosis is often made clinically, and as many women are still breastfeeding at the time of presentation, it is not generally desirable or necessary to stop breastfeeding for an uptake or scan as the diagnosis can usually be made on clinical grounds alone. Obviously, breastfeeding women should not have tests with radioactive isotopes as small amounts of the isotopes can be passed along in the breast milk, which is to be avoided.

Thyroid medications (both antithyroid medications used to suppress thyroid function and thyroid supplements used to boost thyroid levels) at appropriate doses are compatible with breastfeeding. Thyroid function can affect the milk ejection reflex and hence it can cause low milk supply. My experience has been the opposite — I had significant oversupply when I had undiagnosed Graves’ Disease. This time with the low thyroid function I have not experienced low milk supply.

Your Experience

Have you dealt with postpartum thyroid issues? What was your experience? How did it affect breastfeeding, if at all?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

1. The American Academy of Pediatrics article “Transfer of Drugs and Other Chemicals into Human Milk” available on-line here (scroll down to click on the article title to open it, then consult the appropriate table for the particular medication).

2. Dr. Hale’s breastfeeding and medications forum located here (note: you do not need a username and password to browse the existing posts. Only professionals such as lactation consultants, LLL leaders, physicians, pharmacists and other medical professionals may register and post new questions).

3. Kellymom.com’s collection of resources on “Is This Safe When Breastfeeding?” located here. Kellymom.com also has a message board here where anyone can register and post “is this safe when breastfeeding” questions.

[4. Don't forget about the free on-line reference LactMed!]

Having done my homework about the recommended drug, I returned to the doctor and shared the literature with him. He agreed to prescribe the medication. Even still, at each subsequent appointment he continued to ask me if I’d weaned my baby. Each time I would calmly yet firmly reply, “No, I plan to continue nursing.”

I cannot imagine compounding the stress of being diagnosed with a serious illness with having to wean suddenly. In my case, it would have been unnecessarily traumatic for both me and my baby. I don’t advocate going against medical advice, but I do advocate getting a second opinion and arming oneself with all available information. Thank goodness I persisted and was able to nurse happily for months after that.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3