Um...bizarre question...kids mentioned

Sooo...back in November, when my doc decided I needed a hysterectomy, I was still nursing one of my twins, and she wasn't quite ready to wean. He informed me that I would definitely need to have her weaned prior to surgery b/c my milk would dry up immediately after surgery. I weaned her in January...and had my TLH/BSO on March 26.

Fast forward to today. My little nursling, who has not nursed in 3 months, was snuggling in bed with me, and I had my jammies on, and she started messing around with my booby and squeezed on my nipple - and I discovered - I still have milk!!!!!!! Not a lot - but I was so shocked I checked the other side - and sure enough - milk there too!!!

I mean, I know for nursing mothers, milk can take months to totally dry up (it took about 6 months after my DS)...but I had my OVARIES removed. Wouldn't that sort of cause my milk to dry up in a heartbeat????? I mean, I know oxytocin and prolactin are the hormones that actually stimulate milk production, and I *think* they are brain chemicals (am I wrong?)...but I thought that something in the uterus or ovaries was what stimulated the brain to release oxytocin and prolactin. Am I way off base here??? Can a menopausal woman lactate????

Would the estrogen in my patch be enough to stimulate prolactin and oxytocin????

It totally took me by surprise - and made me REALLY sad, b/c it was just a reminder that I won't ever nurse another baby. My nursing days are over (and I REALLY loved nursing!!!).

Has this ever happened to anyone???? How is this possible??? I see my doc for my post-op on Friday, so I'll ask him about it...but I was just curious to hear from you guys.

Sorry can't actually answer your question, but that is amazing. My milk went when I cut down to two feeds a day when my youngest was just one. A woman's body is amazing and we are all different I know that it can take some time for the hormones to adjust after a hysterectomy but whether lactation after a radical hysterecomy is possible I would be really interested to know.

I loved nursing too, and was sad when my milk dried up. My youngest is eight now so those days are over now. I wasn't worried about the hyster at first because of the problems I was having but now it's over and I have time to think it's a little sad.

Twins too, lucky you. I friend of mine has twins and although they are a hand full I love them to bits.

Here's an article about breastfeeding after a hysterectomy that may interest you.

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_97142.htm

You might want to print it out and bring it to your post op appointment Friday.

Thanks for that. Yeah, I did a little more research on the internet last night after I posted that - and I got MAD. REALLY MAD. And SOOOOO sad. Because it became glaringly obvious to me that my doctor COMPLETELY mislead me, and there was NO reason I needed to wean my daughter!!!!! She was NOT ready to wean, and I am a FIRM believer in child-led weaning. I mean, I'm not one of those "breastfeed-them-til they're 7" kind of moms, but I do believe in extended BFing and child-led weaning. PLUS, this twin has a dairy allergy, so she can't drink cow's milk - so we have to spend close to $7/gallon on rice milk for her - whereas I could still be nursing her and saving a lot of money!!! I am furious and heartbroken all at the same time, finding this out now. And it's too late to go back. I offered to let her nurse yesterday, when we made this discovery, and it's been too long - she doesn't remember how, and really doesn't have an interest in it now. GRRR....

I'm mad at my doc, and I'm furious with myself for just taking his word about it and not calling my lactation consultant or doing any research about it myself before I weaned her!!!! It's SO atypical of me to just take a doc's word about ANYTHING - I usually question EVERYTHING.

I don't know WHY I didn't ask more questions and do more research this time....well, I think it was because I was just in so much pain and so consumed by it, that I couldn't really think straight or do ANYTHING else but just barely function!

i am heartbroken for you... i was told the same thing by 2 different OB/GYN's that my milk would dry up when my ovaries were removed, so i called la leche league and was told otherwise... even minutes before my surgery my dr told me to not plan on nursing afterwards and i almost made the choice to leave one ovary... i met with the hospital lactation consultant twice after surgery and she reassured me that although my milk could do down because of my vivelle patch, that if it did, we had different options to try to rebuild my milk supply... i am now 4 weeks post op, nursing my 22-month old on demand still (about 6+ times a day) and although i think my milk had gone down a little, she's still content... had i listened to the first 2 dr's i would've weaned also, but my heart told me i had to keep trying... i also believe in child-led weaning and since this is my last child ever, i was determined to find a way... my dr now is impressed with my menopausal-breastfeeding abilities and i'll make sure to educate him for future sisters... i only wish i could've known this info to share it with you before...
many many hugs....

Thank you.

I'm so glad to hear that you didn't take the docs' word for it and did your research!!! Go you!!! I'm so frustrated with MYSELF b/c I'm SUCH a huge advocate for doing your own research - and I always do my research on stuff - my docs (and my kids' docs) get sick and tired of me coming in with my own ideas based on what I've researched!!!! But this time, with this surgery, on SO MANY LEVELS, I just didn't. And all I can chalk it up to is that I was in such debilitating pain that it's all I could focus on. All of my energy was focused on making the pain stop so that I could function again and take care of my kids again.

And yes, like you, I wanted to BF her as long as possible - she's my last baby, and as long as she was wanting to nurse, I wanted to keep nursing her. Before I weaned her, she was still nursing 6-8 times a day...so she was definitely NOT ready to be weaned. It makes me SOOOO sad now to know that I didn't really have to do it.

you said you offered it again to her and she didn't remember how? how do you feel about pumping and at least giving it to her in a cup since she can't have cows milk... i know its not the same, but it still has the same benefits and if you're still producing.... i wish i were there to give you hugs... when i was told i'd have to abruptly wean within days of my surgery i was devastated... i even considered post-poning surgery...

on a side note, i saw your signature... do you feel your tubal is what led to your hyst (which was on my birthday)? i truly feel thats what started my snowball effect... i didn't have issues before my TL in june/08...

YES! I absolutely feel that my tubal ligation is what led to my hysterectomy!!!!! That's a whole 'nother level of fury inside me. Prior to my tubal, I never had endo or adeno or any pelvic pain. Then probably about 6-9 months after my tubal is when everything started going downhill, and my life went to hell in a handbasket!!! With the symptoms I had, I figured I probably had endo, and my younger sis had endo removed a couple years ago,...but then I started talking to a couple of local moms who'd been having similar bizarre pelvic problems that all started after their tubal ligations. So I started doing some more research about it, and started seeing the term, "Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome," and it FIT perfectly. And what infuriates me is that if it's KNOWN, if there are so many patients who HAVE these complications after a tubal...then WHY is the only risk they mention beforehand that "you could still get pregnant and/or have an ectopic pregnancy." I will NEVER recommend to a woman to get her tubes tied EVER, now that I know what I know. In fact, a friend of mine who makes baby slings JUST made a new one as a fundraiser to raise awareness about this very issue, because of my story and the very same thing had happened to her own mother.

Anyway...as far as pumping - I already sold my pump, and honestly, there's not enough there to pump. I know if I pumped and pumped, eventually my supply would build back up, but at this point, I think it would just be more emotionally draining and a constant painful reminder than anything.

I have had a hard couple of weeks. You calling your baby a "nursling" is...just extraordinarily beautiful.
All the best to you and your "nursling".

	Quote:
Originally Posted by mountainwoman2 I have had a hard couple of weeks. You calling your baby a "nursling" is...just extraordinarily beautiful. All the best to you and your "nursling".

I'm so sorry you've had a hard couple of weeks. Gentle (((hugs))) to you!!! And thank you for your comment. It warmed my heart.