Breastfeeding after IVF: 10 tips for success

Breastfeeding after IVF: it’s tougher than you think. A recent Australian study looked at breastfeeding issues following IVF treatment. It found that fertility patients were more likely to fail than ‘natural’ mothers. Breastfeeding is challenging at the best of times. And with IVF, it’s even harder to get right.

So what’s the deal with IVF cycles and breastfeeding? The study focussed on women who had a caesarean section after an IVF cycle. (IVF patients are more likely to choose a c-section than women who conceive naturally.) Most of the fertility patients wanted to breastfeed to the six-month mark. But many ran into difficulties. At four months, just 41.3 per cent of IVF mothers were still breastfeeding. That’s 10 per cent less than ‘natural’ mums. Delayed lactation, low oxytocin levels, lack of support and loss of confidence are all to blame.

What can IVF patients do to improve their breastfeeding odds? We’ve compared studies, trawled the forums, listened to the experts and come up with some ideas of our own. So these are our 10 tips to help mums succeed with breastfeeding after IVF. Hope they help!

1. Keep relaxed.

When the euphoria of birth subsides, reality kicks in. As an IVF mother, your birth is a particularly miraculous event. You may have had gruelling IVF cycles and a stressful pregnancy. It’s important to put all that behind you and relax, well before, and during, a breastfeeding session. So put on some peaceful music, dim the lights and head for the quietest room in the house. Leave stress – the oxytocin killer – outside the door.

2. Ask for medical support from the start.

A key recommendation in the Australian IVF/breastfeeding study was that IVF patients should request more support from the outset. That means additional assistance from lactation experts, midwives and your local doctor. Insist on regular visits from them all after your return from hospital. It works in Denmark. Or consider paying for a private breastfeeding tutor. They’re cheaper than you think and could just swing it in those crucial early days. Personalised breastfeeding plans are also catching on.

3. Call in friends and family.

As an IVF patient, you’ll know which of your friends and family you can rely on for support. Ask them over, early on, to help with cooking and cleaning. You’ll be surprised how little time you have to do household chores yourself. With Auntie Flo cooking cosy stews, you’ll have more time to relax and focus on your precious baby and breastfeeding agenda. Many cultures encourage close family support post-birth. Insist on it yourself.

4. Take fenugreek and folic acid.

IVF and non-IVF patients know all about folic-acid supplements during pregnancy. Take one after birth too, as part of a larger multivitamin. You may not eat too well after you return home with baby (trust us, there’s no time). For breastfeeding purposes, your vitamin and mineral intake really matters. And take fenugreek – many midwives swear by it. Check you’re on the right dose and run it past your doctor.

5. Eat like a horse – and knock back the water.

You may have been trying to watch your diet during pregnancy, perhaps to keep gestational diabetes at bay. Once you’re home, you can love food again. You’ll get ravenous after breastfeeding. Chocolate bars, cake and ice cream – they’re all yours. On top of the carbs, try and eat a balanced diet that includes protein, fish, fruit and vegetables.

In the weeks leading up to the birth, prepare and freeze industrial quantities of sauces and soups – you’ll thank yourself for this. And order in 40 bottles of mineral water: breastfeeding makes you very thirsty. Don’t drink from the tap – life’s too short to wrestle with the bacteria.

6. Use a breast pump – it’s totally okay.

IVF patients are used to a helping hand. If your milk isn’t coming, use a breast pump. Try a manual, then an automatic one. Both will seem bizarre at first. But if they work, why not? You’ll quickly see if breastfeeding or pump produces the most milk. If one breast works better than the other (very likely), don’t neglect the ‘bad’ breast. Lactation needs stimulation. Remember: even if you produce little breast milk compared to a pump, it’s better than nothing.

7. Easy breastfeeding is a myth – keep at it.

One of the great myths about breastfeeding, after IVF or not, is that it’s easy. It’s not. And nobody tells you. It’s a fact that many mothers run into difficulties. Well-meaning health professionals turn up on your doorstep and give conflicting, and sometimes inaccurate, advice. Add to that latching problems, sore nipples, reluctance to feed in public, social pressure, anxiety for the baby – mums are faced with a bewildering array of issues that scream: just give up.

Don’t. Relax. Take a deep breath. If you’re an IVF mum, breastfeeding is one more hurdle to overcome, and you’re strong enough to do it.

8. Run that bath – but banish the bubbles.

You’ll have been told to avoid baths after your IVF transfer. Then to avoid prolonged ones during later pregnancy. It’s time to reclaim the roll top. Having a daily hot bath has been proven to reduce stress levels. That means easier breastfeeding. So plonk the baby on your partner and take 30 minutes off each day to wallow in hot water. Don’t use bath oils or bubble bath: the perfume on your skin can discourage your baby from latching on.

9. Breastfeed or express in the early hours.

Stress levels are lower during or after sleep. This may explain why many women find milk production easier in the early hours of the day. If that’s true for you, get some expressing done then – you could even store some milk for later in the day.

10. Book that boutique hotel.

After the rollercoaster of IVF, then the birth, you’ll want to breastfeed your baby away from the stresses of everyday life. But after three or four weeks, whether you’ve had adequate support or not, it’s time to venture out. Be bold. Don’t just make it a trip to the shops, holding onto the pram for dear life. Book a weekend in that fancy hotel you always promised yourself. We went away for three days, had wonderful meals prepared for us and chilled out in our hotel room. Our baby loved it, too, and the breast milk flowed! Change of scene, relaxation, no chores to worry about – it really makes a difference.

Hope your enjoyed our top 10 tips on breastfeeding after IVF treatment. Read more about our IVF success story here.