Emolemo’s Story- Breastfeeding My baby Naya with Thrombocytopaenia

May 2026

My journey was a real roller coaster, with beautiful highs and difficult lows. Through it all the La Leche League mother-to-mother breastfeeding support and information group helped me navigate the challenges; they really helped not to feel alone. 

My daughter was born via an emergency C-section and she spent the following 4 days in the NICU. I was simply trying to cope with everything and during this difficult time my focus shifted away from breastfeeding. 

I resorted to using formula milk until a friend suggested I contact the La Leche League Botswana (LLL)  support group. My daughter was 2 weeks old by now and although I had attempted to get her to latch, my flat nipple made it quite difficult. Under the guidance and support of the LLL Leaders and after a few false starts I managed to get her to latch and feed comfortably and effectively and we never looked back. 

We did experience some extreme challenges at 4 months old; she was hospitalised with thrombocytopenia. This means having a low platelet count. Platelets help the blood to clot, so when there are fewer platelets than usual, there can be greater tendency to bruise or bleed. Sadly, hers was a severe case that led to bloody stools and required multiple blood and platelet transfusions to stabilise her.

I have Lupus Arthritis and some healthcare providers suggested  that my medications may be suppressing my daughter’s ability to produce platelets. For peace of mind, I weaned her for two weeks whilst attempting to clear the medication from my system. During this time I fed her my frozen breast milk stash that I had stored before taking the medication.

Since then I have stopped taking the medication altogether as I have decided to breastfeed her until she turns 12 months. She is not completely well yet; she still requires monthly blood work, and we monitor her urine and stools closely for any signs of bleeding. We’ve realised that her condition is not conclusively linked to my medication (since I’ve stopped taking it and her condition remains) and not taking the medication has been demanding on my immune system, but I would do it all over again to provide my baby with the best nourishment for her.

I would strongly suggest to other breastfeeding mamas with complex medical conditions that they consult a LLL Leader and/or IBCLC to research the medications they use before taking them while breastfeeding.

[LLLSA comment: The vast majority of medications are compatible with breastfeeding. To check more information visit www.e-lactancia.org]