Advice please: suddenly producing less breast milk?

[Bexy]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone can offer any advice or reassurance. At the weekend my baby son turned 12 weeks old however in the last few days it seems that I'm producing much less breast milk. I used to have a problem with over supply/fast let down. However, now I think I'm not producing enough milk. My breasts feel really soft/empty. On the occasions I have tried pumping I only manage to get around 100ml by interchanging the pump between both breasts over a period of time. Previously I could fill a bottle with one breast very easily! Also, my son seems to be fussing at the boob as if he's not getting enough and I have to keep swapping him from one side to the other repeatedly. He is feeding very frequently so I feel he is constantly on the breast. In the last week he also seems to have taken a dislike to going in the pushchair and the car/seat - he starts crying as if he's hungry. Also, he's not really napping during the day as he wants to feed so often - and then falls asleep at the breast. When I transfer him to the cot to sleep, he wakes up a few minutes later crying. Any advice would be most welcome! Could this be due to a growth spurt? I'm worried I'm producing less milk at a time when my son needs more. I had a bereavement recently - could stress cause my milk supply to drop off?

Many thanks in advance,

Bex.

[Pickle]

It sounds like a growth spurt to me. It's very normal for your breasts to loose that "full" feeling once feeding is established, and you shouldn't use what you get with a pump as an indicator of the milk you have, as baby will be getting much more than the pump does.

Stress could have an impact as well, so do your best to drink lots of water and eat well. So sorry to hear of your bereavement :(

If you can (assuming you don't have other children demanding your attention), take some time out to just lie in bed so your baby. Lots of skin to skin contact, relaxing, and feeding when he wants it. If its a growth spurt you will find things settle down again in a few days.

P x

[Fuschia]

I agree with Pickle

It's totally normal for the 'full' feeling to disappear after a while as your hormones settle

It sounds like a growth spurt, possibly with a bit of dehydration on your part ESP if you haven't been looking after yourself so well since your loss

Also after 3m the baby starts to come out of the '4th trimester' and the brain takes big leaps, causing unsettled behaviour - from 16w in particular babies undergo a 'sleep regression' which is very much to do with a leap in development, and the unsettled behaviour is what traditionally led to suggestions to wean at 4m or even before

[yeknomyeknom]

I had the exact same problem, over supply to undersupply. I visited the breastfeeding clinics and lactation specialist Claire kedves at kings. Below is a combination of advice given an action taken. It worked.

Spent three days living in bed with baby, naked, total skin on skin contact (except for nappy, him not me). This meant he fed more, especially at night, teaching my boobs demand was high.

Look away now if squemish. For two weeks my husband fed from me each night. Again, teaching boobs demand was high.

I also had a few half pints of guiness along the way.

Good luck!

[Bexy]

Thanks all for the advice and reassurance - all really helpful. I'm going to try to eat/drink more regularly and will see if I can arrange a couple of days in bed with the little-un. It's as good an excuse as any to spend a few days taking it easy.

Yeknom - thanks for passing on that info - very helpful. Will defo try that although I'm not sure about getting my partner involved just yet. Respect to you though! :-)

Thanks again everyone. x

[Oxalis]

Similar thing happened to me when my daugher was 3-4 months. Turned out my thyroid had gone haywire. Might be worth getting this check if things don't improve.

[j-mo]

My baby is 12wks and going through a massive growth spurt. Symptoms same as you. I just spent 2-3 days feeding him every 2 hours and then it got easier again. I also drank loads and loads of water and ate more. I was ravenous. Keep going Bexy!!!!

[Saffron]

Check if your local health shop has breastfeeding supplements like fenugreek and blessed thistle. I really liked this brand: http://www.motherlove.com/product/530-More-Milk-Plus.html.

[WorkingMummy]

Agree with Pickle and Fuschia. Have also experienced exactly what you describe (and have worried it was external stresses I couldn't control causing it all.)

A good way to reassure yourself is to keep an eye on the nappy situation. Of course, it's normal for EFB babies to go for days without pooing - because BM is so easily digested - but if he's still peeing a lot (which you can tell just by weighing up his used nappies in your hand) then he's taking on plenty of milk from you.

I'm very sorry for your loss. What a time you must be having! But as stressful and distracting as that must be, I'm sure that your body won't have lost its pretty single minded focus on milk production. I have been breast feeding for 5 years solid now (not the same child!) and have gone through the most stressful experiences of my life within that period. Although at times I wondered if my boobs were working they clearly were as each baby kept on growing!

As others have said, just make sure with everything going on that you remember to eat and drink - especially to drink.

[fl0wer]

One more note of reassurance - lactation works in response to demand, but you won't notice right away. If you are sure the extra 'fussing' is your baby's instinct to nurse, go with it even if it means feeding every couple of hours, and the increased stimulation will increase your supplies in a few days.

Bearing in mind the heatwave, which might have coincided with the baby being more thirsty as well, get plenty of water/juice/milk/yoghourt/smoothies/herb tea and yes, weak beer, (but not caffeine drinks, we were taught years ago).

Plus this stage uses a surprising number of calories, so make sure your body has the extra supplies of high-energy foods - fresh fruit, dried fruit, also WW bread and WW cereals like brown rice and pasta....a bit more than you are used to, perhaps, as you averagely need about one-third again more than usual, depending on size of baby.