can colds reduce milk supply ?

[robinredbreast]

soory to take over the board with threads about colds!anyone would think ive got man flu

but started a rotten cold and my boobs feel really empty,normally when i wake up in the morning, my boobs are full and even leaking and the 1st feed of the day is my favourite as dd always seems so contnt.
however this am no heavy or full feeling and no leaking

im making sure i drink plenty off fluids,my milk isn't going to dry up is it ?
im planing on feddding dd as much as possible today to help to try to prevent her catching it, although i realise as she is with me 24/7 she's prob gonna catch it, oh my poor little lamb

[hoppybird]

Hi robin, no advice, I'm afraid - I was wondering the same thing!

My dd has had a cold and has been teething at the same time, which meant she was waking far more at night and then not being able to settle. However, with this round of teething, she was demanding 6 changes of side at a time before she even entertained either dropping off to sleep or being put down in her cot without sobbing pitifully. She hasn't done this (ie demading multiple long feeds) during previous colds/teething, the difference this time being that I'm also suffering from a cold. I'm also guessing that maybe there'a reduced amount in each breast, which makes her demand more?

[robinredbreast]

hi hoppy yes it certainly feels that way to me,my boobs just feel empty
ive just given dd some expressed that was in the freezer as shs been going mad,i wanted her to have as much fresh as poss for the antibodies
ive even tried a hot bath as that sometimes helps [perhaps helps the letdown maybe?]

have you tried a hot bath yet ?

[hoppybird]

Actually, a hot bath is a good tip for improving let-down. I haven't been lingering in the bath as I usually do as our central heating isn't working - it's case of quickly in and out. Brrrr!

Fullness (or not) seems to change every so often for me anyway, I put it down to different nutritional needs dd has now that she's 15months. However, I haven't had her demand multiple additional feeds per session, not since she was cluster feeding when she was a tiny baby. She has her own way of asking for a feed - she 'pecks' at my shoulder and says 'aba aba'. Since we both caught the cold, she's been pecking away at my shoulder for several more go's after I've fed her and tried to put her down in her cot at night, although it is easing off to only 4 sides now!

[MrsWaggsnapps]

I think if you are dripping snot then you are bound to be dehydrated abit so need to drink loads more. I've just had a humdinger of a cold and my skin was even shrivelling up as everything went for breastmilk. When I finally realsied it was affecting supply, I made myself drink a glass each hour and one before every caffeinated drink.